Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 30, 2026

A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
Published on: April 19, 2019
Design and development of an eHealth intervention to support self-management in people with musculoskeletal
Marie Kelly1,2, Brona M Fullen3, Denis Martin4
1Discipline of Physiotherapy, School of Clinical Therapies, College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Objective:
This study aimed to co-design and develop a user-centred, theory-based eHealth-mediated self-management support follow-up prototype for adults with musculoskeletal disorders.
Design:
A three-step system development cycle was employed. Step 1 involved creating intervention features and content, with two focus groups reviewing prioritised eHealth intervention elements based on earlier research. Step 2 involved heuristic testing using Nielsen's 10 heuristic principles. Step 3 incorporated qualitative think-aloud interviews and the System Usability Scale.
Setting:
Republic of Ireland.
Participants:
Step 1 included adults with musculoskeletal disorders (n = 12). Step 2 involved five reviewers. Step 3 included people with musculoskeletal disorders (n = 5) and musculoskeletal physiotherapists (n = 5).
Results:
Participants in step 1 approved four main intervention components, which map to recognised theoretical frameworks, and suggested increased use of visual and interactive elements. Heuristic testing in step 2 identified design and navigation issues. In Step 3, usability testing, additional navigation, content and design recommendations were identified. The overall median system usability score (interquartile range) was 75 (0) out of 100 for adults with musculoskeletal disorders and 77.5 (2.5) out of 100 for musculoskeletal physiotherapists, indicating good usability.
Conclusion:
A theory-based, user-centred eHealth-mediated follow-up self-management support prototype has been developed for people with musculoskeletal disorders, with the next steps focusing on feasibility testing in clinical practice, with a more diverse population.
Related Concept Videos
Preventive Healthcare Services
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results...
Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques I
Conscientiousness
Conscientious individuals tend to be organized, responsible, and disciplined. They prioritize completing tasks and following structured routines,...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...

