A Persuasive mHealth Application for Postoperative Cardiac Procedures: Prototype Design and Usability Study

Abstract

The global burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is a worldwide public health problem. In 2019, 18.6 million people died from CVD, representing a 17.1% increase compared to 2010. Also, some individuals who experience a cardiovascular event will require some form of cardiovascular procedure, such as a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator insertion, aneurysm repair, or heart valve replacement. Mobile health (mHealth) is a valuable tool for supporting individuals with CVD in self-management, providing medical recommendations, virtual consultations, reminders, and disease monitoring notifications. The main objective of this research was to enhance postoperative care for cardiac procedures. To achieve this, the research involved the development of a new mHealth application and the subsequent evaluation of its usability. The study constituted technological and usability research by using Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM). The design of the mobile application followed the principles of Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model, which encompass a clear definition of the main task, user interaction through dialogue, system credibility, and social support, aiming to help change user behavior. The sample was non-probabilistic for convenience, and System Usability Scale (SUS) was applied to physicians and nurses as well as individuals in the information technology field. The sample comprised 18 participants, of whom 55.6% were female. The participants rated the application positively, with a median final SUS score of 95 (IQR 90–97.5). Finally, the mobile application presented high usability and user acceptance.