Usability of a digital self-management website for people with osteoarthritis: A UK patient and public involvement study

Factors that influence older people’s engagement with digital health technology

“…OIder users' understanding of the function of devices such as modems and routers can influence their engagement, particularly with home telehealth equipment such as online applications provided on an iPad or smart phone (Sanders et al 2012;Doyle et al 2014). However, more recent studies suggest that a lack of prior technological knowledge is not a barrier to DHT uptake and it is the design that is the important factor (Middlemass et al 2017), with older users preferring simple user interfaces (Doyle et al 2014), and preferring avoidance of excessive text in large blocks and medical jargon (Algeo et al 2017). Co-creation of the DHT interface with older users can improve uptake success, particularly when developing electronic assisted living technologies (Holliday et al 2014).…”

“…A number of smart phone based applications in the NHS apps library include behaviour change focussed technology (McMillan et al 2016). Although these are most commonly aimed at changing unhealthy behaviours in people without long-term conditions, a number of these DHT interventions include behaviour change techniques that enable users to set individualised goals (Devi et al 2014, Algeo et al 2017) and encourage them to monitor their progress using diaries, such as recording the amount of exercise they take or trends in symptoms (Devi et al 2014, Williams et al 2014. Exercise-based interventions can give positive feedback at regular intervals and reassure or inform users of their progress and thereby encourage ongoing use (Doyle et al 2014, Essery et al 2016).…”

“…Some DHT applications and web sites address this by including interactive components such as quizzes, case studies and informative pictures and videos that enhance learning and are updated regularly (Currie et al 2015, Algeo et al 2017) and these can encourage older people's engagement. Essery et al (2017) found that almost all users who completed a trial of the dizziness management website felt it offered new information and taught new skills, despite some of the users having already completed the same activity using a booklet-based format (Essery et al 2017).…”

“…This is particularly important for helping self-management of a condition soon after initial diagnosis. For example, some DHT users identified that the self-care information and techniques within web-based programmes represented good encouragement for engagement when newly diagnosed with osteoarthritis (Algeo et al 2017) and with angina (Devi et al 2014). Current and potential users of DHT also feel that introduction of DHT immediately after a significant event such as hospital discharge or surgery would increase its effectiveness (Holliday et al 2015).…”

The accessibility and usability of an Australian web‐based self‐management programme for people with lower health literacy and joint pain in the UK: A qualitative interview study

“…MyJointPain (MJP) (www.myjointpain.org.au) is a free, web‐based self‐management resource for people with OA, created by Arthritis Australia in partnership with patients, which can be tailored to monitor self‐reported physical and psychological needs. It has been shown to be effective in an Australian population (Umapathy et al, ) and there is also some evidence of applicability in the UK (Algeo, Hunter, Cahill, Dickson, & Adams, ). However, it is not yet known how accessible the resource is for people with lower health literacy.…”