Preliminary evaluation of a self-management health app by people with cognitive impairment

Abstract

Cognitive impairment is associated with increased risk of disability, increased health care costs and potential progression to dementia. An emerging approach to counteract the impact of cognitive impairment is to empower patients with the appropriate tools to effectively manage their own condition. In this work we evaluate the use of KeepWell, a self-management smartphone application developed to assist people with early cognitive impairment to live independently. KeepWell provides services such as reminders, surveys, and educational information that allows users to set physical goals and monitor their physical performance. Participants involved in the evaluation of adoption and usability consisted of individuals diagnosed with early cognitive impairment. A qualitative and quantitative analysis was conducted with 5 and 2 such individuals respectively. Data was codified using grounded theory and affinity diagramming. The findings from the work have resulted in the development of a set of recommendations for the design of self-management mobile applications.