Table 2.

Themes and coding taxonomy

App Utility/Practicality (This section includes participants’ comments on which sections of the app they found useful and relevant to tracking their migraines.) “I like the idea of keeping a diary because I know that’s the way for people to narrow down the triggers and then help yourself, and also I think they will be good if you can share like with your physician when you see them.” “When someone goes to a neurologist or headache specialist, um, you really want to have some critical information for your next visit.” “I like the notation area because it’s never-ending so you can add any notes or make your own headache calendar or whatever you need to do when you have a headache and how it affected you.”		Information easy to understand and relevant (1) Diary is useful (1) Med tracking useful (1) Notes section is a good idea (2) Menstrual cycle tracking useful Good for train ride (1) Thinks the app will help prevent migraine – maybe helpful (1) Useful for people who want to keep track of migraines for themselves and/or physician (1) Diary is useful and clear – good to show neurologist (4) Diary is useful and clear (5) Useful organizing headache events (1) Inquired about not seeing statements or suggestions of how to reduce or prevent/avoid headache (1)
User Interface (Encompasses the similarities and some differences among the comments and suggestions participants made about the overall appearance of the RELAXaHEAD app.) (Approximately 70% of the participants thought the app had clear screen visibility.) “I think the icons are really clear.” “The headache one, I think is really nice. That symbol, that’s very clear that’s a headache.” “The intensity part is really clear and easy to use…. I can move the bar back and forth really easily…so that’s great.”	Help Tab’s Usefulness	Good instructions on help tab (1) Help tab is clear (2) State in case of emergency, call 911 or go to the ED within the app – add 911/ED (1) Help tab unclear (1) Help tab initially unclear, gets more clear with practice (1)
App Functionality (Includes comments on the functions of different tabs in the icon. This theme encompasses five subthemes.) “The list of medications is very helpful because it reminds me to take them during a busy day.” “That you could write it if took the medicine or missed it or took extra. I would never remember if I took one or not, like, that is genius. I need one of these. I need this part of the app.”	Ability to Use Diary	App easy to use (5) Include feedback on how patient is doing (2) App is unclear; needs practice (1) Clarify purpose of app – for patient or doctor (1) Have app calculate sleep duration (4) Unclear if headache data are hours or minutes (2) Headache icon easy to find (1) Suggestion to add instructions to home screen (1) Provide information and instruction for each icon (1) Bigger difference between headache and headache-free icon (2) Include a food tab (4) Include a back button (2) Uload voice audio files to notes section instead of typing notes (1) Include intensity of headache (2) Include options for indicating a reoccurring headache within a single day (2) Arrange app in a calendar format (1) Include tracker for possible triggers (2)
	Medication Tracking	Medication reminder helpful and useful (2) Easy to enter medicine manually (1) Suggestion for an option to put still taking medication (1) Medication tab for ED medicines (1) Unclear if medications are just for headaches (3) Cannot enter dosage for Topamax or Ambien (1) Additional medication tab instructions (1) Need further clarification on how to enter med type (1) Incorrect spelling of medication (1) Include a way to link medication with side effects (4) Preset list of medications (3) Reason for changing medicine unclear/add other option for reason for changing med (5)
	Notes Entry	Unclear what to write in notes (1) Instructions and include suggestions for notes tab (1)
	Survey Tab	Unclear about “Generalized Anxiety Disorder” (1) Survey icon clear (3) Doesn’t see purpose of monthly surveys (2) Likes length of time between surveys (1)
	Side Effects Tracking	Med side effects are clear, not kidney failure, GI bleeding (9) Wanted more options for side effects (1) Suggestion to add additional side effects: nausea, stomach discomfort, shakiness, and mental confusion (7) Side effect icon unclear (1) Side effects unclear; tingling numbness (1)
Opinions on PMR (Included any comments made about the PMR.) “With a technique like that, it may be helpful; I really think so.” “With the relaxation thing, when she was first saying like the length of time to breathe, I was like I can’t breathe any long[er]. But then as I relax[ed], it became much much easier to relax, so genuinely I think it helped me relax. I think slightly it had helped my headache. I’m surprised it was five minutes. If it was like longer but in a nice way, um, I would definitely use it.” “The train ride, to and from work, that’s the opportunity that I have to listen to the app.” “I like how it’s spaced out, it has the time for you to do that…and that way you don’t have to count how many seconds.”		PMR is interesting and useful and helpful (8) PMR is relaxing (4) Helps to localize pain/tension (1) PMR has good audio spacing (1) Likes short PMR (1) Include music in the PMR (2)
Other (Personal Reactions) (Included any other comments that did not fall under the four previous themes. For instance, one participant thought the app would be a good alternative for keeping a personal diary, while another liked the accessibility of the app being on the phone.) “Again, with a phone, it would be so much easier to just put it, you just, you know, open up your phone and write it down.” “And the menstrual cycle, I like that because I don’t keep a track of…spotting or bleeding.		Likes accessibility of app being on phone (1) App good alternative to keeping personal diary (1) Likes headache-free icon (1) Likes sliding scale for headache intensity (1) Likes in bed vs asleep wording (2) Likes cycle tab (2) Likes medicines tab (1) Likes medication reminder (1) Likes notes (1) Likes link to NYU site (1) Doesn’t like taking medications (1) Completing the app could depend on the severity of the headache (1)