Mobile health platform based on user-centered design to promote exercise for patients with peripheral artery disease

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a cardiovascular disease that can be improved by risk factor modification. Mobile health (mHealth) intervention is an effective method of healthcare delivery to promote behavior changes. An mHealth platform can encourage consistent involvement of participants and healthcare providers for health promotion. This study aimed to develop an mHealth platform consisting of a smartphone application (app) synchronized with a wearable activity tracker and a web-based portal to support exercise intervention in patients with PAD. Methods: This study was conducted based on an iterative development process, including analysis, design, and implementation. In the analysis phase, a literature review and needs assessment through semi-structured interviews (n = 15) and a questionnaire-based survey (n = 138) were performed. The initial prototype design and contents were developed based on the users’ requirements. In the implementation phase, multidisciplinary experts (n = 4) evaluated the heuristics, following which the mHealth platform was revised. User evaluation of the usability was performed by nurses (n = 4) and patients with PAD (n = 3). Results: Through the development process, the functional requirements of the platform were represented through visual display, reminder, education, self-monitoring, goal setting, goal attainment, feedback, and recording. In-app videos of exercise and PAD management were produced to provide information and in-app automatic text messages were developed for user motivation. The final version of the platform was rated 67.86 out of 100, which indicated “good” usability. Conclusions: The mHealth platform was designed and developed for patients with PAD and their healthcare providers. This platform can be used to educate and promote individualized exercise among patients with PAD.