The feasibility and acceptability of a (mobile) application for men with lower urinary tract symptoms: a pilot study

Background: The growing use of smartphones offers a key opportunity to monitor BPO/LUTS through well-designed medical apps. The primary objective of the study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a mobile app (MyBPHCare) for men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Secondary objectives included medical adherence using electronic reminders and compliance of treatment with current guidelines. Methods: This was an observational cohort pilot study conducted in Greece, Türkiye, and Italy. Patients with LUTS, treatment-naïve or under treatment, older than 40 years were eligible. Patients received standard care according to physician's practice and duration of follow-up was 6 months. Standard questionnaires, diagnostic tools, medication, and follow-up visits were employed. Feasibility, acceptance, and satisfaction were assessed using a standardized, translated and validated app rating user questionnaire (uMARS). Patients' adherence to treatment and physicians' with guidelines were also recorded. Results: From a total of 157 patients, 68.15% filled in the uMARS questionnaire. All uMARS mean scores ranged between "Acceptable" and "Good": App Quality (3.43), Engagement (3.21), Functionality (3.47), Aesthetics (3.37), and Information (3.68). 96.3% of the participants would recommend using the app. Recorded adherence to medication was 47.85%, while a discrepancy between guidelines and real-life practice was found. Conclusions: MyBPHCare app is a possibly feasible application for virtually monitoring men with LUTS with good acceptance from the patients.