Design of Innovative Clothing for Pressure Injury Prevention: End-User Evaluation in a Mixed-Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Textile Science
• Healthcare Technology

Background:

• Pressure injuries (PIs) significantly impact patient quality of life and healthcare costs.
• Effective PI prevention technologies are crucial for individuals with limited mobility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a prototype Smart Health Textile garment for PI prevention.
• To gather feedback from specialist nurses on the garment's design and usability.

Main Methods:

• Mixed methods study involving a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions.
• Descriptive statistics, thematic, and integrated content analysis were employed.
• Nineteen specialist nurses participated in the evaluation.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported the prototype required significant manipulation and physical effort, hindering usefulness.
• Difficulties were noted with garment openings and the closure system's material, impacting ease of use and learning.
• Overall satisfaction was moderate, with specific areas identified for improvement in design, materials, and user experience.

Conclusions:

• The study identified key areas for improvement in the Smart Health Textile prototype, particularly concerning openings and material choices.
• Findings offer insights for optimizing garment design to better meet the needs of healthcare professionals and patients in PI prevention.
• Further iterations are necessary to enhance the garment's practicality and user-friendliness for effective PI prevention.