Design Interventions To Improve Neck Pain Patients' Motivation for Engaging Home Exercise Programs: Key Considerations for a Mobile Health App

Date

2024-6-26

Author

Öztürk, Nihan

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During the home-based rehabilitation stage of physiotherapy, patients are usually given photocopies or brochures with brief descriptions and pictures of the exercise programs they need to follow. This information is often insufficient to meet the patient's needs during their exercise routines, resulting in less effective treatment. This research focuses on the role of home exercise programs in enhancing the motivation and adherence of patients with neck pain. It aims to first understand the challenges and needs these patients face during home rehabilitation and, second, to provide a design solution to boost their motivation to exercise at home. The research included interviews with both patients and experts, and the findings were analyzed using the Self-Determination Theory's basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The study identified key elements that a mobile health application should include to improve patient motivation. These elements were found to be pain reduction, professional interaction, knowledge competence, social interaction, progress monitoring, goal achievement, and personalization. A prototype of a mobile application incorporating the following elements: personalization and autonomy; progress tracking and competence; social support and relatedness; adaptive and interactive content; and integration with professional care was then designed in a digital environment. This prototype was evaluated by patients, who provided feedback on how well it met their expectations and how it could be further developed. The results of this research are thought to contribute to the treatment process of physiotherapists, mobile health application designers, and patients with neck pain.

Subject Keywords

Neck Pain, Home Exercises, Interaction Design, User-Centered Design, Motivation

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/110126

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis