Giving App UX Some TLC to Help the Mentally Ill Quit Smoking

Nearly every segment of the US population is smoking less, but one is dragging behind: patients with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In fact, an alarming 80% of these patients still smoke (compared to less than 20% of all Americans).

There are already many apps out there designed to help quit smoking, but none of them are designed for the mentally ill. As a recent article from Fast Co. Design notes, the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) aims to buck that trend with an app that’s particularly suited to the needs of this audience. It’s called “Learn to Quit,” and it’s currently being tested in clinical trials.

Here are a few key areas their app team adapted to tailor the experience to mentally ill patients:

• Illustrating the abstract: the therapeutic techniques used to treat addiction can be difficult to grasp through words alone. Plus, imagery can communicate so much more. So the app team thoughtfully illustrated the techniques through simple, approachable cartoons that help patients visualize their tasks
• Accounting for tremors: many mentally ill patients experience tremors, which can affect their motor skills and ability to interact. So the app team simplified the interaction types to simple tapping on large, active areas
• Minimizing cognitive load: this a a sound practice for any app, but for patients with mental illness, it’s particularly important. In this case, the app team created a flattened navigation structure and made the experience a lot more linear

As we like to say at our agency, this app is a great example of UFX — User Focused Experience. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to UX, particularly in Pharma, and it’s clear the NIDA took that to heart. Stay tuned for results from the clinical trials later this year…