MyFootCare: a pilot study for a mobile application to engage patients with diabetic foot ulcers in self-care.

To address the challenge of self care adherence in diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) management, the research team developed a mobile phone application (MyFootCare) designed to motivate and engage people with DFUs in their self-care. This project aims to determine the feasibility, usability and perceived value of using MyFootCare to engage patients in the self-care of their DFUs. The evaluation will be conducted in real-life settings, i.e., with patients using MyFootCare in their daily lives away from the clinic and with semi-structured interviews and observations at clinics to ensure ecological validity. Participants will be provided with a study phone with MyFootCare installed. Orientation in the use of MyFootCare will be provided by the research team and ongoing technical support will be provided throughout the data collection period. Participants will be reminded by MyFootCare to change their ulcer dressing at regular intervals in between appointments with their treating clinician. They will be reminded to take a photo of the ulcer to track the ulcers' progress and to provide information on how they are feeling. All participants will use MyFootCare in addition to receiving standard evidence-based care. The study period will continue for 12 weeks or until the ulcer heals (whichever occurs first). Interviews will be conducted with participants at three study points during the active data collection phase. These interviews will occur at the commencement of the trial period (week 0), at week three of the data collection period and at the conclusion of the study period (either when the ulcer heals or week 12). Direct observations of the interaction between the patient and their clinician will occur in week 3 and will focus directly on the dialogue of MyFootCare use. Item 1. Name: MyFootCare, a mobile phone application for patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and their carers to promote self-care away from the clinic. Item 2. Why: MyFootCare seeks to promote self-care through digital images and self-reported symptoms, to enable patients to track their DFU healing progress. Furthermore, it highlights personal goals to help motivate patients and provides reminders to enact care on a regular basis Item 3. What (materials): All patients will trial MyFootCare in addition to standard evidence-based care. Patients will be provided with a new smartphone for the study duration (12 weeks), with the MyFootCare app installed on it. Item 4. What (procedures): Patients and carers will be asked to incorporate MyFootCare into their self-care practices by taking a DFU photo each time they change their wound dressing away from the clinic. Patients will receive reminders through the app to enact self-care and to take photos throughout the 12 week study period. Item 5. Who provided: the research team will provide orientation and tuition on the functions of the mobile phone application for patients and their carers. Item 6. How: the actual use of the mobile phone with the MyFootCare app installed on it. Item 7. Where: away from the clinic, in patients' homes. Item 8. When and how much: patients are encouraged to use the app to take a photo of their ulcer every time they change their wound dressing (typically every second day). Based on the photo, the app will provide patients with information about your healing progress.