Multi-Modal Methodology for Adapting Digital Health Tools to New Populations: Adaptation of the Video Information Provider (VIP) for Persons Living with HIV with HIV-Associated Non-AIDS (HANA) Conditions.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to illustrate the translation of our extant eHealth intervention (VIP) into an mHealth app for persons living with HIV (PLWH) with HIV-Associated non-AIDS (HANA) conditions, a new clinical problem. We integrated different quantitative and qualitative methodologies from different disciplines to accomplish the task of adapting an eHealth system for a new set of clinical problems. Building off of our past development of the VIP website, we used a multi-modal, iterative user-centered design process to develop the VIP-HANA app. Our process was used to better understand the needs of a national sample of PLWH recruited online. Findings from the usability evaluation demonstrate a potentially useful and easy to use app. Integration of multi-modal methodologies from different fields to accomplish the tasks of adaptation and evaluation of a mobile app is an appealing, rigorous and useful approach.