Developing and evaluating a prototype public health mobile app on the UK NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Mobile Health

Background:

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) are a significant health concern, particularly in older males, with a high mortality rate.
• The NHS AAA Screening programme, established in 2012, faces challenges with support and public awareness due to fragmented information.
• A need exists for centralized, accessible information on AAA and screening to address public confusion and improve health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a prototype mobile application providing comprehensive information on AAA and its screening for the general public.
• To evaluate the usability of the developed mobile application.
• To assess the app's impact on users' knowledge of AAA and their perceptions regarding screening attendance.

Main Methods:

• A prototype mobile application was developed to centralize information on AAA and screening.
• 24 participants completed pre- and post-app questionnaires and underwent app testing.
• Usability was assessed using the USE questionnaire, and statistical analyses were performed on knowledge and attendance perception data.

Main Results:

• 75% of participants were unaware of AAA, and 92% had not heard of AAA screening prior to the study.
• Significant increase in participants' AAA knowledge post-app use (Z = -4.318, p < 0.001).
• A statistically significant association was found between app use and participants' opinions on screening attendance (X^1[1, n=24] = 6.857, p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• The developed mobile application prototype demonstrates positive usability and effectiveness in enhancing public knowledge of AAA.
• The findings suggest a potential positive impact of the app on users' willingness to attend AAA screening.
• Further research into the impact of public health mobile applications on screening uptake and health knowledge is warranted.