Self-management support using mHealth in patients with COPD: From promise to proof

Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) can experience periods of symptom deterioration called exacerbations. Self-management is important to reduce the negative impact of these exacerbations and requires an active role of patients in the management of their condition. However, this can be quite difficult for patients. Adequate self-management support is needed to equip patients with skills to actively participate in the management of their condition and to change health behaviors. Although self-management support has shown to be effective, self-management interventions do not always lead to the desired outcomes. This might be explained by the static and “one size fits all” approach of most interventions.
In this thesis, we investigated self-management behavior of patients with COPD and explored the potential of mHealth for self-management support. We found that mHealth is promising to enhance exacerbation-related self-management in patients with COPD. Important insights were gained for the development of future self-management interventions. Based on these insights, we have developed an evidence-driven and usable mHealth intervention: a mobile app for patients with COPD that can help patients to detect exacerbations early and to perform prompt actions. Health care providers have an important role in the use of the app. The user-centered development process was described in detail to provide guidance for the development of future mHealth interventions. According to health care providers, the app is feasible in daily practice and can contribute to more pro-active COPD care.