User-Centred Co-Design of a Mobile Health Application for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Quantitative Survey of Patients and Healthcare Professionals

Background Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and limited access to physiotherapy creates barriers to evidence-based management. Mobile health (mHealth) applications can help overcome these challenges by supporting self-management, rehabilitation, and patient education. However, most existing apps lack robust evidence and show low adherence. Co-design approaches involving both patients and healthcare professionals may improve usability, engagement, and clinical integration. This study aimed to provide quantitative insights into user perspectives to inform the co-design of a mobile health application for KOA management. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 164 patients with symptomatic KOA and 136 healthcare professionals in Slovenia. The questionnaire, developed from prior studies and piloted with experts, assessed preferences for platforms, functional requirements, exercise duration, barriers, and perceived benefits of an mHealth app. Responses were rated on 5- or 10-point scales and analysed using descriptive statistics and independent-sample t-tests. Results Mobile phones were the preferred platform for 82.7% of healthcare professionals and 53.7% of patients, though 40.2% of patients also favoured computers. Both groups agreed that exercise sessions should last 16–30 minutes. Highly valued features included ease of use, clear presentation, good organisation, and high-quality instructions. Patients prioritised communication with physiotherapists, interactivity, and information reliability, while professionals emphasised barriers such as misunderstanding, limited technical skills, and poor internet access. Both groups identified exercise videos, goal setting, progress tracking, and educational content as essential components. Patients rated autonomy, motivation, convenience, and information accuracy significantly higher than professionals. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of integrating patient perspectives into the co-design of mHealth applications for KOA. While healthcare professionals stress potential barriers, patients emphasise practical benefits such as autonomy and reliable information. These findings provide evidence for the development of user-centred digital health interventions, with implications for medical informatics and decision making, particularly in supporting the integration of mHealth solutions into rehabilitation pathways and informing digital health policy and practice.