A pain recording system based on mobile health technology for cancer patients in a home setting: A user-centred design

Pain is one of the most common symptoms experienced by patients with cancer at all stages of the disease, many of whom experience poor pain control. Findings from earlier studies suggest that mobile health (mHealth) approaches may have value in the field of pain management. Currently, development is at an early stage and the needs and preferences of users are not yet well understood. The aim of this study is to report the design and development of a mHealth-based pain recording system for this population to support effective pain management. A user-centred design (UCD) approach with multiple stages, including usability testing, was adopted for achieving this and ensure the system’s clinical utility. Usability testing was conducted on high-fidelity clickable prototypes developed for the system with eleven representative system users. The system was well-received, and all participants found it well-aligned with their needs and easy to use, with only a few addressable usability issues reported. Captured usability metrics indicated that the under-development system has the potential to be effective, efficient and satisfying for users.