RMD patients prioritize info on symptoms, test results in smartphone apps

Among the many educational topics and functions available in a smartphone app, the ones considered most important by patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) include symptom monitoring and information about laboratory test results, medications, and disease, reports a study.

“This guidance can be used to create educational and digital tools to support people living with rheumatic diseases during their disease journey and to be responsive to data provided by patients and their doctors,” the investigators said.

Nominal group techniques with RMD patients were carried out using online tools to come up with a list of needed educational topics.

Based on the gathered results, the investigators administered an online survey with final educational items, along with questions about desired functions of a smartphone app for RMD and wearable use, to patients in a community rheumatology practice-based research network and the PatientSpot registry.

Finally, differences in priorities between groups of respondents with rheumatic inflammatory conditions (RICs) and osteoarthritis (OA) and possible associations using chi-square tests and multivariate regression models.

Nearly four in five respondents deemed finding a rheumatologist, understanding tests and medications, and quickly recognizing and communicating symptoms to doctors as “extremely important” educational topics. Specifically, “knowing when the medication is not working” is the topic ranked highest by both RIC and OA groups. [J Rheumatol 2024;51:904-912]

Among the smartphone app functions, those considered by most respondents as useful were viewing laboratory results, recording symptoms to share with their rheumatology provider, and recording symptoms (eg, pain, fatigue) or disease flares for health tracking over time. About one in three of the respondents owned and regularly used a wearable activity tracker.

“Among the few differences between respondents with RIC vs OA, those with RIC were less likely to rate knowing about all medication or other therapy options, including alternative treatments such as acupuncture, as extremely important,” the investigators said.

“This perhaps reflects the dearth of available pharmacological therapies currently available for OA and indicates a desire among people with OA to be better informed about options to address the pain and limited mobility that accompany OA,” they added.

Patient education

Several studies have shown that needs-based patient education helps improve short-term adherence to treatment, self-efficacy, and quality of life. [Ann Rheum Dis 2015;74:954-962; Patient Educ Couns 2010;78:275-281; BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2017;18:84]

“Research is ongoing regarding how to extend these benefits over a longer timeframe and to a wider global population,” the investigators said.

“Effective patient education with durable benefits is also important for shared decision making, patient-centred care, and involving patients in patient-centred outcomes research,” they added. [Arthritis Rheumatol 2017;69:1860A; J Rheumatol 2008;35:216-223; Ann Rheum Dis 2016;75:1126-1132; J Rheumatol 1997;24:1378-1383; Patient Prefer Adherence 2019;13:119-129]

However, more and more people with chronic diseases, including RMD, are seeking information online or trying to educate themselves without the guidance of a healthcare professional. [Digit Health 2019;5:2055207619888073]

“Ultimately, further research using these patient-generated topics is warranted to determine whether effective dissemination of patient education using the words and priorities of people living with rheumatic conditions positively affects outcomes, including treatment adherence, quality of life, patient-centredness, and health outcomes,” the investigators said.