Use and relevance of a mobile health tool to answer information needs of chronic respiratory diseases patients: a mixed-method study.

Jason Koman, Stephane Schuck, Nathalie Texier, Adel Mebarki

Keywords: e-health; healthcare solution; evaluation

Background:

Connect’inh is a collecting-data device connected to inhalers used by patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Data are sent to an application which geolocate where an asthma crisis took place, indicate what could have provoked the crisis (pollen, pollution), and record how many crisis have occurred over a year.

Research questions:

The main goal of this device is to improve medical monitoring for these patients. We conducted a study under real conditions to ensure whether this device meets the needs of asthma patients. This study intend to describe how the use of Connect’inh could contribute to transform health practices.

Method:

The study was conducted in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The patients were followed for 3 months through a mixed-method study (questionnaires and semi-structured interviews) split in 2 phases. The current abstract focuses on the first phase. In total, 50 people participated in the first phase of the study: 42 answered the questionnaire (24 woman), 14 participated in semi-structured interviews (10 woman).

Results:

The analysis of the questionnaires from phase 1 showed that 63% of the patients considered that the follow-up of their chronic respiratory pathology was not sufficient, and that a tool allowing a personalized follow-up (follow-up of crises, information on the treatments background or crisis) coupled with environmental information would be very valuable. Semi-structured interviews showed consistent results, adding that patients saw no objection to share medical data collected by Connect’inh with a physician to improve their follow-up. After one week of use, 63% of the participants felt that Connect'inh was meeting their needs.

Conclusions:

This study evaluated the use of a mobile health tool and its relevance in real life conditions. Asthmatic patients are in need for an improved follow up of their chronic respiratory disease, and the use of a mobile health tool such as Connect’inh would fulfill this need.

Points for discussion:

Asthma patients needs

General practitioners needs with asthma care

#43