Exploring User Needs and Preferences for Mobile Apps for Sleep Disturbance: Mixed Methods Study

Melissa Aji; Christopher Gordon; Dorian Peters; Delwyn Bartlett; Rafael A Calvo; Khushnood Naqshbandi; Nick Glozier

doi:10.2196/13895

Exploring User Needs and Preferences for Mobile Apps for Sleep Disturbance: Mixed Methods Study

JMIR Ment Health. 2019 May 24;6(5):e13895. doi: 10.2196/13895.

Authors

Melissa Aji^{1

2}, Christopher Gordon^{2

3

4}, Dorian Peters⁵, Delwyn Bartlett^{3

6}, Rafael A Calvo^{5

7}, Khushnood Naqshbandi⁵, Nick Glozier¹

Affiliations

¹ Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW, Australia.
² CRC for Alertness, Safety and Productivity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
³ Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Glebe, Australia.
⁴ Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁵ School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁶ Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁷ Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.

PMID: 31127714
PMCID: PMC6707571
DOI: 10.2196/13895

Abstract

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) apps demonstrate promise for improving sleep at scale. End-user engagement is a prerequisite for sustained use and effectiveness.

Objective: We assessed the needs and preferences of those with poor sleep and insomnia to inform the development of an engaging sleep app.

Methods: We triangulated results from qualitative (focus groups and app reviews) and quantitative (online survey) approaches. A total of 2 focus groups were conducted (N=9). An online survey tested themes identified from the focus groups against a larger population (N=167). In addition, we analyzed 434 user reviews of 6 mobile apps available on app stores.

Results: Common focus group themes included the need to account for diverse sleep phenotypes with an adaptive and tailored program, key app features (alarms and sleep diaries), the complex yet condescending nature of existing resources, providing rationale for information requested, and cost as a motivator. Most survey participants (156/167, 93%) would try an evidence-based sleep app. The most important app features reported were sleep diaries (148/167, 88%), sharing sleep data with a doctor (116/167, 70%), and lifestyle tracking (107/167, 64%). App reviews highlighted the alarm as the most salient app feature (43/122, 35%) and data synchronization with a wearable device (WD) as the most commonly mentioned functionality (40/135, 30%).

Conclusions: This co-design process involving end users through 3 methods consistently highlighted sleep tracking (through a diary and WD), alarms, and personalization as vital for engagement, although their implementation was commonly criticized in review. Engagement is negatively affected by poorly designed features, bugs, and didactic information which must be addressed. Other needs depend upon the type of user, for example, those with severe insomnia.

Keywords: mHealth; mobile apps; sleep.

©Melissa Aji, Christopher Gordon, Dorian Peters, Delwyn Bartlett, Rafael A Calvo, Khushnood Naqshbandi, Nick Glozier. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 24.05.2019.