Information visualizations of symptom information for patients and providers: a systematic review

Objective To systematically synthesize the literature on information visualizations of symptoms included as National Institute of Nursing Research common data elements and designed for use by patients and/or healthcare providers. Methods We searched CINAHL, Engineering Village, PsycINFO, PubMed, ACM Digital Library, and IEEE Explore Digital Library to identify peer-reviewed studies published between 2007 and 2017. We evaluated the studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and a visualization quality score, and organized evaluation findings according to the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Model. Results Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria. Ten of these addressed all MMAT items; 13 addressed all visualization quality items. Symptom visualizations focused on pain, fatigue, and sleep and were represented as graphs (n=14), icons (n=4), and virtual body maps (n=2). Studies evaluated perceived ease of use (n=13), perceived usefulness (n=12), efficiency (n=9), effectiveness (n=5), preference (n=6), and intent to use (n=3). Few studies reported race/ethnicity or education level. Conclusion The small number of studies for each type of information visualization limit generalizable conclusions about optimal visualization approaches. User-centered participatory approaches for information visualization design and more sophisticated evaluation designs are needed to assess which visualization elements work best for which populations in which contexts.