Exploring an Existing Weight Management App for Use With Adolescents and Young Adults With Spina Bifida: Usability Study

Authors

Elizabeth C. Stiles-Shields, Loyola University ChicagoFollow
Brittney Garcia, Loyola University Chicago
Kimberly Villota, Loyola University Chicago
Elicia Wartman, Loyola University Chicago
Adrien M. Winning, Loyola University Chicago
Grayson Holmbeck, Loyola University ChicagoFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-10-2019

Publication Title

JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting

Volume

2

Issue

2

Publisher Name

JMIR Publications

Abstract

Background: Adolescents and young adults with spina bifida (AYA-SBs) have unique user needs, given their variable and complex symptom profile. Owing to multiple barriers to prevention and intervention treatments for secondary conditions (eg, obesity), AYA-SBs may benefit from the use of behavioral intervention technologies (BITs). However, as BITs are often designed and tested with typically developing individuals, it is unclear if existing BITs may be usable for AYA-SBs.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the usability of a high-quality, publicly available, weight management–focused mobile BIT (smartphone app) for AYA-SBs.

Methods: Overall, 28 AYA-SBs attending a Young Men’s Christian Association–based summer camp completed 4 structured usability tasks using a weight management app designed for the general public called My Diet Coach (Bending Spoons). Learnability was measured by (1) time to complete task, (2) number of user errors, and (3) correct entry of data when requested by the app. Satisfaction and general usability were measured via self-reported questionnaires and qualitative feedback following interactions with the app.

Results: The majority of the sample were able to complete the tasks, with increased completion rates and improved times on second attempts of the tasks (Ps

Conclusions: AYA-SBs were able to learn how to complete specific tasks independently on a weight management app, but design changes consistent with previously proposed user needs were recommended. Rather than designing entirely new BITs, it may be possible to adapt existing technologies to personalize BITs for specific populations such as AYA-SBs.

Comments

Author Posting © The Authors, 2019. This article is posted here by permission of The Authors for personal use, not for redistribution. The article was published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, Volume 2, Issue 2, October 2019, https://doi.org/10.2196/15153

Recommended Citation

Stiles-Shields, Elizabeth C.; Garcia, Brittney; Villota, Kimberly; Wartman, Elicia; Winning, Adrien M.; and Holmbeck, Grayson. Exploring an Existing Weight Management App for Use With Adolescents and Young Adults With Spina Bifida: Usability Study. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, 2, 2: , 2019. Retrieved from Loyola eCommons, Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works, http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/15153

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright Statement

© Colleen Stiles-Shields, Brittney Garcia, Kimberly Villota, Elicia Wartman, Adrien M Winning, Grayson N Holmbeck. Originally published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting (http://pediatrics.jmir.org), 10.10.2019.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://pediatrics.jmir.org, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.