What is an ideal mHealth for post-discharge home care of CHD: perspectives from primary caregivers, healthcare professionals, and project technical consultants: a qualitative research study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) remains a leading global birth defect with high prevalence, yet advances in diagnosis and treatment have raised survival rates to 90%-95%. This epidemiological shift transforms CHD into a chronic condition demanding long-term post-discharge home management. Although mobile health (mHealth) holds promise for supporting such care, current tools suffer from low adherence, insufficient age-appropriateness, and a lack of emotional and social support, and most evaluations neglect the integrated perspectives of primary caregivers, clinicians, and technical developers. Objective: This study aims to explore and synthesize the needs for and perspectives regarding an idealized mHealth system for post-discharge CHD home care from the perspectives of primary caregivers (PC), healthcare professionals (HP), and technical consultants (TC). Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was employed, using semi-structured interviews with seven PC, six HP, and three TC. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) framework. Results: Six overarching themes were identified: (1) tailored to individual, (2) easy to use, (3) media in convergence, (4) at the ready, (5) one clear voice and (6) emotional support on demand. Conclusions: These findings provide a stakeholder-informed framework to guide future development of user-centered, clinically relevant, and technically robust mHealth interventions.
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
Award: G2862830840
OpenAlex ID: W7223012607