TY  - JOUR
AU  - Frechette, Mikaela
AU  - Fanning, Jason
AU  - Hsieh, Katherine
AU  - Rice, Laura
AU  - Sosnoff, Jacob
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/9/16
TI  - The Usability of a Smartphone-Based Fall Risk Assessment App for Adult Wheelchair Users: Observational Study
JO  - JMIR Form Res
SP  - e32453
VL  - 6
IS  - 9
KW  - usability testing
KW  - mobile health
KW  - wheeled device user
KW  - fall risk
KW  - telehealth
KW  - mHealth
KW  - mobile device
KW  - smartphone
KW  - health applications
KW  - older adults
KW  - elderly population
KW  - device usability
AB  - Background: Individuals who use wheelchairs and scooters rarely undergo fall risk screening. Mobile health technology is a possible avenue to provide fall risk assessment. The promise of this approach is dependent upon its usability. Objective: We aimed to determine the usability of a fall risk mobile health app and identify key technology development insights for aging adults who use wheeled devices. Methods: Two rounds (with 5 participants in each round) of usability testing utilizing an iterative design-evaluation process were performed. Participants completed use of the custom-designed fall risk app, Steady-Wheels. To quantify fall risk, the app led participants through 12 demographic questions and 3 progressively more challenging seated balance tasks. Once completed, participants shared insights on the app’s usability through semistructured interviews and completion of the Systematic Usability Scale. Testing sessions were recorded and transcribed. Codes were identified within the transcriptions to create themes. Average Systematic Usability Scale scores were calculated for each round. Results: The first round of testing yielded 2 main themes: ease of use and flexibility of design. Systematic Usability Scale scores ranged from 72.5 to 97.5 with a mean score of 84.5 (SD 11.4). After modifications were made, the second round of testing yielded 2 new themes: app layout and clarity of instruction. Systematic Usability Scale scores improved in the second iteration and ranged from 87.5 to 97.5 with a mean score of 91.9 (SD 4.3). Conclusions: The mobile health app, Steady-Wheels, has excellent usability and the potential to provide adult wheeled device users with an easy-to-use, remote fall risk assessment tool. Characteristics that promoted usability were guided navigation, large text and radio buttons, clear and brief instructions accompanied by representative illustrations, and simple error recovery. Intuitive fall risk reporting was achieved through the presentation of a single number located on a color-coordinated continuum that delineated low, medium, and high risk. 
SN  - 2561-326X
UR  - https://formative.jmir.org/2022/9/e32453
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/32453
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36112405
DO  - 10.2196/32453
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/32453
ER  -