Sylvia Caldwell, Olivia Kirby, Tabor Flickinger, Gustavo Frietas, Karen Ingersoll, Amanda D. Castel, on behalf of the DC Cohort-PositiveLinks Study team
{"title":"Curating an HIV mHealth App for People Living with HIV in Washington, DC Through Think-Aloud Usability Testing and Beta Testing","authors":"Sylvia Caldwell, Olivia Kirby, Tabor Flickinger, Gustavo Frietas, Karen Ingersoll, Amanda D. Castel, on behalf of the DC Cohort-PositiveLinks Study team","doi":"10.1007/s10461-025-04649-3","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study evaluated the usability of a mobile health application for persons with HIV (PWH) in the District of Columbia (DC) area in preparation for a pragmatic cluster randomized efficacy trial of the PositiveLinks (PL) app. Fourteen participants from the DC Cohort, a multi-site longitudinal prospective HIV cohort study, participated in Think-aloud usability testing. Participants viewed a demonstration version of the PL app and narrated their thoughts, impressions, navigation, and comments as they moved through the app functions. A second set of fourteen DC Cohort participants used the PL app for a one-month period of Beta testing to identify any bugs or glitches, then completed an in-depth interview and System Usability Survey (SUS). A majority of participants identified as male and non-Hispanic Black. Qualitative data from the Think-alouds and Beta testing interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed in Dedoose using an iterative approach. Think-aloud and Beta testing showed that users viewed the app positively and considered it to be user- friendly. Participants particularly liked the daily reminders and ability to communicate with peers with HIV and their HIV care team. Although most participants reported no dislikes, they requested more customization and more resources. The app achieved a high mean SUS score of 76 and high response rates for app features. No bugs or glitches were identified. The version of PL to be used by participants in the DC Cohort was well liked and highly usable, and participant input informed optimization of the app prior to launching the efficacy trial.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":"29 6","pages":"1810 - 1820"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"AIDS and Behavior","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10461-025-04649-3","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study evaluated the usability of a mobile health application for persons with HIV (PWH) in the District of Columbia (DC) area in preparation for a pragmatic cluster randomized efficacy trial of the PositiveLinks (PL) app. Fourteen participants from the DC Cohort, a multi-site longitudinal prospective HIV cohort study, participated in Think-aloud usability testing. Participants viewed a demonstration version of the PL app and narrated their thoughts, impressions, navigation, and comments as they moved through the app functions. A second set of fourteen DC Cohort participants used the PL app for a one-month period of Beta testing to identify any bugs or glitches, then completed an in-depth interview and System Usability Survey (SUS). A majority of participants identified as male and non-Hispanic Black. Qualitative data from the Think-alouds and Beta testing interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed in Dedoose using an iterative approach. Think-aloud and Beta testing showed that users viewed the app positively and considered it to be user- friendly. Participants particularly liked the daily reminders and ability to communicate with peers with HIV and their HIV care team. Although most participants reported no dislikes, they requested more customization and more resources. The app achieved a high mean SUS score of 76 and high response rates for app features. No bugs or glitches were identified. The version of PL to be used by participants in the DC Cohort was well liked and highly usable, and participant input informed optimization of the app prior to launching the efficacy trial.
期刊介绍:
AIDS and Behavior provides an international venue for the scientific exchange of research and scholarly work on the contributing factors, prevention, consequences, social impact, and response to HIV/AIDS. This bimonthly journal publishes original peer-reviewed papers that address all areas of AIDS behavioral research including: individual, contextual, social, economic and geographic factors that facilitate HIV transmission; interventions aimed to reduce HIV transmission risks at all levels and in all contexts; mental health aspects of HIV/AIDS; medical and behavioral consequences of HIV infection - including health-related quality of life, coping, treatment and treatment adherence; and the impact of HIV infection on adults children, families, communities and societies. The journal publishes original research articles, brief research reports, and critical literature reviews. provides an international venue for the scientific exchange of research and scholarly work on the contributing factors, prevention, consequences, social impact, and response to HIV/AIDS. This bimonthly journal publishes original peer-reviewed papers that address all areas of AIDS behavioral research including: individual, contextual, social, economic and geographic factors that facilitate HIV transmission; interventions aimed to reduce HIV transmission risks at all levels and in all contexts; mental health aspects of HIV/AIDS; medical and behavioral consequences of HIV infection - including health-related quality of life, coping, treatment and treatment adherence; and the impact of HIV infection on adults children, families, communities and societies. The journal publishes original research articles, brief research reports, and critical literature reviews.5 Year Impact Factor: 2.965 (2008) Section ''SOCIAL SCIENCES, BIOMEDICAL'': Rank 5 of 29 Section ''PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH'': Rank 9 of 76