Exploring the Needs of People With Chronic Low Back Pain and Health Care Professionals for mHealth Devices to Support Self-Managed Physical Activity and Pain: User-Centered Design Approach

BackgroundChronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major economic and social problem worldwide. Despite the variety of recommended treatments, long-term self-management of this condition is complex and requires the development of innovative interventions. Mobile health (mHealth) tec...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mathilde Berger, Anne Deblock-Bellamy, Laurence Chèze, Thomas Robert, Julie J Desrosiers, Guillaume Christe, Anne Martine Bertrand
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2024-11-01
Series:JMIR Human Factors
Online Access:https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2024/1/e59897
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850198785536294912
author Mathilde Berger
Anne Deblock-Bellamy
Laurence Chèze
Thomas Robert
Julie J Desrosiers
Guillaume Christe
Anne Martine Bertrand
author_facet Mathilde Berger
Anne Deblock-Bellamy
Laurence Chèze
Thomas Robert
Julie J Desrosiers
Guillaume Christe
Anne Martine Bertrand
author_sort Mathilde Berger
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundChronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major economic and social problem worldwide. Despite the variety of recommended treatments, long-term self-management of this condition is complex and requires the development of innovative interventions. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies hold great promise for the management of chronic pain, particularly to support physical activity. However, their implementation is challenged by a lack of user compliance and limited engagement, which may be due to insufficient consideration of the needs of potential users during development. ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the needs of people with CLBP and health care professionals regarding mHealth technologies to support self-managed physical activity, and to delineate design recommendations based on identified needs. MethodsA participatory study was conducted using a 3-phase, user-centered design approach: needs investigation with a group of experts in a workshop (phase 1), needs exploration with end users in focus groups (phase 2), and validation of needs using Delphi questionnaires followed by the development of a set of recommendations (phase 3). ResultsA total of 121 people with CLBP, expert patients, health care professionals, rehabilitation researchers, and biomechanical engineers participated in this study. The results indicated how technology could help people with CLBP overcome their difficulties with managing physical activity. Specific needs were formulated concerning device objectives, expected strategies, functionalities, technical features, conditions of use, and potential facilitators and barriers to use. These needs were validated by consensus from the potential end users and translated into design recommendations. ConclusionsThis study provides design recommendations for the development of an mHealth device specifically adapted for people with CLBP.
format Article
id doaj-art-eaafc55f6a65448dbf035f985fccc094
institution OA Journals
issn 2292-9495
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher JMIR Publications
record_format Article
series JMIR Human Factors
spelling doaj-art-eaafc55f6a65448dbf035f985fccc0942025-08-20T02:12:46ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Human Factors2292-94952024-11-0111e5989710.2196/59897Exploring the Needs of People With Chronic Low Back Pain and Health Care Professionals for mHealth Devices to Support Self-Managed Physical Activity and Pain: User-Centered Design ApproachMathilde Bergerhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1804-6720Anne Deblock-Bellamyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2880-7327Laurence Chèzehttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2265-9781Thomas Roberthttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6502-7082Julie J Desrosiershttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6149-7722Guillaume Christehttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4337-2245Anne Martine Bertrandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6770-4000 BackgroundChronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major economic and social problem worldwide. Despite the variety of recommended treatments, long-term self-management of this condition is complex and requires the development of innovative interventions. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies hold great promise for the management of chronic pain, particularly to support physical activity. However, their implementation is challenged by a lack of user compliance and limited engagement, which may be due to insufficient consideration of the needs of potential users during development. ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the needs of people with CLBP and health care professionals regarding mHealth technologies to support self-managed physical activity, and to delineate design recommendations based on identified needs. MethodsA participatory study was conducted using a 3-phase, user-centered design approach: needs investigation with a group of experts in a workshop (phase 1), needs exploration with end users in focus groups (phase 2), and validation of needs using Delphi questionnaires followed by the development of a set of recommendations (phase 3). ResultsA total of 121 people with CLBP, expert patients, health care professionals, rehabilitation researchers, and biomechanical engineers participated in this study. The results indicated how technology could help people with CLBP overcome their difficulties with managing physical activity. Specific needs were formulated concerning device objectives, expected strategies, functionalities, technical features, conditions of use, and potential facilitators and barriers to use. These needs were validated by consensus from the potential end users and translated into design recommendations. ConclusionsThis study provides design recommendations for the development of an mHealth device specifically adapted for people with CLBP.https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2024/1/e59897
spellingShingle Mathilde Berger
Anne Deblock-Bellamy
Laurence Chèze
Thomas Robert
Julie J Desrosiers
Guillaume Christe
Anne Martine Bertrand
Exploring the Needs of People With Chronic Low Back Pain and Health Care Professionals for mHealth Devices to Support Self-Managed Physical Activity and Pain: User-Centered Design Approach
JMIR Human Factors
title Exploring the Needs of People With Chronic Low Back Pain and Health Care Professionals for mHealth Devices to Support Self-Managed Physical Activity and Pain: User-Centered Design Approach
title_full Exploring the Needs of People With Chronic Low Back Pain and Health Care Professionals for mHealth Devices to Support Self-Managed Physical Activity and Pain: User-Centered Design Approach
title_fullStr Exploring the Needs of People With Chronic Low Back Pain and Health Care Professionals for mHealth Devices to Support Self-Managed Physical Activity and Pain: User-Centered Design Approach
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the Needs of People With Chronic Low Back Pain and Health Care Professionals for mHealth Devices to Support Self-Managed Physical Activity and Pain: User-Centered Design Approach
title_short Exploring the Needs of People With Chronic Low Back Pain and Health Care Professionals for mHealth Devices to Support Self-Managed Physical Activity and Pain: User-Centered Design Approach
title_sort exploring the needs of people with chronic low back pain and health care professionals for mhealth devices to support self managed physical activity and pain user centered design approach
url https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2024/1/e59897
work_keys_str_mv AT mathildeberger exploringtheneedsofpeoplewithchroniclowbackpainandhealthcareprofessionalsformhealthdevicestosupportselfmanagedphysicalactivityandpainusercentereddesignapproach
AT annedeblockbellamy exploringtheneedsofpeoplewithchroniclowbackpainandhealthcareprofessionalsformhealthdevicestosupportselfmanagedphysicalactivityandpainusercentereddesignapproach
AT laurencecheze exploringtheneedsofpeoplewithchroniclowbackpainandhealthcareprofessionalsformhealthdevicestosupportselfmanagedphysicalactivityandpainusercentereddesignapproach
AT thomasrobert exploringtheneedsofpeoplewithchroniclowbackpainandhealthcareprofessionalsformhealthdevicestosupportselfmanagedphysicalactivityandpainusercentereddesignapproach
AT juliejdesrosiers exploringtheneedsofpeoplewithchroniclowbackpainandhealthcareprofessionalsformhealthdevicestosupportselfmanagedphysicalactivityandpainusercentereddesignapproach
AT guillaumechriste exploringtheneedsofpeoplewithchroniclowbackpainandhealthcareprofessionalsformhealthdevicestosupportselfmanagedphysicalactivityandpainusercentereddesignapproach
AT annemartinebertrand exploringtheneedsofpeoplewithchroniclowbackpainandhealthcareprofessionalsformhealthdevicestosupportselfmanagedphysicalactivityandpainusercentereddesignapproach