Development and Evaluation of a Persian-Language Self-Management Mobile Application for People With Spinal Cord Injury Publisher Pubmed



Daeechini AH ; Hosseini A ; Rabiei R ; Yazdani S ; Paydar S
Source: Health Expectations Published:2025

Abstract

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with complex complications and long-term disability. Mobile health applications are crucial for managing their complications and challenges, given their high adoption rate among these patients. While previous studies have developed and evaluated self-management mobile applications for SCI in other languages and contexts, to date, no Persian-language application tailored to the unique needs of individuals with SCI in Iran and other Persian-speaking countries has been published. This study aims to develop and evaluate the short-term usability of a self-management mobile application through the participation of 20 people with spinal cord injuries. Methods: This applied developmental study was conducted in 2024 in two phases: the design and development phase and the usability evaluation phase. The application's key requirements and required capabilities were identified in the first phase, and a conceptual model was developed using Microsoft Visio. In the second phase, the application's usability was evaluated using the MAUQ questionnaire. Results: The application's menu services included modules for autonomic dysreflexia, skin care, bowel management, lifestyle, bladder management and a specialist finder. In the usability evaluation phase of the SCI self-management mobile application, its usability score was 78.7%, signifying an acceptable level of usability. Conclusion: In this study, the design and development of the application were tailored to the needs of Persian-speaking participants with SCI to ensure alignment with both the linguistic/cultural requirements and self-management needs of this population. Accordingly, usability evaluation was conducted to identify and address potential issues, ensuring that the final product is comprehensive and effectively covers most complications and challenges faced by individuals with SCI. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.