Background/Purpose: Mobile medical Applications (mApps) with diary functions and integrated patient-reported outcome instruments allow patients (pts) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to self-monitor their disease apart from out-pts visits and thus might strengthen self-management. In a project evaluating the usability of a mApp with diary function we studied pts’ given information technology (IT) prerequisites, especially their hitherto use of Internet and apps on mobile devices.

Methods: Inclusion criteria were RA diagnosis, age of consent and German speaking. 268 consecutive RA out-pts were screened, 157 (58.6%) owned an App-compatible device, and 60 pts (38.2%) agreed to complete paper-based questionnaires assessing experiences and knowledge regarding IT aspects, App/internet use, and sociodemographic and clinical trial data. Ethic approval and pts’ signed informed consents were obtained. The identifier at clinicaltrials.gov is NCT02565225.

Results: Pts were predominantly female (78.3%), mean±SD age was 50.1±13.1 years (yrs), mean disease duration 10.5±9.1 yrs. 50% had a high education level. 93.3% reported substantial experience with a smartphone, 70.0% with a tablet. 80% wanted to use the project-App on their smartphone, 20% on their tablet. Pts were familiar with their devices for 3.0±2.4 yrs. Internet use via the device was reported for private (91.7%) and official business issues (30.0%). 43.3% confirmed Internet use via the device during business hours. It was accessed via the contract of their device by 66.7% (3G 37.5%; 4G 27.5%), via WIFI at home (81.7%) or in public areas (35.0%) for 2.3±2.9 hours/day. 90.0% already used Apps, these reported use of health (24.1%), diet (9.3%), games (37.0%), communication/social media networks (59.3%), news (59.3%), weather information (79.6%), music (33.3%), sport (20.4%) and productivity (24.1%) Apps. Most (94.4%) stated use of free-of-charge Apps, 44.4% of Apps with costs. Although being informed that the project mApp was not build to send data via the Internet 18.3% believed that data entered in the mApp will be stored in a cloud, 35.0% had no idea how the data is stored. 51.7% think they know the way an App works. Perceived data security on their App-compatible device was rated 3.0±1.4 (1(= high)–6(= low) Likert scale). 63.3% rated new media technology as predominantly beneficial for patient-physician interaction.

Conclusion: More than half of the pts owned App-compatible devices. Pts apply them for mobile Internet and App use even in business hours. Technical requirements for patient-physician communication via mobile devices are fulfilled in these pts, although IT literacy seems still to be narrowed in some pts. However, eHealth concepts via a mApp for monitoring disease apart from the physician visits seem feasible. Our project will deliver further important data of the mApp – a powerful tool at our fingertips.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/patients-with-rheumatoid-arthritis-in-germany-are-they-ready-for-ehealth-via-mobile-medical-applications/