My first idea

For the first few weeks of this module I have been focusing on creating a solid idea to create a health application and for this I created a mind map to list out my ideas and begin generating some areas of the health service I could focus on in order to help. Firstly I was aiming to create an application that would aim to help all user in need of medical assistance and those that need itregularly the aim to help their experience with the health service. This idea was to create an application that would allow the user to book appointments with their doctor, medication request and somewhere to store and receive their blood results etc. I thought that by aiming to create this service that it would take the stress off the receptionists, doctors and patients on trying to get in contact with their doctor to get their needs sorted as well as sending and receiving results.

I liked this idea and had already began idealising the outcome of the service and who I could aim this particular application too as well as the features I could include. However, before finalising my idea I thought it was best to go back to my mind map to make sure I was making the right choice with my service. I discovered that even though this was a good idea and something that I thought would make a big difference with the health service that it just wasn’t strong enough and it was a simple idea for a project I wanted to give more into.

 

Finalised idea

Other ideas came to mind such was a heart and stroke identify application with past family history in this area or an application to help those that suffer from IBS and other stomach issues but these were solely based off what I knew from other peoples experiences. With looking through my ideas I came back to something that first popped into my head when Paul first mentioned the aim for this project at the beginning of term. At the time I didn’t want to go for the first idea that sprung to mind because I know the importance of pushing through your first thoughts and ideas before setting your mind on something solid but this idea was just one I couldn’t shake off and something I knew would have a personal touch as well as make a huge difference in the health service as it’s something that I would find beneficial as a person with this disability.

Defining Design Direction 

With some consideration taken then I have decided to go down the route of design a health service application that would help those suffering with arthritis. This confirmation came from realising that my first idea of a medical assistance application wasn’t a strong contender and where I could go with his application creatively just wasn’t enough and because of this then I have visualised combing this idea with my arthritis application and including some of the features that I would have wanted to include in my medical assistance app but alongside this focus on set of users that I can relate with and can understand.

My finalised idea then for this project was to create an application that focus’ on the needs of users with arthritis, something that I have battled with in my personal life with my own health and in my family. It becomes a struggle for those suffering with this condition to receive the medical assistance and help that they require because they simply can’t control the moments they have a flare up of their disease. Thus leaving it at times impossible for clinical doctors to provide the correct tests and examinations to take place at that time when the opportunity of an appointment comes up. I have went to my rheumatology appointment numerous times from the covid pandemic began and haven’t been able to receive the correct medial assistance to help with my condition simply because I can’t show or determine to the doctors of how my condition is effecting me in the space of a 3-6 month gap between each appointment visit, thus making my condition worse.

To help then with this issue and other growing problems around arthritis in Northern Ireland at this time my aim for this application is to help users have a safe place to store their daily pains diaries, how they feel in themselves on that day, an area for support and guidance specifically directed towards their condition and having the security to story, log and book appointments and results from blood test to X-rays. This application will give a user easy access then to all their needed documentation in one secure application that can be shown to a rheumatologist or clinical doctor at their next appointment and given the doctor resources then to work with to help determine the best route for that patient.

Design questioning –

Rethinking my idea down then allows me to begin my questioning. I completed the Frame Your Design Challenge that we spoke about with Paul in Week 3 in our Design and Stratedy class.

Link to figma file: "Health App - Frame your design challenge"

My design question –

“How can we design an application for users of a arthritic condition to allow them to understand and showcase the journey around their condition to medical staff”.

In conclusion to the section of this blog I have finalised my idea down to creating an application to help those fighting arthritis. Getting to think into this a little further and how far I can go creatively has really gave me motivation to complete this project and this will have a big personal impact for me. I feel very passionate about this topic and look forward to being able to project this further especially to my peers to get them thinking into this condition because I do believe this is a health condition that at times gets overlooked by both the public and medial staff with me being a younger sufferer and I hope to be able to bring light my arthritic conditions and the others out there.

I aim for this project to reach out to as many people as possible that suffer from this condition. I have numerous family members I have personal access too to gains some research from but I would want to reach out further to those that I don’t know to try and gain a better understanding of how other are facing their condition and how they find there medical assessments in comparison to mine.

I hope that by the end of this project that I am more knowledgeable about this topic and in hope that my idea is something that others would look upon for support and help with their clinical appointments.

My Arthritis story –

My story living with Arthritis is short but for my idea with this project I feel its important to explain a little of why I would want to create this application and why this idea would make a huge difference with my experience as just one individual that deals with the health service on a regular basis. With a long family history that has dealt with and deals with Arthritis every day from Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus I see daily the struggles each of us go through in terms of daily pain and the issues we have with the health service  at the minute. With my family history of this disease the risk of inheriting this made it more likely for me to develop a form arthritis. I am currently the youngest of my family that has been diagnosed with this condition, when back in 2017 with an emergency appointment with the Rheumatoid clinic I was given the diagnosis of Psoriatic Arthritis. This is an autoimmune condition caused by a fault in the immune system that causes a chronic, inflammatory disease of the joints, tendons and ligaments that connect to bone.

I have linked a Youtube video below to further explain my form of arthritis.

My Struggles-

Over the last 6 years dealing with my condition I have been affected numerous times by the issues around the health service with cancelled appointments, misinformed of my disease, difficulty getting medical staff to understand and take into consideration where I am with my arthritis, the list goes on. Being at my most recent appointment in January with the Rheumatoid clinic I got so frustrated with how my condition was being handled that I naturally thought of ways that would improve my experience when dealing with Arthritis. With my form of Arthritis I will get a flare up most commonly in my knees and shoulders but as I get older I have been developing pains in my feet, fingers, wrists and lower back. My flare ups usually take place with the change or shift in the weather meaning when the temperature falls mid September – March I will regularly get flare ups every few months. The issue I find with this is that my flare ups never take place close to one of my 6 months scheduled appointments meaning that when it comes to sitting down and explaining through to my doctor the issues and pains I have been having and where this has been occurring over the period of time I don’t have any evidence or show the signs of inflammation that can show them how bad my condition can and has become which has lead to currently being unmedicated for my condition for over a year now this has becomes a frustration.

The issue that occurs regularly then is that I don’t have a secure source that I can log in my daily pains or where and when I’m having issues when I’m seeing my doctor it is mostly word of mouth which at times leads to me forgetting to mention important issues that have been arising such as with new pain or swelling and I know that with having a close relationship with my granny who has both Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis that she too forgets to bring these crucial details to her appointment because most times you have a 6month diary of log issues in your mind that it would be impossible to remember all of them. I am also still very knew to this disability coming from a young individuals background that rarely took medication or had visits to the doctors only for pains regarding my joints. I don’t have much experience with ensuring I take full notice and responsibility for my illness as most times I do get annoyed at how my body has let me down so young and I try to ignore the fact that I am ill and because of this blood checks and medication intake can vary at times. With my Arthritis being an autoimmune condition this requires my bloody to be taken every 2 week and truthfully I struggle with this and I believe its down to me being just a young person that has a busy life and hates and also doesn’t have the time to sit on call to contact the doctors to book my appointments and then having to call again and wait to retrieve my results so it becomes easier to just forget to book my bloods which is serious. And with this then in the past with my medication  I struggle to remember to take it as my schedule in the day can get so busy that it’s at times the last thing on my mind. And finally I also feel misinformed of my condition and only recently with doing some further research for this project have I began learning further of the signs and problems I should be aware of that I haven’t been informed of by my clinic.

 

The application aim –

The reason behind my application would be to have somewhere secure to store my health issues that occur from each appointment with my consultant to allow me to have something solid to show them that’s kept in my phone, something I take with to every appointment. I would want my application to give the user the opportunity to input their pain for the day as well as their activity levels and just their general mood for that day then this information would be stored in a file on your phone that can be easily shown to the doctor the important issues that have arisen in the coming months of the last appointment as well as given the user a platform to generate more knowledge of how and when they’re Arthritis effects them and way to help them through their flare ups. I would also aim to put in a source that would allow the users to book appointments over the app with their linked hospital or GP clinic as well as retrieving results of checks such as with bloods or X-rays as I think this would cut down the waiting hours of those trying to get in contact with a surgery or doctor.

 

Arthritis Research

Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in a joint and in the UK, more than 10 million people have been diagnosed with the disease  that affects the joints, tendons and ligaments. There are more than 100 different types/forms of Arthritis out there that individual deal with everyday. In the UK Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis are the 2 most common types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis:

This is the most common type of arthritis in the UK that often develops in people in their mid-40s or older, affecting nearly 9 million people and most commonly in women with family history of this condition. This form of Arthritis affects the smooth cartilage lining of the joint which is what makes movement more difficult than usual, leading to pain and stiffness. After continue cartilage damage the lining starts to roughen and thin out, making the tendons and ligaments work harder. Severe loss of cartilage can lead to bone rubbing on bone, altering the shape of the joint and forcing the bones out of their normal position.

The most commonly affected joints are those in the:

  • hands
  • spine
  • knees
  • hips

Rheumatoid arthritis:

In the UK, rheumatoid arthritis affects more than 400,000 people and often starts when a person is between 40 and 50 years old and like with Osteoarthritis Arthritis women are more likely to be affected than men. With this condition the body’s immune system targets affected joints, which leads to pain and swelling. The outer covering (synovium) of the joint is the first place affected this can then spread across the joint, leading to further swelling and a change in the joint’s shape. This may cause the bone and cartilage to break down.

Symptoms can come on gradually or start suddenly. They’re often more severe than with osteoarthritis.

The most common include:

  • Pain, stiffness, and swelling in your hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles, feet, jaw, and neck. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects multiple joints.
  • More than one swollen joint. Usually, it’s small joints in your wrists, hands, or feet.
  • A symmetrical pattern. When the knuckles on your left hand are inflamed, the knuckles on your right hand probably will be as well. After some time, you may notice more of your joints feel warm or become painful or swollen.
  • Morning stiffness than can last for hours or even most of the day. You may also feel fatigued and notice that your appetite is down and you’ve lost weight.

 

Psoriatic Arthritis:

Psoriatic arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis that can occur in some individuals with psoriasis. This arthritis can affect several different joints in the body along with other organs such as the eyes.  Research has shown that persistent inflammation from psoriatic arthritis can lead to joint damage. This type of arthritis usually starts between ages 30 and 50, but it can start as early as childhood and is equally common among men and women and  in the UK it is estimated to be around 0.1% to 0.3% of the total population (50,000 to 156,000 people in England and Wales).

Common symptoms:
  • Fatigue.
  • Tenderness, pain and swelling over tendons.
  • Swollen fingers and toes that sometimes resemble sausages.
  • Stiffness, pain, throbbing, swelling and tenderness in one or more joints.
  • Reduced range of motion.
  • Morning stiffness and tiredness.
  • Nail changes, such as pitting or separation from the nail

 

Alongside the three conditions above other common forms include Spondyloarthropathies, Lupus erythematosus and Gout.

 

Secondary Research – Northern Ireland vs Arthritis

These figures confirm Northern Ireland’s place as the UK’s pain capital with the worst waiting times of anywhere in the country.  The data believes the daily reality of thousands of people with arthritis who are paying the price every day struggling to cope with persistent severe pain, worsening mental and physical health and reduced quality of life.

We’re hearing directly from people who have had their surgery cancelled that they’re being left in limbo with no further updates or information about their treatment. People with arthritis are facing waits of up to six years while for others their financial stability is threatened by meeting the cost of private treatment.

– Sara Graham, Northern Ireland Director at the charity Versus Arthritis said:

https://news.cision.com/versus-arthritis/r/versus-arthritis--northern-ireland-is-uk-s-pain-capital--latest-waiting-times-data-confirms,c3403720

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a new article from the Belfast Telegraph back in July 2020 discussing the is affects the covid pandemic was having on those suffering from a form of Arthritis.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus/third-of-arthritis-sufferers-have-not-received-care-due-to-covid-19-39374554.html

 

Many people with arthritis have been shielding during the pandemic as the medication they take is believed to put them at greater risk from the virus.

 

In this article is state that more than 487,000 people in Northern Ireland live with a musculoskeletal condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and back pain and that before the covid pandemic that Northern Ireland has by far the worst waiting times of any part of the UK, with people waiting years to access vital health services including physiotherapy, rheumatology and crucial joint replacement surgery.

 

The Newsletter reported that:

The survey of over 6,000 people with arthritis across the UK found that 47 per cent of people experiencing chronic pain in Northern Ireland had had their appointments cancelled due to lockdown. A third (34 %) have not had access to the care and treatment they need to manage their pain, and over half (56 per cent) reported being unable to complete tasks around the home because of this, with 54% unable to be physically active at all due to the levels of discomfort they were experiencing and 47% of respondents reported feeling more lonely or isolated as a result of the social distancing occasioned by the pandemic.

By The Newsroom
Thursday, 30th July 2020, 8:00 am

 

Versus Arthritis has launched a campaign warning the Government that if people continue to be unable to access appropriate health care then thousands across the country are at risk of significant health deterioration and the health service will pay a higher price in the long term.

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/health/coronavirus/arthritis-patients-left-prolonged-pain-due-pandemic-backlog-2927862

 

Primary Research –

To further understand those that suffer from other forms of Arthritis and to determine if the application I have in mind would be something that would benefit those I thought it would be best to create a questionnaire using google forms to gather some primary research. In my questionnaire I wanted to aim to retrieve a much valid information as I could to get an in depth look into how others feel about their experience with the health service, how they currently treat their form of this disease, if they have the same struggles as me as a young individual suffering and if they believed the application would be something that they would find useful at their next appointment.

Link to the questionnaire: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScqZBhnF741-BUeDCzWRrJGIEbdHZLToFvAjSYt85EaE9UBBQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

I firstly knew when creating this questionnaire that solely going to my family members wasn’t going to be enough which made me begin searching for ways to get this questioner out their. I began with posting it on my social media accounts to try to reach out to as many as my followers and friends as I could. From here I began looking through Facebook groups that were associated with Arthritis such as chat rooms and groups pages where I was able to create my own post which opened up my questionnaire to a bunch of strangers that were willing to share their experience. I joined a Facebook group called ‘Autoimmune and Arthritis Support Group’ set up in the United States but has users from all around the world.

I also then posted my questionnaire on my Facebook page to allow me friends and family to go through and give me their responses.

 

I then used my Instagram to try and get further responses from those that follow me hoping that by using Instagram I would potentially gain more reaction from a younger audience and potential users. I decided on posting on my own personal account using the story feature as this is a function I am aware can be seen by all those I follow and then again on my design account to try and get some responses from maybe design agencies that have experience with Arthritis, just trying to reach out to as many people as I possibly could.

 

Using Instagram then I follow this girl who has a account that is solely focused on her journey and path with Arthritis and is a big inspiration to me at times with the information and support that shares regularly. I thought it would do no harm to ask her if she had the time to fill in my questionnaire as I thought she would be a really strong individual to get her ideas and thought behind the application. She offered to upload my questionnaire onto her story which opened up possibility of responces to around 1600 other accounts that I would’ve have struggled to reach out too.

 

 

I currently have 25 responses on my questionnaire I hope this grows further before the end of term but its a number I wouldn’t have got close to by just going to my family. The 25 responses already have gave me a strong out look of others that are suffering from different forms of Arthritis and the methods they go through to help them with their pain. I also got the opportunity to see whether or not an application such as mine would be seen as something useful to the potential users.

Important data gathered from the questionnaire:

  Forms of arthritis my potential users could be suffering from

 Where my potential users are most affected

List of prescribed medication 


Determining if the users have the same struggles as I do 

 

  

Device knowledge and concerns

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Determining the needs of my application idea

Competitor Analysis –

I found a few application on the App Store that had the same idea that I was going for that I look at for inspiration on the aspects of designs as well as the features that they included and how they made these available to the users.

Each application made me as a new user sign up and then from there each time I access the accounts I log in ensuring my detail and information that I log is secure. The three main application being RheumaBuddy, My Arthritis and Versus Arthritis all had very different design aspects for example the RheumaBuddy and Versus Arthritis had more of playful feel to them in comparison to the My Arthritis app which had a lot more of a cleaner and professional look to it.

The feature that were available on all 3 included some form of pain log for each day and a chart to store a look back on the information. Tips, help and support for Arthritis and where to find it i.e Versus Arthritis is connect to your location so I was getting support and help in my local area. A profile to change your details and keep your arthritis information.

In all I found all of these application helpful and as a user that these applications are aimed at I enjoyed having a look through the support and way to manage my pain.

Versus Arthritis:

This was one of the more fun and playful designs I found with the applications with the use of the graphic designs and the colours to separate each area of the app. I found this particular application to be my favourite I’m a big fan of Versus Arthritis and all the work that they do for those that suffer and there connection to Northern Ireland. I loved the method of the faces that they used for the pain levels etc as this was something that I was aiming to include to keep it more simplistic way to log the daily pains. They’re method of support was really each they had they’re dropdown lists which linked off to their site that includes further more in depth information which I thought was a really smart way to design this so the user was pushed to much information. And finally they included a 9-month view feature with their pain log in feature which gives the users a deep in depth of data to show their consultant.

One difficulty I did find with this application was the there wasn’t a lot of information on what each page was for as a new users I had to surf through a few time in order to understand what function age page was and all I could think of was if my Granny was to use this application she would need some more in-depth instruction on what each page included.

 

My Arthritis:

This application is the one I have found myself going back to a lot for inspiration on layout and how they designed their amount of data so that I looks like sections of content and not just all in one space. This application was very clean I though in terms of typography and design there wasn’t too much going on but in comparison to the Versus Arthritis app above I could quickly and easily determine what each page was for and how to source what I was looking for. I loved the use of the white blocks that gave the users sections to add their feelings etc I thought this was a brilliant way to break up the first page. I also really enjoyed the functionality of their nav bar and how easy it was to get through the app.

I haven’t much negative points on this app other than I would maybe push for a little more colour as I feel its a lot of grey, white and black. I would like to have a solid colour to just draw my eyes through the app as I could find myself getting bored if I spent too long on it daily but I’m aware that by adding some more colours this could take away from the simplistic clean design they’re going for. Also with this app it has an issue with its login and it gets frustrating when your trying to input your log in details and to shuts down or with everytime to accidentally tap off the app you have to log back in no matter the time off the app which I found annoying.

 

RheumaBuddy:

This was the third app that I discovered on the app store and one I was happy to use. Design wise I thought it was just enough colour the typeface worked well on all the backgrounds and they also had some graphics through out the screens which I liked to fill in some of the white space. I had easy enough navigation but like the Versus Arthritis this app had no description on the pages to demonstrate what each page would include and what the user would have to do. One feature that stuck out to me was the calendar I thought this was a really smart way to demonstrate to the user what day they were on form their pain log in. I liked the feature of the sleep, exercise and work a this is something that I hadn’t thought about but play a crucial part in anyone suffering.

The feature that I struggled to use was how I logged in my pain and fatigue etc I though that I would have to click on the faces but nothing seemed to happen once I had tapped on the face. The nav bar didn’t excite me as much as the My Arthritis app but it did give a smooth transition to each page. The community page I couldn’t really understand what I was for so I will take a closer look into that to see what that features and why it might be included.

 

In conclusion all these application are useful and give the users what they need in terms of somewhere to log their symptoms and pains and some basis of support. It was good to see that there are already application out there that focus on the users of arthritis as it showcase that there are potential users out there that are sourcing this content.

This has been a fun and really eye opening opportunity to get to research and gather further data and information into a condition that I myself suffer with. I feel more informed myself in what I would want and need as a potential user and also what others would aim to look for in an application that focuses on Arthritis. I can understand now of how I can head into this project and how I can begin developing and creating an application that seeks to give those with Arthritis the opportunity to have their voices heard in the forever growing number of those that suffer. I am more than pleased that I changed my mind to something that effects me personally as this means I will only create something I would want to use and the features that I would want to exist out there as a user.

 

Information links:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/psoriatic-arthritis/
https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/guide/most-common-arthritis-types
https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/psoriatic-arthritis/
https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/guide/most-common-arthritis-types
https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Psoriatic-Arthritis

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