Mobile application prototype for self-management of heart failure patients: construction and validation

Abstract

Abstract Objective To build and validate a prototype mobile application for self-management of patients with heart failure. Methods Methodological study conducted in three phases with methodological validation according to the Delphi technique for developing mobile technology, content validation of 18 items by judges (percentage of agreement ≥90%) and patient satisfaction survey (random randomization) for comparison between the application and an institutional manual with descriptive and inferential statistical analysis (Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher test) of four variables: age, sex, schooling and length of outpatient follow-up. Results The VivaCor-IC application contains 30 screens with information such as signs and symptoms, medications used, vaccines, impact of smoking, and physical and sexual activities, related to self-management and heart failure. The application’s features include daily recording of fluids and meals, checking well-being, signs and symptoms of decompensation and adherence to treatment. The judges’ evaluation obtained agreement greater than 90% and acceptability by patients’ assessment was greater than 50% in all items. A statistically significant difference (p=0.024) was observed in relation to schooling. Although the educational level was higher in the group that evaluated the manual that in to the group that evaluated the application, no interference was observed regarding acceptability of the prototype. Conclusion The creation of the prototype included relevant functionalities for self-management and showed evidence of appropriate validity in the evaluation of specialists and patients.