The use of a mobile educational tool on pressure injury education for individuals living with spinal cord injury/disease: a qualitative research study

Abstract

Background

As many as 30–60% of individuals living with spinal cord injury/disease (SCI/D) experience at least one pressure injury (PI) in their lifetime. Best practice guidelines in SCI/D rehabilitation emphasize the importance of providing education regarding PI prevention and management for individuals living with SCI/D. Mobile educational applications can be used for PI education however there is limited research on the user-experiences of mobile educational applications about PIs for individuals living with SCI/D.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of individuals living with SCI/D on the use of Pressure Ulcer Target (PUT), a mobile educational app for PI prevention and management.

Methods/Overview

Nine participants living with SCI/D used PUT over two weeks. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the participants’ perceptions regarding the utility, aesthetics and ease of use of PUT and suggested modifications. A conventional content analysis was used to identify themes and categories from the data.

Results

User-experiences with PUT fell into four themes: (1) Strengths and weakness; (2) Target population; (3) Key concepts and messages; and (4) Recommendations for improvement.

Conclusions

PUT serves as a review of previously acquired PI knowledge and should be introduced early in rehabilitation to motivate users to prevent PIs. Future studies exploring healthcare professionals’ perspectives of PUT are warranted.

Implications for rehabilitation

• PUT aids individuals living with SCI/D in the community to review PI prevention and management strategies that they learned as inpatients.

• The use of pictures to deliver patient education regarding PI prevention and management through a mHealth app is recommended.

• PUT should be introduced early in rehabilitation to motivate users to prevent PIs.

Keywords:

• Spinal cord injuries
• pressure ulcer
• mobile applications
• telemedicine
• prevention

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Erin Warkentin for the development of Pressure Ulcer Target and the illustrations embedded in Pressure Ulcer Target while completing her MScBMC at the University of Toronto. We would also like to acknowledge Ms. Warkentin’s committee members Nick Woolridge, Shelley Wall, Molly Verrier and Sharon Gabison. This study was partially supported by the Hallisey Postdoctoral Fellowship In Technology for Family Caregivers (Sharon Gabison).

Disclosure statement

The author Sharon Gabison owns the intellectual property of Pressure Ulcer Target.