Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease affecting more than 12,000 Finns and nearly three million people worldwide.

“Fatigue is a very common and significant symptom of MS, and there are no good drug therapies available. We are interested in finding new ways to improve the lives of people suffering from fatigue,” says Mervi Ryytty, Specialist in Neurology at Oulu University Hospital.

The More Stamina app is a self-management tool designed to help MS patients regulate their energy levels and prevent fatigue. The app uses wearable sensors to provide personalised recommendations to help users cope with fatigue and improve their quality of life. Participants will use the app for two months and report on their experiences.

The app has been developed by a team of medical, IT and electrical engineering experts at the University of Oulu. People with MS and their loved ones have also been involved in the development process.

Digital apps are becoming more common in healthcare, but there is still little research evidence of their effectiveness. Thorough testing is needed before conclusions can be drawn on the effectiveness of such apps.

“We have six pilot projects under way related to digital therapies. We want to collect and share lessons learned on the use of new forms of treatment in patient care so that more of these solutions can be used in Finland,” says Johannes Ahlqvist, a Specialist at Sitra.

The pilot projects carried out under Sitra’s Health Data 2030 project are due to end by summer 2023.

Read more about the project is provided in press release from the University of Oulu (17 March 2023).