Development, Acceptability, and Usability of a Virtual Intervention for Vertebral Fractures

Objective: This project aimed to develop a virtual intervention for vertebral fractures (VIVA) to implement the international recommendations for the nonpharmacological management of osteoporotic vertebral fractures and to test its acceptability and usability.

Methods: VIVA was developed in accordance with integrated knowledge translation principles and was informed by the Behavioral Change Wheel, the Theoretical Domains Framework, and the affordability, practicability, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, acceptability, side effects/safety, and equity (APEASE) criteria. The development of the prototype of VIVA involved 3 steps: understanding target behaviors, identifying intervention options, and identifying content and implementation options. The VIVA prototype was delivered to 9 participants to assess its acceptability and usability.

Results: VIVA includes 7 1-on-1 virtual sessions delivered by a physical therapist over 5 weeks. Each session lasts 45 minutes and is divided in 3 parts: education, training, and behavioral support/goal setting. Four main themes emerged from the acceptability evaluation: perceived improvements in pain, increased self-confidence, satisfaction with 1-on-1 sessions and resources, and ease of use. All of the participants believed that VIVA was very useful and were very satisfied with the 1-on-1 sessions. Four participants found the information received very easy to practice, 4 found it easy to practice, and 1 found it somewhat difficult to practice. Five participants were satisfied with the supporting resources, and 4 were very satisfied. Potential for statistically significant improvements was observed in participants' ability to make concrete plans about when, how, where, and how often to exercise.

Conclusion: VIVA was acceptable and usable to the participants, who perceived improvements in pain and self-confidence.

Impact: The virtual implementation of the recommendations for the nonpharmacological management of vertebral fractures showed high acceptability and usability. Future trials will implement the recommendations on a larger scale to evaluate their effectiveness.