Analysis of the Usage Context of an mHealth Application for Equestrians.

This study investigates how a mobile health (mHealth) application could assist horse owners in determining if their animal needs veterinary assistance, particularly relevant in areas experiencing a shortage of veterinarians. The researchers surveyed 100 equestrians and analyzed the potential use context of such an application.

Research Methodology

• The researchers undertook a context of use analysis as the first step in the user-centered development of an mHealth application for equestrians.
• This analysis involved reviewing existing literature related to mHealth applications, as well as a human-centered approach to technology design and implementation.
• An online survey was conducted, with 100 participants from the equestrian community participating. The survey aimed to gather insights into the potential user group and the context in which this proposed mHealth application might be used.

Results and Findings

• The results indicated a general lack of health-related knowledge and competencies among equestrians, in addition to a lack of social networks that support them in making decisions about their horses’ health.
• The findings were summarized using an adaptation of the four layers of diversity model – a model that encompasses various aspects of diversity in a given population, including users’ needs, resources, environment, and potential software use.

Implications and Conclusions

• These results have important implications for the development of mHealth applications for pet owners, particularly horse owners. They suggest that such applications should be designed to not only provide health-related information but also help users make decisions about their animals’ health.
• The information gleaned from this analysis can inform software developers and researchers working on mHealth applications, enabling them to better cater to users’ needs and thus produce more impactful and useful software solutions.
• While the research specifically analyzed the context of use for equestrians, its finding may also be relevant to owners of other animal species. The need for resources that enhance animal owners’ health-related knowledge and decision-making support is broadly applicable.