Development of a New Palliative Care App in Community

Abstract

This research and development study aimed to: 1) investigate the knowledge framework for palliative care in the community, 2) design and develop a new palliative care application, and
3) evaluate user satisfaction with the app. The study was conducted in three phases. In phase 1, the knowledge framework for community-based palliative care was explored with 18 participants through focus group discussions as well as in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, resulting in key insights. Phase 2 was dedicated to the development of new app, using the Line platform. The app was reviewed by five experts for both feasibility and usability. User satisfaction was tested by 37 palliative care patients from the community, in Nakhon Si Thammarat   Province. Satisfaction data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results were as follows.

1. The community-based palliative care knowledge framework included holistic self-care, initial symptom management, and self-assessment for palliative care patients.

2. The new application for palliative care in the community received a high feasibility rating from experts (M = 4.65, SD = 0.49)

3. After one month of use, overall user satisfaction was rated at the highest level (M = 4.56, SD = 0.21). Users mostly appreciated the convenience of accessing to knowledge (M = 4.65, SD = 0.48) and the improved ease of communication with healthcare teams (M = 4.62, SD = 0.63), which enhanced their confidence in managing side effects (M = 4.62, SD = 0.49).

This study highlights the importance of knowledge in empowering patients and caregivers for self-care in community settings. This new palliative care application supports knowledge dissemination and enhances self-care capabilities of patients and home caregivers.