Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/28676
Title: Exploring Mobile Interactive Applications to Increase Patient Motivation in Rehabilitation
Authors: GEURTS, Eva 
Advisors: CONINX, Karin
LUYTEN, Kris
Issue Date: 2019
Abstract: Many patient populations who are suffering from a chronic disease are recommended to follow a rehabilitation program to prevent relapse, or to minimize the impact of disease-related symptoms. However, many patients quit rehabilitation early due to several reasons, such as distance to the rehabilitation center, lack of motivation or lack of time. Many apps have been developed in the last years to support healthy individuals in physical training, but these solutions are not appropriate for patient populations as they have certain physical needs, risk factors and challenges. Telerehabilitation can solve some of these issues by providing solutions in the home environment. For these reasons, I aim to improve the patients' quality of life by investigating how tailored applications can support and motivate them in rehabilitation at home. I focused on two patient populations who are facing different risk factors, symptoms and challenges: cardiac patients and persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). I target physical activity in both patient populations, and smoking cessation in cardiac patients as both are important challenges within this population. I followed a multidisciplinary and user-centered design approach involving experts in cardiac rehabilitation, rehabilitation sciences and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). As a result, I designed and developed tailored applications to address the challenges and issues faced by the patient populations during rehabilitation. First, I explored how to support cardiac patients in cycling with a mobile application Back on Bike. Second, I investigated how to support cardiac patients in smoking cessation by using a mobile application SigarrĂȘt in a formative study and field evaluation. Third, I examined how to assist persons with MS in walking by the use of a mobile application (WalkWithMe) based on personalized goal setting and coaching. I iteratively designed and developed these prototypes, working closely with patients and their caregivers in order to incorporate their needs. Lab studies were performed to examine the usability of the different prototypes, and a workshop was organized to define the needs and requirements of persons with MS in terms of walking. Techniques applied within these studies include affinity diagramming, questionnaires and interviews. Finally, I conducted field evaluations with people from both patient populations to examine the impact, user experience and contexts of use over a longer period. These evaluations include HCI techniques such as diaries, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires. As I rather involved small sample sets within these studies, I mainly present qualitative outcomes. The positive outcomes of these evaluations assert the potential of mobile systems to support rehabilitation at home in cardiac patients and persons with MS. Furthermore, I investigated how anthropomorphism, the attribution of human-like characteristics or behavior, can be integrated in mobile solutions as a persuasive actor for telerehabilitation. For this exploration, I conducted an extensive literature study, and produced a taxonomy and online tool for the exploration, classification and design of anthropomorphic user interfaces. These outcomes were consulted in a study involving novice computer scientists to classify a certain set of health apps with the taxonomy, and to design an anthropomorphic user interface targeting a certain health behavior supported by the taxonomy and online tool.
Keywords: cardiac rehabilitation; mobile applications; patient motivation; Multiple Sclerosis; persuasive technology; rehabilitation
Document URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/28676
Category: T1
Type: Theses and Dissertations
Appears in Collections:PhD theses
Research publications

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