Patients’ and Health Care Providers’ Perceptions on mHealth Use After High-Altitude Climate Therapy for Severe Asthma: Mixed Methods Study

BackgroundAsthma is a common chronic disease with various clinical presentations. Although most patients are able to reach good asthma control, some patients are not able to reach sufficient asthma control following the regular treatment guidelines and could be referred to hi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rishi Khusial, Sophia van Koppen, Persijn Honkoop, Lucia Rijssenbeek-Nouwens, Karin Berthine Fieten, Sascha Keij, Marieke Drijver-Messelink, Jacob Sont
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2022-11-01
Series:JMIR Formative Research
Online Access:https://formative.jmir.org/2022/11/e26925
_version_ 1797734562238824448
author Rishi Khusial
Sophia van Koppen
Persijn Honkoop
Lucia Rijssenbeek-Nouwens
Karin Berthine Fieten
Sascha Keij
Marieke Drijver-Messelink
Jacob Sont
author_facet Rishi Khusial
Sophia van Koppen
Persijn Honkoop
Lucia Rijssenbeek-Nouwens
Karin Berthine Fieten
Sascha Keij
Marieke Drijver-Messelink
Jacob Sont
author_sort Rishi Khusial
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundAsthma is a common chronic disease with various clinical presentations. Although most patients are able to reach good asthma control, some patients are not able to reach sufficient asthma control following the regular treatment guidelines and could be referred to high-altitude climate therapy (HACT). HACT includes environmental trigger avoidance in the alpine climate with multidisciplinary clinical treatment. Patients with severe and difficult-to-control asthma, who are unable to reach asthma control at sea level, can follow a 12-week lung rehabilitation program at 1600 m above sea level. Mobile health (mHealth) tools can be used to enhance self-management in these patients when they return home. For an mHealth system to be effective, it must meet the expectations of the end users. ObjectiveIn this Davos@home study, we explored the attitudes toward mHealth aimed at supporting the self-management of patients with severe, difficult-to-control asthma who underwent HACT and asthma health care providers. MethodsIn the first stage, interviews with referrers to HACT and focus groups with patients with asthma who participated in or completed HACT were conducted. The data were then analyzed thematically. On the basis of these results, a questionnaire was developed. In the second stage of the study, this questionnaire, combined with the Asthma Control Questionnaire and the Individual Innovativeness Questionnaire, was provided to patients who completed HACT. ResultsIn total, 11 interviews and 3 focus groups (n=18, age 47.6, SD 12.1 years, Asthma Control Questionnaire score 2.6, SD 1.0) were conducted. A total of 3 themes were identified: potential goals, useful measurements, and perceived barriers and facilitators. The questionnaire developed in stage 2 included items based on these results. The most agreed-upon goal among the 52 patients who completed the questionnaire was to increase their asthma control (45/52, 86% of the patients). ConclusionsDifferent patients reported that they would benefit the most from different functionalities. Therefore, it is important to tailor functionalities to individual (treatment) goals. When developing an mHealth intervention, it is important to allow personalization to avoid overwhelming the users.
first_indexed 2024-03-12T12:46:09Z
format Article
id doaj.art-1fc0b9b82b7842a7b3b6e908dd9809ec
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2561-326X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-12T12:46:09Z
publishDate 2022-11-01
publisher JMIR Publications
record_format Article
series JMIR Formative Research
spelling doaj.art-1fc0b9b82b7842a7b3b6e908dd9809ec2023-08-28T23:19:01ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Formative Research2561-326X2022-11-01611e2692510.2196/26925Patients’ and Health Care Providers’ Perceptions on mHealth Use After High-Altitude Climate Therapy for Severe Asthma: Mixed Methods StudyRishi Khusialhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1031-4110Sophia van Koppenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4428-9996Persijn Honkoophttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2051-4183Lucia Rijssenbeek-Nouwenshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6831-9550Karin Berthine Fietenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3790-7581Sascha Keijhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7181-1439Marieke Drijver-Messelinkhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4813-0766Jacob Sonthttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5840-0651 BackgroundAsthma is a common chronic disease with various clinical presentations. Although most patients are able to reach good asthma control, some patients are not able to reach sufficient asthma control following the regular treatment guidelines and could be referred to high-altitude climate therapy (HACT). HACT includes environmental trigger avoidance in the alpine climate with multidisciplinary clinical treatment. Patients with severe and difficult-to-control asthma, who are unable to reach asthma control at sea level, can follow a 12-week lung rehabilitation program at 1600 m above sea level. Mobile health (mHealth) tools can be used to enhance self-management in these patients when they return home. For an mHealth system to be effective, it must meet the expectations of the end users. ObjectiveIn this Davos@home study, we explored the attitudes toward mHealth aimed at supporting the self-management of patients with severe, difficult-to-control asthma who underwent HACT and asthma health care providers. MethodsIn the first stage, interviews with referrers to HACT and focus groups with patients with asthma who participated in or completed HACT were conducted. The data were then analyzed thematically. On the basis of these results, a questionnaire was developed. In the second stage of the study, this questionnaire, combined with the Asthma Control Questionnaire and the Individual Innovativeness Questionnaire, was provided to patients who completed HACT. ResultsIn total, 11 interviews and 3 focus groups (n=18, age 47.6, SD 12.1 years, Asthma Control Questionnaire score 2.6, SD 1.0) were conducted. A total of 3 themes were identified: potential goals, useful measurements, and perceived barriers and facilitators. The questionnaire developed in stage 2 included items based on these results. The most agreed-upon goal among the 52 patients who completed the questionnaire was to increase their asthma control (45/52, 86% of the patients). ConclusionsDifferent patients reported that they would benefit the most from different functionalities. Therefore, it is important to tailor functionalities to individual (treatment) goals. When developing an mHealth intervention, it is important to allow personalization to avoid overwhelming the users.https://formative.jmir.org/2022/11/e26925
spellingShingle Rishi Khusial
Sophia van Koppen
Persijn Honkoop
Lucia Rijssenbeek-Nouwens
Karin Berthine Fieten
Sascha Keij
Marieke Drijver-Messelink
Jacob Sont
Patients’ and Health Care Providers’ Perceptions on mHealth Use After High-Altitude Climate Therapy for Severe Asthma: Mixed Methods Study
JMIR Formative Research
title Patients’ and Health Care Providers’ Perceptions on mHealth Use After High-Altitude Climate Therapy for Severe Asthma: Mixed Methods Study
title_full Patients’ and Health Care Providers’ Perceptions on mHealth Use After High-Altitude Climate Therapy for Severe Asthma: Mixed Methods Study
title_fullStr Patients’ and Health Care Providers’ Perceptions on mHealth Use After High-Altitude Climate Therapy for Severe Asthma: Mixed Methods Study
title_full_unstemmed Patients’ and Health Care Providers’ Perceptions on mHealth Use After High-Altitude Climate Therapy for Severe Asthma: Mixed Methods Study
title_short Patients’ and Health Care Providers’ Perceptions on mHealth Use After High-Altitude Climate Therapy for Severe Asthma: Mixed Methods Study
title_sort patients and health care providers perceptions on mhealth use after high altitude climate therapy for severe asthma mixed methods study
url https://formative.jmir.org/2022/11/e26925
work_keys_str_mv AT rishikhusial patientsandhealthcareprovidersperceptionsonmhealthuseafterhighaltitudeclimatetherapyforsevereasthmamixedmethodsstudy
AT sophiavankoppen patientsandhealthcareprovidersperceptionsonmhealthuseafterhighaltitudeclimatetherapyforsevereasthmamixedmethodsstudy
AT persijnhonkoop patientsandhealthcareprovidersperceptionsonmhealthuseafterhighaltitudeclimatetherapyforsevereasthmamixedmethodsstudy
AT luciarijssenbeeknouwens patientsandhealthcareprovidersperceptionsonmhealthuseafterhighaltitudeclimatetherapyforsevereasthmamixedmethodsstudy
AT karinberthinefieten patientsandhealthcareprovidersperceptionsonmhealthuseafterhighaltitudeclimatetherapyforsevereasthmamixedmethodsstudy
AT saschakeij patientsandhealthcareprovidersperceptionsonmhealthuseafterhighaltitudeclimatetherapyforsevereasthmamixedmethodsstudy
AT mariekedrijvermesselink patientsandhealthcareprovidersperceptionsonmhealthuseafterhighaltitudeclimatetherapyforsevereasthmamixedmethodsstudy
AT jacobsont patientsandhealthcareprovidersperceptionsonmhealthuseafterhighaltitudeclimatetherapyforsevereasthmamixedmethodsstudy