The mChoice App, an mHealth Tool for the Monitoring of Preexposure Prophylaxis Adherence and Sexual Behaviors in Young Men Who Have Sex With Men: Usability Evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Digital health interventions
• HIV prevention strategies
• Mobile health (mHealth) applications

Background:

• Mobile health (mHealth) apps facilitate health monitoring and medication adherence.
• There is a need for mHealth tools specifically designed for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in young men who have sex with men (MSM).
• The mChoice app was developed to enhance PrEP adherence and promote sexual health among young MSM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct systematic usability evaluations of the mChoice app.
• To refine the app's visualizations for patient-reported health information.
• To improve the mChoice app's effectiveness in supporting HIV prevention.

Main Methods:

• Heuristic evaluations were performed by 5 informatics experts.
• User testing involved 20 young MSM eligible for or currently on PrEP.
• The study focused on assessing the usability and user experience of the mChoice app.

Main Results:

• Young MSM users found the mChoice app's interface intuitive for tracking PrEP adherence.
• Participants expressed satisfaction with the app's visual design.
• Key areas for improvement included chart titles and the addition of 'undo'/'edit' buttons for better user control.

Conclusions:

• Usability evaluations provided critical insights for refining the mChoice app.
• Enhancing chart readability and user controls are recommended for future iterations.
• Iterative design improvements will ensure the app effectively meets the needs of young MSM for HIV prevention.