Design of mobile health tools to promote goal achievement in self-management tasks

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Study qualitatively analyzed data from a wellness program for patients with spina bifida (SB) and spinal cord injury (SCI) in order to generate software requirements for a goal-setting module within an existing mobile health (mHealth) system. The study also determined what educational content might be necessary to integrate into the system. A total of 750 goals were identified from 50 patients (37 with SB and 13 with SCI) enrolled in a wellness program. These goals were qualitatively analyzed in order to operationalize a set of software requirements for the mHealth goal-setting module and identify important educational content. Of the 750 total wellness goals, 669 (89 percent) were achieved. Furthermore, 20 out of 50 participants (40 percent) achieved all of their goals, and 42 participants (84 percent) achieved at least 13 out of 15 goals (87 percent). Individuals with SB and females achieved fewer goals than those with SCI and males. Temporality and type of goal were associated with likelihood that the goal would be achieved. Nearly all (98.6 percent) of the fact-finding goals were achieved. There was no significant difference in achievement based on goal theme. Checklists, data tracking, and fact-finding tools were identified as three functionalities that could support goal-setting and achievement in an mHealth system. Based on the qualitative analysis, a list of software requirements for a goal-setting module was generated, and a prototype was developed. Targets for educational content were also generated.

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