A close look at socio-technical design features of mobile applications for diabetes self-management
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ORIGINAL PAPER
A close look at socio‑technical design features of mobile applications for diabetes self‑management Abdullah Wahbeh1 · Omar El‑Gayar2 · Surendra Sarnikar3 Received: 12 June 2020 / Accepted: 21 October 2020 © IUPESM and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Many mobile apps used for chronic disease self-management suffer from low usage and retention. In this paper, we analyzed apps for self-management of diabetes to understand their strengths and shortcomings from a Socio-Technical (ST) perspective and identify areas for improvement. The ST model and ST categories (Task-Actor, Task-Structure, Task-Technology, ActorStructure, Actor-Technology, Structure-Technology) were used to identify gaps in the current design of Diabetes Management Mobile Apps. We used a content analysis approach to analyze each app’s functionality and users’ comments against a set of ST features generated based on the ST model and the associated categories. Results showed that most mobile apps are designed to support the technical characteristics in such context as reflected in the Task-Technology and Actor-Technology categories like self-care functionality, ease of use and usefulness, managing resources, and coordinating tasks. However, limitations exist when considering the larger structure within which self-care tasks are performed such as enabling physician–patient communication and feedback. Most of the limitations we observed are in the Task-Structure and TechnologyStructure categories that capture features related to the interdependency of self-care tasks with provider and payer workflows. Keywords Diabetes · Mobile apps · Socio-technical systems theory
1 Introduction Individuals with diabetes could make a significant positive impact on the progression and development of their disease by participating in their own care [1]. Information technology, such as mobile apps, offer new capabilities that support important aspects of chronic disease self-management [2–5] and offer opportunities to improve healthcare delivery and quality by allowing individuals to actively engage in and self-manage their chronic condition [6]. Consumer health informatics (CHI) applications are designed to “interact directly with the consumer, with or * Abdullah Wahbeh [email protected] Omar El‑Gayar omar.el‑[email protected] Surendra Sarnikar [email protected] 1
Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA, US
2
Dakota State University, Madison, SD, US
3
California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, US
without the presence of healthcare professionals” [7]. CHI applications involves hardware, software, and Web-based applications that allow individuals to actively involved in their own health care via electronic mean [8]. According to the literature on CHI applications, several system and individual level barriers prevent the adoption of consumer health IT applications [9–11]. Barriers identified are not limited to technology but span issues across social and technical boundaries [
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