Wearables for the Bladder: Stakeholder Perspectives on Moving Multiple Sclerosis Bladder Dysfunction Interventions...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Bladder dysfunction (BD) significantly impacts daily life for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS).
• Early detection of BD enables targeted interventions like pelvic floor physical therapy.
• Remote monitoring using neurotechnology and patient-reported outcomes can enhance BD management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the stakeholder engagement process for developing a Wearables for the Bladder (WeB) kit.
• To identify and evaluate commercially available tools for measuring BD in MS patients.

Main Methods:

• Four virtual meetings were conducted with four people with MS and five MS clinical/research experts.
• Commercially available bladder tools were assessed for evaluation, monitoring, and treatment capabilities.
• The Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale evaluated utility, usability, and feasibility.

Main Results:

• Five out of eleven devices scored above 6/10 for likability, usability, and utility.
• The two highest-scoring devices, selected for pilot testing, include a urine level monitor and a biofeedback-guided pelvic floor exercise app.
• Significant discrepancies between expert and patient perceptions necessitated collaborative score revisions.

Conclusions:

• Stakeholder engagement is crucial for selecting digital health tools, particularly for sensitive areas like pelvic function.
• Clinical validation of selected tools will lead to a user-friendly WeB kit.
• The WeB kit aims to improve the evaluation of BD treatments in MS, reducing its impact on quality of life.