KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The study aimed to assess the usability and acceptability of a digital tool to boost colorectal cancer screening at FQHCs.
- Researchers noticed that adapting the eNav tool based on user feedback improved its accessibility and usability for diverse FQHC patients.
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve as critical healthcare access points for historically underserved populations, including providing screening for colorectal cancer (CRC), which remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States.
Given the importance of increasing CRC screening rates among FQHC patients, Leah C. Savage and the team focused on developing and testing a digital patient navigation tool, eNav, designed to help patients better prepare for, request, and complete CRC screening tests.
They performed an inclusive analysis by recruiting 20 English- and Spanish-speaking patients at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in New York City to user-test the eNav website. The study was conducted in 2 rounds, with 10 participants per user test. In each session, patients participated in a “think aloud” exercise and a qualitative interview to gather their feedback on the website. Baseline questionnaires were administered to collect demographic information, technology and internet use, medical history, and health literacy.
Additionally, patients completed surveys to assess the website’s acceptability and usability. Based on feedback from the first user test, researchers modified the eNav website before conducting a second round of testing. The final modifications were made after reviewing participant feedback from the second test, leading to the finalized version of the eNav website.
The survey results indicated strong overall usability and acceptability of the eNav website. The average System Usability Scale (SUS) score from the first user test was 75.25, and for the second test, it was 75.28. The average Acceptability E-scale score was 28.3 for the first test and 29.2 for the second, both meeting suggested benchmarks for usability and acceptability.
During the qualitative “think aloud” exercises in both user tests, many participants found the website to be motivating, interesting, informative, and user-friendly. Participants also provided valuable suggestions to improve the content, usability, accessibility, and overall appeal of the website. However, some participants faced challenges due to a lack of digital devices or internet access at home, limiting their ability to engage fully with the eNav website.
The study concluded that based on participant feedback and identified limitations in digital access, modifications were made to enhance the content and design of the eNav website. Alternative methods of engagement were developed to increase the tool’s usability, accessibility, and effectiveness for patients with diverse needs, particularly those with limited access to digital devices or the internet at home. Future plans include testing the eNav intervention in a randomized controlled trial to assess its efficacy in improving colorectal cancer screening rates among FQHC patients.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award (R01CA248981).
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39321451/
Savage LC, Soto-Cossio LE, Minardi F, et al. (2024). “The Development of a Digital Patient Navigation Tool to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Federally Qualified Health Center Patients: Acceptability and Usability Testing.” JMIR Form Res. 2024;8:e53224. Published 2024 Sep 25. doi:10.2196/53224
