Purpose: Hip fracture results in an older person's loss of independence. Limited healthcare resources make mobile Health (mHealth) an alternative. Engaging key stakeholders in health technology development is essential to overcome existing barriers. The aim of this study was to establish perspectives of older adults with hip fracture, family caregivers and health professionals (stakeholders) on the development of a mHealth system.
Materials and methods: Qualitative study guided by user-centered design principles with focus groups to engage stakeholders during the development. Seven focus groups were conducted [older adults with hip fracture (n = 2), caregivers (n = 3), and health providers (n = 2)] with 45 participants (14 older adults, 21 caregivers and 10 health providers). Inclusion criteria were older adults ≥ 65 years who sustained a hip fracture in the previous 3 months; family caregiver of a person with hip fracture; and health providers with 2+ years of clinical experience working older adults with hip fracture. We followed standard methods for focus groups, including recording sessions, transcription and conducting an inductive content analysis. The same moderator, with clinical and research experience, conducted all focus groups.
Results: Three themes were generated to consider for a future mHealth intervention: (1) user-friendly design; (2) content to include recovery and prevention information; and (3) implementation factors. Our mHealth system was developed based on feedback from participants.
Conclusions: Co-creating mHealth technology with stakeholders is essential for uptake and adherence. We provide an overview of the development of ActiveHip+, an mHealth system for the clinical care of older adults with hip fracture.
Keywords: Tele-rehabilitation; family caregivers; health providers; hip fracture; medical informatics; mobile applications; older adults with hip fracture; telemedicine.
Designing mHealth tools through a co-creation process with the main stakeholders is a way of facilitating the use of health information and communication technology, especially for older adults.Creating a user-friendly and intuitive mobile application is a critical point for a feasible implementation.Including relevant information about the entire process of a hip fracture recovery and an easy way of communicating with health providers are important aspects for patients and caregivers’ support.