IAMABLE: Implementation and Evaluation of an App for Evidence-Based Self-Management Rehabilitation Strategies

Summary

Background: As the population gets older, a rise in chronic conditions has resulted in increased demand for rehabilitation. We developed a web-based app called IAMABLE (I am able), to share evidence-based rehabilitation strategies with people with chronic conditions. Our project will guide us to test this app's effectiveness and explore the ways that people use it.

Goals, Methods, Approach: This pilot randomized controlled trial will offer people receiving the intervention access and use of the IAMABLE app for 4 months. People in the comparison group will have access to general web-based health information. We will recruit 50 people, 45 to 75 years, with at least one chronic condition; we will advertise in five communities (Hamilton, Kingston, London, Halifax, Winnipeg) to evaluate feasibility of the study design.

Patients, therapists and app experts will be an expert group to study how the app encourages people to start and continue to use it. We will use patient-reported measures to determine if the people in the IAMABLE group experience better function; quality of life, mobility, participation, self management, pain, health service use, and falls are secondary outcomes. We will measure outcomes at baseline, 4 and 8 months.

Research Team: Our team is led by researchers with experience in rehabilitation and chronic disease management, including testing technology innovations. Patient advisors will support the project, along with co-investigators with expertise in statistics, technology, and rehabilitation research.

Expected Outcomes: This research has the potential to prove how a web-based app can deliver occupational therapy and physiotherapy to support health and well being for people with chronic conditions. After this study, we plan a larger trial that will focus on effectiveness and address sustained use. IAMABLE will become a resource for people with chronic illnesses to support their independent self-management with rehabilitation strategies.

Conditions

• Neurological Conditions
• Musculoskeletal Diseases or Conditions
• Cardiovascular Diseases

Interventions

OTHER

IAMABLE web-based app

The Intervention Group will use the IAMABLE app for 4 months. IAMABLE users identify activities that they are having difficulty with because of their health problem and set goals they want to work toward. Self-management (SM) modules help them reach their goals, providing information and rehabilitation strategies about exercise, fall prevention, fatigue management, pain management, physical activity, and stress management. Users complete a self-assessment associated with each module, and receive tailored recommendations that guide them to access relevant module topics. Users create 7-day action plans using the strategies in the module to address their activity goals. Users receive automated notifications when it is time to evaluate action plans and activity goals, as well as weekly messages to remind them to engage with the app. Users have access to therapist support using the Ask a Therapist feature and receive individual consultations in response to queries about SM.

OTHER

General health information

The Control Group will receive a monthly email with general health information (not specific to rehabilitation or chronic diseases) for 4 months. Topics will include Nutrition, Vision Care, Foot Care, Hearing, Skin Care and Oral Care. Each email will include an introduction to the topic and links for additional information.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McMaster University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Lori Letts, PhD · McMaster University

• Julie Richardson, PhD · McMaster University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

44 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-09-25

Primary Completion

2026-12-01

Completion

2027-03-31

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations