Designing an mHealth App for Stroke Rehabilitation in Indonesia: Mixed Methods Design Science Research Study

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Indonesia faces a high stroke prevalence, with limited healthcare resources hindering effective rehabilitation.
• Mobile health (mHealth) interventions are crucial for expanding access to stroke care in underserved regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a user-centered mHealth application for stroke rehabilitation in Indonesia.
• To explore essential features for stroke rehabilitation management through expert and patient input.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining expert/patient interviews with a design science research methodology.
• Three iterative design cycles (design, development, evaluation) were employed to refine the mHealth app prototype.
• System Usability Scale (SUS) and other metrics were used to evaluate prototype usability and quality.

Main Results:

• The mHealth app incorporates features for patient training, progress monitoring, teleconsultations, and home visit coordination.
• Key functionalities include onboarding, gamification, user management, reminders, and educational content.
• The app prototypes achieved a "good" System Usability Scale score of 71.83 and positive ratings for usefulness, information, and interface quality.

Conclusions:

• The developed mHealth app offers a viable solution to enhance stroke rehabilitation services in Indonesia.
• Findings provide guidance for healthcare providers and regulators to improve stroke patient care quality.
• This study highlights the potential of mHealth to bridge gaps in healthcare accessibility for stroke survivors.