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Geirhos A, Stephan M, Wehrle M, Mack C, Messner EM, Schmitt A, Baumeister H, Terhorst Y, Sander LB. Standardized evaluation of the quality and persuasiveness of mobile health applications for diabetes management. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3639. [PMID: 35256661 PMCID: PMC8901695 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07544-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
This study evaluates diabetes self-management mobile health applications available from European app stores with respect to quality, concordance with recommended self-management tasks and implementation of persuasive system design principles. The European Play Store and Apple App Store were systematically searched and relevant apps were tested. Two raters independently assessed app quality using the Mobile Application Rating Scale and conducted a content analysis of provided persuasive system design principles and self-management tasks. A total of 2,269 mobile health applications were identified and 120 could be included in the evaluation. The overall quality was rated as moderate M = 3.20 (SD = 0.39, min = 2.31, max = 4.62), with shortcomings in the subcategories of engagement (M = 2.80, SD = 0.67) and information quality (M = 2.26, SD = 0.48). Scientific evidence is available for 8% of the apps. The reviewed apps implemented a median of three persuasive system design principles (range 0-15) and targeted a median of 4.5 (range 1-8) self-management tasks, however, with a lack of information about psychosocial coping strategies. Most available diabetes self-management apps lack a scientific evidence base. Persuasive system design features are underrepresented and may form a promising tool to improve app quality. Furthermore, the interaction of physical and behavioral health should be improved in existing diabetes self-management mobile health applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Geirhos
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology and Education, Faculty of Engineering, Computer Science and Psychology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - M Stephan
- Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Psychotherapy, Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - M Wehrle
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology and Education, Faculty of Engineering, Computer Science and Psychology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - C Mack
- Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Psychotherapy, Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - E-M Messner
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology and Education, Faculty of Engineering, Computer Science and Psychology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - A Schmitt
- Research Institute of the Diabetes Academy Mergentheim, Diabetes Center Mergentheim (DZM), Bad Mergentheim, Germany
| | - H Baumeister
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology and Education, Faculty of Engineering, Computer Science and Psychology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Y Terhorst
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology and Education, Faculty of Engineering, Computer Science and Psychology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - L B Sander
- Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Psychotherapy, Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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