e-Health may enhance self-management of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI). It is crucial to involve patients in planning, developing and monitoring the optimal e-Health solution. This research aims to describe patient-centered innovation in an early developmental stage of the WOMEN-UP solution. We conducted a qualitative study through a self-developed questionnaire in 22 women with SUI, to define system requirements from a patient's perspective. The first prototype of the WOMEN-UP solution was developed. It was tested by 9 patients in a usability study (think-aloud protocol and retrospective interviews). Patient preferences regarding the possible use of an e-Health solution with serious games for PFMT were: (1) to receive feedback about PFMT; (2) convenient home-use; (3) increasing motivation; (4) available in medical centers. Identified usability aids (31) reassured our design-development plan, which considered the biofeedback and serious games as key factors. Patient's perspective detected some unexpected issues related to the calibration and serious games, involving a change in the ongoing development to get an improved WOMEN-UP solution; the value of patient-centered innovation during the development of an e-Health solution for PFMT (WOMEN-UP solution). To identify patients' unmet needs, we proposed a longitudinal approach for the future eHealth-related patient-centered innovations.
International journal of environmental research and public health. 2021 Jul 23*** epublish ***
Sònia Anglès-Acedo, Lorena López-Frías, Vicenç Soler, Joan Francesc Alonso, Arnoud W Kastelein, Boris C de Graaf, Eva V Vodegel, Jaana Tervo, Adriana Baban, Montserrat Espuña-Pons
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain., Department of Microelectronics and Electronic Systems, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain., Department of Automatic Control, Biomedical Engineering Research Centre, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona, Spain., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam UMC Location Academic Medical Center, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands., Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, 70210 Kuopio, Finland., Department of Psychology, Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.