Assessing Differences in mHealth Usability and App Experiences Among Young African American Women: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial
BackgroundIn North Carolina, HIV continues to disproportionately affect young African American women. Although mobile health (mHealth) technology appears to be a tool capable of making public health information more accessible for key populations, previous technology use and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2024-04-01
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| Series: | JMIR Human Factors |
| Online Access: | https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2024/1/e51518 |
| _version_ | 1797205052627091456 |
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| author | Claudia A Opper Felicia A Browne Brittni N Howard William A Zule Wendee M Wechsberg |
| author_facet | Claudia A Opper Felicia A Browne Brittni N Howard William A Zule Wendee M Wechsberg |
| author_sort | Claudia A Opper |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundIn North Carolina, HIV continues to disproportionately affect young African American women. Although mobile health (mHealth) technology appears to be a tool capable of making public health information more accessible for key populations, previous technology use and social determinants may impact users’ mHealth experiences.
ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate mHealth usability, assessing differences based on previous technology use and social determinants among a sample of African American women in emerging adulthood.
MethodsAs part of a National Institute on Drug Abuse–funded randomized controlled trial with African American women (aged 18-25 years), counties were assigned to receive an evidence-based HIV risk reduction intervention through mHealth and participants were asked to complete usability surveys at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Participants’ first survey responses were analyzed through 2-tailed t tests and linear regression models to examine associations with previous technology use and social determinants (P<.05).
ResultsThe mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score was 69.2 (SD 17.9; n=159), which was higher than the threshold of acceptability (68.0). Participants who had previously used a tablet indicated higher usability compared to participants without previous use (mean 72.9, SD 18.1 vs mean 57.6, SD 11.4; P<.001), and participants with previous smartphone use also reported higher usability compared to participants without previous use (mean 71.9, SD 18.3 vs mean 58.0, SD 10.7; P<.001). Differences in SUS scores were observed among those reporting homelessness (mean 58.3, SD 19.0 vs mean 70.8, SD 17.2; P=.01), unemployment (mean 65.9, SD 17.2 vs mean 71.6, SD 18.1; P=.04), or current school enrollment (mean 73.2, SD 18.5 vs mean 65.4, SD 16.5; P=.006). Statistically significant associations were not observed for food insecurity (mean 67.3, SD 18.6 vs mean 69.9, SD 17.7; P=.45).
ConclusionsAlthough above-average usability was observed overall, these findings demonstrate differences in mHealth usability based on past and current life experiences. As mHealth interventions become more prevalent, these findings may have important implications for ensuring that mHealth apps improve the reach of evidence-based interventions.
Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02965014; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02965014
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.1186/s12889-018-5796-8 |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:44:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-108b0a5de0334035a5f0617f0c97ca1a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2292-9495 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:44:59Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Human Factors |
| spelling | doaj.art-108b0a5de0334035a5f0617f0c97ca1a2024-04-16T13:45:29ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Human Factors2292-94952024-04-0111e5151810.2196/51518Assessing Differences in mHealth Usability and App Experiences Among Young African American Women: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled TrialClaudia A Opperhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9039-1612Felicia A Brownehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4230-2096Brittni N Howardhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2111-1143William A Zulehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6781-1030Wendee M Wechsberghttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5146-6463 BackgroundIn North Carolina, HIV continues to disproportionately affect young African American women. Although mobile health (mHealth) technology appears to be a tool capable of making public health information more accessible for key populations, previous technology use and social determinants may impact users’ mHealth experiences. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate mHealth usability, assessing differences based on previous technology use and social determinants among a sample of African American women in emerging adulthood. MethodsAs part of a National Institute on Drug Abuse–funded randomized controlled trial with African American women (aged 18-25 years), counties were assigned to receive an evidence-based HIV risk reduction intervention through mHealth and participants were asked to complete usability surveys at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Participants’ first survey responses were analyzed through 2-tailed t tests and linear regression models to examine associations with previous technology use and social determinants (P<.05). ResultsThe mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score was 69.2 (SD 17.9; n=159), which was higher than the threshold of acceptability (68.0). Participants who had previously used a tablet indicated higher usability compared to participants without previous use (mean 72.9, SD 18.1 vs mean 57.6, SD 11.4; P<.001), and participants with previous smartphone use also reported higher usability compared to participants without previous use (mean 71.9, SD 18.3 vs mean 58.0, SD 10.7; P<.001). Differences in SUS scores were observed among those reporting homelessness (mean 58.3, SD 19.0 vs mean 70.8, SD 17.2; P=.01), unemployment (mean 65.9, SD 17.2 vs mean 71.6, SD 18.1; P=.04), or current school enrollment (mean 73.2, SD 18.5 vs mean 65.4, SD 16.5; P=.006). Statistically significant associations were not observed for food insecurity (mean 67.3, SD 18.6 vs mean 69.9, SD 17.7; P=.45). ConclusionsAlthough above-average usability was observed overall, these findings demonstrate differences in mHealth usability based on past and current life experiences. As mHealth interventions become more prevalent, these findings may have important implications for ensuring that mHealth apps improve the reach of evidence-based interventions. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02965014; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02965014 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.1186/s12889-018-5796-8https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2024/1/e51518 |
| spellingShingle | Claudia A Opper Felicia A Browne Brittni N Howard William A Zule Wendee M Wechsberg Assessing Differences in mHealth Usability and App Experiences Among Young African American Women: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial JMIR Human Factors |
| title | Assessing Differences in mHealth Usability and App Experiences Among Young African American Women: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full | Assessing Differences in mHealth Usability and App Experiences Among Young African American Women: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Differences in mHealth Usability and App Experiences Among Young African American Women: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Differences in mHealth Usability and App Experiences Among Young African American Women: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_short | Assessing Differences in mHealth Usability and App Experiences Among Young African American Women: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | assessing differences in mhealth usability and app experiences among young african american women secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial |
| url | https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2024/1/e51518 |
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