Evaluation of More Stamina, a Mobile App for Fatigue Management in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: Protocol for a Feasibility, Acceptability, and Usability Study

Guido Giunti, Octavio Rivera-Romero, Jan Kool, Jens Bansi, Jose Luis Sevillano, Anabel Granja-Dominguez, Guillermo Izquierdo-Ayuso, Diego Giunta, Guido Giunti, Octavio Rivera-Romero, Jan Kool, Jens Bansi, Jose Luis Sevillano, Anabel Granja-Dominguez, Guillermo Izquierdo-Ayuso, Diego Giunta

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the world's most common neurologic disorders leading to severe disability in young adults. MS-related fatigue directly impacts on the quality of life and activity levels of people with MS. Self-management strategies are used to support them in the care of their health. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions can offer tools to help symptom management. Following a user-centered design and evidence-based process, an mHealth solution called More Stamina was created to help persons with MS manage their fatigue.

Objective: The overall study aims are to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of More Stamina, a mobile app for fatigue self-management for persons with MS.

Methods: A mixed-methods, multicenter study will be used to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of More Stamina. The study will take place during the third and fourth quarters of 2020 (Q3-Q4 2020) in 3 locations: Argentina, Spain, and Switzerland. A longitudinal cohort study will take place, and think-aloud protocols, open-ended interviews, and short answer questionnaires will be used. Persons with MS will be recruited from the different locations. This study seeks to enroll at least 20 patients that meet the criteria from each site for the longitudinal cohort study (total n=60).

Results: Ethical approval has been granted in Argentina and is pending in Spain and Switzerland. Outcomes will be published in peer-reviewed medical journals and presented at international conferences.

Conclusions: Findings from this study will be used to help understand the role that mHealth can play in fatigue management in MS.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04244214; https://ichgcp.net/clinical-trials-registry/NCT04244214.

International registered report identifier (irrid): PRR1-10.2196/18196.

Keywords: apps; chronic conditions; eHealth; fatigue; fatigue management; gamification; mHealth; multiple sclerosis; usability, physical activity; user-centered design.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

©Guido Giunti, Octavio Rivera-Romero, Jan Kool, Jens Bansi, Jose Luis Sevillano, Anabel Granja-Dominguez, Guillermo Izquierdo-Ayuso, Diego Giunta. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 04.08.2020.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
More Stamina screenshots.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Phases of the user-centered design for the More Stamina app. The green boxes indicate the areas of focus for the current study. mHealth: mobile health; MS: multiple sclerosis.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Study flow. SUS: System Usability Scale.

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