LIBRE GO!: A Mobile Application for Longitudinal Social Participation Assessment and Resources Connection after Burn Injury

Abstract

Social participation is a long-term goal for individuals recovering from burns. However, individuals often face various challenges in this domain. The Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation (LIBRE) Profile is a validated patient-reported outcome measure of social participation developed specifically for adults with burn injury. Measures are typically administered during clinic visits and using paper-based questionnaires, which limit access and timely connection with resources. This study describes the design, development, and pilot testing of LIBRE GO!, a mobile application that digitizes the LIBRE Profile to assess social participation and connects survivors with community-based resources. The design and development process employed an iterative and user-centered approach involving burn survivors, clinicians, technology experts, and researchers. The developed application comprises four primary functions: “Start a new LIBRE Survey”, “My Scores”, “Resources”, and “About”. Pilot testing was conducted with eight burn survivors, who rated the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM), and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) and subsequently participated in focus groups to share feedback. Average scores for the AIM, IAM, and FIM were 4.13, 4.28, and 4.31 out of 5, respectively. Participants reported that the application was easy to use as a valuable tool for tracking social engagement and connecting with resources. Broad dissemination and use of LIBRE GO! will empower burn survivors and provide clinicians and researchers with an accessible and validated outcome assessment tool to support evidence-based approaches for improving social participation after burn injury.