Usability Test of the MatImms Smartphone application
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Usability Test of the MatImms (a mother-infant study of immune responses to vaccine) Smartphone application for Pertussis and Influenza vaccines during pregnancy.
IRAS ID
181502
Contact name
Marielle Bouqueau
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 18 days
Research summary
The current Department of Health recommendation in the United Kingdom is that all pregnant women should be routinely vaccinated against Influenza and Pertussis (Public Health England, 2013). However, the latest evidence suggests that the uptake of these vaccines remains low in England and London for Influenza (respectively 44.1% and 39.9% according to the provisional monthly data for September 2014 to January 2015)(Public Health England, 2015) and for Pertussis (55.2% and 45.8% in May 2015) (Public Health England, 2015) in the pregnant population.
It has been shown that lack of knowledge and concerns regarding vaccination safety are the main barriers for the expectant population (Wiley, et al., 2014; Wong, et al., 2014; Yuen & Tarrant, 2014; Bechini, et al., 2012; Health Protection Agency, 2012; Blanchard-Rohner, et al., 2011).
As a consequence, Imperial College London would like to develop a smartphone application in order to increase the knowledge of pregnant women towards recommended vaccinations during pregnancy and enable them to make an informed choice.
Usability testing aims to collect empirical data while observing the participants using the product to perform realistic tasks (Rubin & Chisnell, 2008). It assesses user’s experience of using the application.This study will test the usability of this smartphone application amongst pregnant women by using think-aloud interview.
When the usability of the intervention has been tested, it will be adapted and the app will be improved in order to enhance user’s experience.REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
15/WA/0335
Date of REC Opinion
17 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion