Using a mobile health application to support self-management in XXXX : a six-month cohort study.

@entity1 @entity26 @entity1030
BACKGROUND: Self-management strategies have the potential to support @entity1 with @entity1030 ( @entity1030 ). Telehealth interventions may have a role in delivering this support along with the opportunity to monitor symptoms and physiological variables. This paper reports findings from a six-month, clinical, cohort study of @entity1030 @entity1 ' use of a mobile telehealth based (mHealth) application and how individually determined alerts in @entity26 saturation levels, pulse rate and symptoms scores related to @entity1 self-initiated treatment for exacerbations. METHODS: The development of the mHealth intervention involved a @entity1 focus group and multidisciplinary team of researchers, engineers and clinicians. Individual data thresholds to set alerts were determined, and the relationship to exacerbations, defined by the initiation of stand-by medications, was measured. The sample comprised 18 @entity1 (age range of 50-85 years) with varied levels of computer skills. RESULTS: @entity1 identified no difficulties in using the mHealth application and used all functions available. 40  % of exacerbations had an alert signal during the three days prior to a @entity1 starting medication. @entity1 were able to use the mHealth application to support self- management, including monitoring of clinical data. Within three months, 95  % of symptom reporting sessions were completed in less than 100  s. CONCLUSIONS: Home based, unassisted, daily use of the mHealth platform is feasible and acceptable to @entity1 with @entity1030 for reporting daily symptoms and medicine use, and to measure physiological variables such as pulse rate and @entity26 saturation. These findings provide evidence for integrating telehealth interventions with clinical care pathways to support self-management in @entity1030 .
