RESUMO
Background: Mobile health (mHealth) apps can be used for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. User-centered design, evidence-based content and user testing can be applied to ensure a high level of usability and adequate app access. Objective: To develop and evaluate an mHealth app (HerzFit) for CVD prevention. Methods: HerzFit´s development included a user-centered design approach and guideline-based content creation based on the identified requirements of the target group. Beta testing and a preliminary usability evaluation of the HerzFit prototype were performed. For evaluation, German versions of the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (GER-MAUQ) as well as free text feedback were applied. Results: User-centered design thinking led to the definition of four personas. Based on their requirements, HerzFit enables users to individually assess, monitor, and optimize their cardiovascular risk profile. Users are also provided with a variety of evidence-based information on CVD and their risk factors. The user interface and system design followed the identified functional requirements. Beta-testers provided feedback on the structure and functionality and rated the usability of HerzFit´s prototype as slightly above average both in SUS and GER-MAUQ rating. Participants positively noted the variety of functions and information presented in HerzFit, while negative feedback mostly concerned wearable synchronization. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates the user-centered development of a guideline-based mHealth app for CVD prevention. Beta-testing and a preliminary usability study were used to further improve the HerzFit app until its official release.
RESUMO
Objective: In Germany, only a few standardized evaluation tools for assessing the usability of mobile Health apps exist so far. This study aimed to translate and validate the English patient version for standalone apps of the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ) into a German version. Methods: Following scientific guidelines for translation and cross-cultural adaptation, the patient version for standalone apps was forward and back-translated from English into German by an expert panel. In total, 53 participants who were recruited as part of the beta testing process of the recently developed mHealth app HerzFit, answered the questions of the German version of the MAUQ (GER-MAUQ) and the System Usability Scale. Subsequently, a descriptive as well as a psychometric analysis was performed to test validity and reliability. Results: After conducting three cognitive interviews, five items were modified. The values for Cronbach alpha for the entire questionnaire and the three subscales (0.966, 0.814, 0.910, and 0.909) indicate strong internal consistency. The correlation analysis revealed that the scores of the GER-MAUQ, the subscales and the SUS were strongly correlated with each other. The correlation coefficient of the SUS and the GER-MAUQ overall score was r = 0.854, P < 0.001 and the coefficients of the subscales and the SUS were r = 0.642, P < 0.001; r = 0.866, P < 0.001 and r = 0.643, P < 0.001. Conclusions: We have developed a novel German version of the MAUQ and demonstrated it as a reliable and valid measurement tool for assessing the usability of standalone mHealth apps from the patients' perspective. The GER-MAUQ allows a new form of standardized assessment of usability of mHealth apps for patients with cardiovascular disease in Germany. Further research with a larger sample and other samples is recommended.