Usability of home cholesterol test kits and how their results impact patients' decisions

Release of home health testing kits into the market has enabled people to take care of their own health. Misinterpretation of results and delays in treatments are the major concerns of the doctors. In the present study, two cholesterol test kits, Accuchek^® Instant plus^® and Home Access^® Instant Cholesterol Test, were compared on the basis of user performance, accuracy, and the patient's future medical decisions based on the test results. The study was conducted with 30 participants, 15 men and 15 women. Participants tested their overall cholesterol level with both kits. In addition, a clinical cholesterol evaluation, the medical gold standard, was performed. The usability of both test kits was evaluated through questionnaires, user task performance, and comparison with the clinical evaluation. Participants were questioned on how they would use the information once they had seen the result from the first test kit. Results of the study found that regardless of the kit used, participants always found the first kit used as the more usable kit. When participants were asked to provide a decision on future healthcare, a predominate number of participants said they would change their lifestyle rather than visit a doctor regardless of their cholesterol level. This finding highlights physicians' concerns that patients may delay treatment for potentially serious conditions even when they have the available results. Relevance to industry: The results of this study indicate the importance of conducting thorough usability assessments to ensure patients can effectively use products. In addition, this study shows the value of understanding how a product is used in its environment.