Feasibility and Usability of EnergyPoints: A Mobile Health App to Guide Acupressure Use for Cancer Symptom Management
Objective: To examine the feasibility and usability of EnergyPoints™, an innovative mobile health app that teaches and guides people with cancer to implement daily acupressure to self-manage their fatigue and sleep disturbances. Methods and Intervention: The study used an integrated agile, human-cen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Integrative Cancer Therapies |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354231223965 |
| _version_ | 1797339283659423744 |
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| author | Susan L. Beck PhD, FAAN Ryan Smith MS, LAc Janet Mindes PhD Karl Beck MS, RN, BSN JungYoon Leah Kim MSTOM LAc, MFDc, CEIM, CST Matthew Weitzman MS, LAc Jennifer A. M. Stone MSOM, LAc, CTSI Affiliate Susan Veleber DACM, MS, LAc William N. Dudley PhD |
| author_facet | Susan L. Beck PhD, FAAN Ryan Smith MS, LAc Janet Mindes PhD Karl Beck MS, RN, BSN JungYoon Leah Kim MSTOM LAc, MFDc, CEIM, CST Matthew Weitzman MS, LAc Jennifer A. M. Stone MSOM, LAc, CTSI Affiliate Susan Veleber DACM, MS, LAc William N. Dudley PhD |
| author_sort | Susan L. Beck PhD, FAAN |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: To examine the feasibility and usability of EnergyPoints™, an innovative mobile health app that teaches and guides people with cancer to implement daily acupressure to self-manage their fatigue and sleep disturbances. Methods and Intervention: The study used an integrated agile, human-centered approach. Adults (age 18 years and over) with cancer experiencing at least moderate fatigue, and living in the Greater New York City community, were recruited from social media, patient advocacy groups, and referrals. Twenty participants (in 3 sprints of 3, 5, and 12) were video-recorded thinking aloud while using the app for the first time. They then used the app at home to self-administer acupressure (twice daily for 1 week) while continuously wearing a fitness tracker. Each participant completed an exit interview and modified Computer System Usability Questionnaire post-participation. Results: Participants were ages 40 to 76 years and 65% female; 65% were non-Hispanic white. Mean pass rates per ritual exceeded 80%. Users completed (totally or partially) greater than 90% of stimulating acupressure and 70% of relaxing acupressure rituals. Sprint 3 SPs totally completed at least 1 ritual 87% of the time. The majority agreed or strongly agreed the app was easy to use (90%), easy to learn (85%), easy to understand (75%), and effective in helping perform self-acupressure (85%). In an analysis of ease of completing 5 key tasks, all successfully completed the tasks; 3 users required some assistance. Of 654 usability statements, those coded as personal experience/context (197), content related to acupressure learning (105), and content related to the onboarding/profile (71) were most frequent. The design team integrated recommendations into the app before the next sprint. Conclusions: Findings supported feasibility and usability, as well as acceptability, and led to significant alterations and improvements. EnergyPoints™ offers an opportunity to mainstream acupressure and help cancer survivors self-manage their symptoms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:43:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7aa2a8c84fff40b1b41c6c30a0208dba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1552-695X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:43:45Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Integrative Cancer Therapies |
| spelling | doaj.art-7aa2a8c84fff40b1b41c6c30a0208dba2024-01-29T16:05:22ZengSAGE PublishingIntegrative Cancer Therapies1552-695X2024-01-012310.1177/15347354231223965Feasibility and Usability of EnergyPoints: A Mobile Health App to Guide Acupressure Use for Cancer Symptom ManagementSusan L. Beck PhD, FAAN0Ryan Smith MS, LAc1Janet Mindes PhD2Karl Beck MS, RN, BSN3JungYoon Leah Kim MSTOM LAc, MFDc, CEIM, CST4Matthew Weitzman MS, LAc5Jennifer A. M. Stone MSOM, LAc, CTSI Affiliate6Susan Veleber DACM, MS, LAc7William N. Dudley PhD8University of Utah College of Nursing, Salt Lake City, UT, USA5 Point Acupuncture, New York City, NY, USAWestern Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, USA5 Point App Inc., New York City, NY, USASah’m Acupuncture LLC., Millburn, NJ, USAMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, USAIndiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USAPublic Health Sciences Division Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USAPiedmont Research Strategies, Greensboro, NC, USAObjective: To examine the feasibility and usability of EnergyPoints™, an innovative mobile health app that teaches and guides people with cancer to implement daily acupressure to self-manage their fatigue and sleep disturbances. Methods and Intervention: The study used an integrated agile, human-centered approach. Adults (age 18 years and over) with cancer experiencing at least moderate fatigue, and living in the Greater New York City community, were recruited from social media, patient advocacy groups, and referrals. Twenty participants (in 3 sprints of 3, 5, and 12) were video-recorded thinking aloud while using the app for the first time. They then used the app at home to self-administer acupressure (twice daily for 1 week) while continuously wearing a fitness tracker. Each participant completed an exit interview and modified Computer System Usability Questionnaire post-participation. Results: Participants were ages 40 to 76 years and 65% female; 65% were non-Hispanic white. Mean pass rates per ritual exceeded 80%. Users completed (totally or partially) greater than 90% of stimulating acupressure and 70% of relaxing acupressure rituals. Sprint 3 SPs totally completed at least 1 ritual 87% of the time. The majority agreed or strongly agreed the app was easy to use (90%), easy to learn (85%), easy to understand (75%), and effective in helping perform self-acupressure (85%). In an analysis of ease of completing 5 key tasks, all successfully completed the tasks; 3 users required some assistance. Of 654 usability statements, those coded as personal experience/context (197), content related to acupressure learning (105), and content related to the onboarding/profile (71) were most frequent. The design team integrated recommendations into the app before the next sprint. Conclusions: Findings supported feasibility and usability, as well as acceptability, and led to significant alterations and improvements. EnergyPoints™ offers an opportunity to mainstream acupressure and help cancer survivors self-manage their symptoms.https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354231223965 |
| spellingShingle | Susan L. Beck PhD, FAAN Ryan Smith MS, LAc Janet Mindes PhD Karl Beck MS, RN, BSN JungYoon Leah Kim MSTOM LAc, MFDc, CEIM, CST Matthew Weitzman MS, LAc Jennifer A. M. Stone MSOM, LAc, CTSI Affiliate Susan Veleber DACM, MS, LAc William N. Dudley PhD Feasibility and Usability of EnergyPoints: A Mobile Health App to Guide Acupressure Use for Cancer Symptom Management Integrative Cancer Therapies |
| title | Feasibility and Usability of EnergyPoints: A Mobile Health App to Guide Acupressure Use for Cancer Symptom Management |
| title_full | Feasibility and Usability of EnergyPoints: A Mobile Health App to Guide Acupressure Use for Cancer Symptom Management |
| title_fullStr | Feasibility and Usability of EnergyPoints: A Mobile Health App to Guide Acupressure Use for Cancer Symptom Management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feasibility and Usability of EnergyPoints: A Mobile Health App to Guide Acupressure Use for Cancer Symptom Management |
| title_short | Feasibility and Usability of EnergyPoints: A Mobile Health App to Guide Acupressure Use for Cancer Symptom Management |
| title_sort | feasibility and usability of energypoints a mobile health app to guide acupressure use for cancer symptom management |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354231223965 |
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