Novel mobile application effective in supporting proper diet among maintenance hemodialysis patients

Researchers have investigated the usefulness of a self-developed mobile application that supports proper dietary choices among HD patients. The app provides information related to products and recipes.

The promotion of the app was done both using the internet and with patients. Researchers collected data related to patients' activity using Internet solutions. For the evaluation of the software, a questionnaire was also added.

The study results could be summarised as follows:

• A total of 842 users downloaded the application (smartphone).
• 44.4 % of users were from two cities in Poland with a large population of HD patients.
• Cities with a population of more than 250,000 have 86.0% users.
• The questionnaire was responded to by 60 patients, including 32 males and 28 females, with a median age of 56 years.
• The application score was a median of 4.0 points or higher on a 5-point Likert scale.
• According to 63.3% of respondents, the application needs improvement.
• A difference was noted in dialysis vintage between respondents using the application for less than one month and others (1.0 vs 3.3 years).
• The diet adherence perception was higher among younger users, particularly women.

The researchers concluded that hemodialysis patients (HD) patients have a positive interest in diet-related mobile applications.

For promoting software, internet usage seems to be the best. Patient satisfaction was influenced by residency place, age, gender, and usage timing.

Further reading:

https://www.jrnjournal.org/article/S1051-2276%2823%2900020-1/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_aip_email