Translation of a Successful Behavioral Intervention to a Digital Therapeutic Self-Management System for Older Adults

Ergon Des. 2024 Apr;32(2):5-13. doi: 10.1177/10648046211066409. Epub 2022 Feb 24.

Abstract

Feature at a Glance: Nonadherence to hypertension medications is associated with negative health outcomes, which is of particular importance for older adults because of the high prevalence of hypertension in this population. To promote medication adherence among this group, we translated a behavioral intervention that improved adherence by 36% into a digital therapeutic self-management system. Design strategies included interviewing older adults, conducting usability evaluations after each iteration, and engaging a team of experts from nursing, cognitive psychology, pharmacy, human factors in aging, and software development. We outline our design process that can guide translation of other behavioral interventions into digital therapeutic platforms.

Keywords: design for older adults; design strategies; digital therapeutics; health management; hypertension; mHealth; medication adherence; self-management; test and evaluation; usability.