Mrs Joanne Beer1, Associate Professor Kelly Lambert2, Dr Wai Lim3, Professor Neil Boudville3,4
1Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia, 2Faculty of Science, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia, 3Department of Renal Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia, 4University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
Biography:
Jo Beer is an advanced renal dietitian at SCGH and a PhD candidate at UWA. Her research explores the potential of telehealth to improve dietary management for dialysis patients. She recently led the Telekinesis Study, a large-scale Australian RCT across 23 sites, evaluating the effectiveness of this approach. Currently, Jo is refining the concept by integrating AI to enhance patient outcomes.
Aim:
To explore the consumers perspective of participation in a clinical trial and acceptability of using a smartphone app to receive dietary education.
Background:
Patients with chronic kidney disease face challenges accessing timely dietary advice, which is crucial for managing their complex diet effectively. Digital health solutions offer a promising way to provide timely, evidence-based nutritional care and can enhance in-person appointments that often face long waiting times. The TeleKinesis Study sought to generate robust evidence regarding the acceptability of an app-based intervention to reduce hyperphosphataemia in patients receiving dialysis.
Methods:
Twenty participants sampled from the intervention group who received the App in addition to standard care participated in semi-structured interviews. These were transcribed and analysed using principles of reflexive thematic analysis.
Results:
The interviews revealed an overriding theme of “empowerment through continuous support and knowledge”. Four themes that facilitated this process are described; “Empowerment through knowledge” – the app enhanced the user’s confidence in making dietary decisions. “Practical utility and usability” – the app was highly valued for its practical features such as food labeling and phosphate additive identification. “Desire for expanded content and features” – participants requested more content related to meal planning and features like instant feedback and a chat option. “Sustained engagement and support” – users highlighted their interest in continuous information and updates, suggesting that the app should be part of a longer-term treatment program.
Conclusion:
These themes encapsulate the positive impact of the app while highlighting areas for improvement, reflecting user experiences and suggestions effectively. By further involving consumers in intervention design and improvement we aim to improve engagement and clinical effectiveness.
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