Patient perspectives of the Self-management and Educational Technology tool for Atrial Fibrillation (SETAF): A mixed-methods study in Singapore

J. Nathania; B.F.Y. Woo; B.P. Cher; K.Y. Toh; W.Y.A. Chia; Y.W. Lim; H.J.M. Vrijhoef; T.W. Lim

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0262033

Patient perspectives of the Self-management and Educational Technology tool for Atrial Fibrillation (SETAF): A mixed-methods study in Singapore

J. Nathania, B.F.Y. Woo^*, B.P. Cher, K.Y. Toh, W.Y.A. Chia, Y.W. Lim, H.J.M. Vrijhoef, T.W. Lim

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrythmia and is associated with costly morbidity such as stroke and heart failure. Mobile health (mHealth) has potential to help bridge the gaps of traditional healthcare models that may be poorly suited to the sporadic nature of AF. The Self-management and Educational technology support Tool for AF patients (SETAF) was designed based on the preferences and needs of AF patients but more study is required to assess the acceptance of this novel tool.ObjectiveExplore the usability and acceptance of SETAF among AF patients in Singapore.MethodsA mixed methods study was conducted with AF patients who were purposively sampled from an outpatient cardiology clinic in Singapore. After 6 weeks of using SETAF, semi-structured interviews were performed, and data were analyzed inductively following a thematic analysis approach. Results from a short 4-item survey and application usage data were also analyzed descriptively. Both qualitative and quantitative results were organized and presented following the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework.ResultsA total of 37 patients participated in the study and 19 were interviewed. Participants perceived SETAF as useful for improving AF knowledge, self-management and access to healthcare providers and was easy to use due to the guided tutorial and user-friendly interface. They also identified the need for better personalization of content, psychosocial support features and reduction of language barriers. Application usage data revealed preference for AF related content and decreased interaction with the motivational message component of SETAF over time. Overall, most of the participants would continue using SETAF and were willing to pay for it.ConclusionsAF patients in Singapore found SETAF useful and acceptable as a tool for AF management. The insights from this study not only support the potential of mHealth but may also inform the design and implementation of future mHealth tools for AF patients.

Original language	English
Article number	e0262033
Number of pages	18
Journal	PLOS ONE
Volume	17
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262033
Publication status	Published - 21 Jan 2022

Keywords

INTERVENTIONS
BEHAVIOR
KNOWLEDGE
CARE

Access to Document

10.1371/journal.pone.0262033Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{979cb7a1f17f4c50aabb1f311fb51eee,

title = "Patient perspectives of the Self-management and Educational Technology tool for Atrial Fibrillation (SETAF): A mixed-methods study in Singapore",

abstract = "BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrythmia and is associated with costly morbidity such as stroke and heart failure. Mobile health (mHealth) has potential to help bridge the gaps of traditional healthcare models that may be poorly suited to the sporadic nature of AF. The Self-management and Educational technology support Tool for AF patients (SETAF) was designed based on the preferences and needs of AF patients but more study is required to assess the acceptance of this novel tool.ObjectiveExplore the usability and acceptance of SETAF among AF patients in Singapore.MethodsA mixed methods study was conducted with AF patients who were purposively sampled from an outpatient cardiology clinic in Singapore. After 6 weeks of using SETAF, semi-structured interviews were performed, and data were analyzed inductively following a thematic analysis approach. Results from a short 4-item survey and application usage data were also analyzed descriptively. Both qualitative and quantitative results were organized and presented following the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework.ResultsA total of 37 patients participated in the study and 19 were interviewed. Participants perceived SETAF as useful for improving AF knowledge, self-management and access to healthcare providers and was easy to use due to the guided tutorial and user-friendly interface. They also identified the need for better personalization of content, psychosocial support features and reduction of language barriers. Application usage data revealed preference for AF related content and decreased interaction with the motivational message component of SETAF over time. Overall, most of the participants would continue using SETAF and were willing to pay for it.ConclusionsAF patients in Singapore found SETAF useful and acceptable as a tool for AF management. The insights from this study not only support the potential of mHealth but may also inform the design and implementation of future mHealth tools for AF patients.",

keywords = "INTERVENTIONS, BEHAVIOR, KNOWLEDGE, CARE",

author = "J. Nathania and B.F.Y. Woo and B.P. Cher and K.Y. Toh and W.Y.A. Chia and Y.W. Lim and H.J.M. Vrijhoef and T.W. Lim",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Nathania et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.",

year = "2022",

month = jan,

day = "21",

doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0262033",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

journal = "PLOS ONE",

issn = "1932-6203",

publisher = "Public Library of Science",

number = "1",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Patient perspectives of the Self-management and Educational Technology tool for Atrial Fibrillation (SETAF): A mixed-methods study in Singapore

AU - Nathania, J.

AU - Woo, B.F.Y.

AU - Cher, B.P.

AU - Toh, K.Y.

AU - Chia, W.Y.A.

AU - Lim, Y.W.

AU - Vrijhoef, H.J.M.

AU - Lim, T.W.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Nathania et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

PY - 2022/1/21

Y1 - 2022/1/21

N2 - BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrythmia and is associated with costly morbidity such as stroke and heart failure. Mobile health (mHealth) has potential to help bridge the gaps of traditional healthcare models that may be poorly suited to the sporadic nature of AF. The Self-management and Educational technology support Tool for AF patients (SETAF) was designed based on the preferences and needs of AF patients but more study is required to assess the acceptance of this novel tool.ObjectiveExplore the usability and acceptance of SETAF among AF patients in Singapore.MethodsA mixed methods study was conducted with AF patients who were purposively sampled from an outpatient cardiology clinic in Singapore. After 6 weeks of using SETAF, semi-structured interviews were performed, and data were analyzed inductively following a thematic analysis approach. Results from a short 4-item survey and application usage data were also analyzed descriptively. Both qualitative and quantitative results were organized and presented following the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework.ResultsA total of 37 patients participated in the study and 19 were interviewed. Participants perceived SETAF as useful for improving AF knowledge, self-management and access to healthcare providers and was easy to use due to the guided tutorial and user-friendly interface. They also identified the need for better personalization of content, psychosocial support features and reduction of language barriers. Application usage data revealed preference for AF related content and decreased interaction with the motivational message component of SETAF over time. Overall, most of the participants would continue using SETAF and were willing to pay for it.ConclusionsAF patients in Singapore found SETAF useful and acceptable as a tool for AF management. The insights from this study not only support the potential of mHealth but may also inform the design and implementation of future mHealth tools for AF patients.

AB - BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrythmia and is associated with costly morbidity such as stroke and heart failure. Mobile health (mHealth) has potential to help bridge the gaps of traditional healthcare models that may be poorly suited to the sporadic nature of AF. The Self-management and Educational technology support Tool for AF patients (SETAF) was designed based on the preferences and needs of AF patients but more study is required to assess the acceptance of this novel tool.ObjectiveExplore the usability and acceptance of SETAF among AF patients in Singapore.MethodsA mixed methods study was conducted with AF patients who were purposively sampled from an outpatient cardiology clinic in Singapore. After 6 weeks of using SETAF, semi-structured interviews were performed, and data were analyzed inductively following a thematic analysis approach. Results from a short 4-item survey and application usage data were also analyzed descriptively. Both qualitative and quantitative results were organized and presented following the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework.ResultsA total of 37 patients participated in the study and 19 were interviewed. Participants perceived SETAF as useful for improving AF knowledge, self-management and access to healthcare providers and was easy to use due to the guided tutorial and user-friendly interface. They also identified the need for better personalization of content, psychosocial support features and reduction of language barriers. Application usage data revealed preference for AF related content and decreased interaction with the motivational message component of SETAF over time. Overall, most of the participants would continue using SETAF and were willing to pay for it.ConclusionsAF patients in Singapore found SETAF useful and acceptable as a tool for AF management. The insights from this study not only support the potential of mHealth but may also inform the design and implementation of future mHealth tools for AF patients.

KW - INTERVENTIONS

KW - BEHAVIOR

KW - KNOWLEDGE

KW - CARE

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0262033

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0262033

M3 - Article

C2 - 35061749

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 17

JO - PLOS ONE

JF - PLOS ONE

IS - 1

M1 - e0262033

ER -