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Toïgo M, Marc J, Hayot M, Moulis L, Carbonnel F. Quality Assessment of Smartphone Medication Management Apps in France: Systematic Search. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2024; 12:e54866. [PMID: 38498042 PMCID: PMC10985613 DOI: 10.2196/54866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adherence to medication is estimated to be around 50% for chronically ill patients in high-income countries. Improving the effectiveness of adherence interventions could have a far greater impact on population health than any improvement in specific medical treatments. Mobile health (mHealth) is one of the most effective solutions for helping patients improve their medication intake, notably through the use of mobile apps with reminder systems. With more than 327,000 apps available in the mHealth field, it is difficult for health care professionals and patients alike to choose which apps to recommend and use. OBJECTIVE We aim to carry out a systematic search of medication management smartphone apps available in France that send reminders to patients and assess their quality using a validated scale. METHODS Mobile apps were identified in October and November 2022 after a systematic keyword search on the 2 main app download platforms: App Store (Apple Inc) and Google Play Store. Inclusion criteria were free availability, date of last update, and availability in French. Next, 2 health care professionals independently evaluated the included apps using the French version of the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS-F), an objective scoring system validated for assessing the overall quality of apps in the mHealth field. An intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated to determine interrater reliability. RESULTS In total, 960 apps were identified and 49 were selected (25 from the App Store and 24 from the Google Play Store). Interrater reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.92; 95% CI 0.87-0.95; P<.001). The average MARS-F score was 3.56 (SD 0.49) for apps on the App Store and 3.51 (SD 0.46) for those on the Google Play Store, with 10 apps scoring above 4 out of 5. Further, 2 apps were tested in at least one randomized controlled trial and showed positive results. The 2 apps with the highest ratings were Mediteo rappel de médicaments (Mediteo GmbH) and TOM rappel medicaments, pilule (Innovation6 GmbH), available on both platforms. Each app's MARS-F score was weakly correlated with user ratings on the App Store and moderately correlated on the Google Play Store. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study that used a validated scoring system to evaluate medication management apps that send medication reminders. The quality of the apps was heterogeneous, with only 2 having been studied in a randomized controlled trial with positive results. The evaluation of apps in real-life conditions by patients is necessary to determine their acceptability and effectiveness. Certification of apps is also essential to help health care professionals and patients identify validated apps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickael Toïgo
- Department of General Practice, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Julie Marc
- Department of General Practice, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Maurice Hayot
- PhyMedExp, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Lionel Moulis
- Clinical Research and Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic and Emerging Infections, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, EFS, University of Antilles, Montpellier, France
| | - Francois Carbonnel
- Department of General Practice, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Desbrest Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
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Shin JH, Shields R, Lee J, Skrove Z, Tredinnick R, Ponto K, Fields B. Quality and Accessibility of Home Assessment mHealth Apps for Community Living: Systematic Review. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2024; 12:e52996. [PMID: 38466987 PMCID: PMC10980499 DOI: 10.2196/52996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Home assessment is a critical component of successful home modifications, enabling individuals with functional limitations to age in place comfortably. A high-quality home assessment tool should facilitate a valid and reliable assessment involving health care and housing professionals, while also engaging and empowering consumers and their caregivers who may be dealing with multiple functional limitations. Unlike traditional paper-and-pencil assessments, which require extensive training and expert knowledge and can be alienating to consumers, mobile health (mHealth) apps have the potential to engage all parties involved, empowering and activating consumers to take action. However, little is known about which apps contain all the necessary functionality, quality appraisal, and accessibility. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the functionality, overall quality, and accessibility of mHealth home assessment apps. METHODS mHealth apps enabling home assessment for aging in place were identified through a comprehensive search of scholarly articles, the Apple (iOS) and Google Play (Android) stores in the United States, and fnd.io. The search was conducted between November 2022 and January 2023 following a method adapted from PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Reviewers performed a content analysis of the mobile app features to evaluate their functionality, overall quality, and accessibility. The functionality assessment used a home assessment component matrix specifically developed for this study. For overall quality, the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) was used to determine the apps' effectiveness in engaging and activating consumers and their caregivers. Accessibility was assessed using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (A and AA levels). These 3 assessments were synthesized and visualized to provide a comprehensive evaluation. RESULTS A total of 698 apps were initially identified. After further screening, only 6 apps remained. Our review revealed that none of the apps used thoroughly tested assessment tools, offered all the functionality required for reliable home assessment, achieved the "good" quality threshold as measured by the MARS, or met the accessibility criteria when evaluated against WCAG 2.1. However, DIYModify received the highest scores in both the overall quality and accessibility assessments. The MapIt apps also showed significant potential due to their ability to measure the 3D environment and the inclusion of a desktop version that extends the app's functionality. CONCLUSIONS Our review revealed that there are very few apps available within the United States that possess the necessary functionality, engaging qualities, and accessibility to effectively activate consumers and their caregivers for successful home modification. Future app development should prioritize the integration of reliable and thoroughly tested assessment tools as the foundation of the development process. Furthermore, efforts should be made to enhance the overall quality and accessibility of these apps to better engage and empower consumers to take necessary actions to age in place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hye Shin
- Department of Design Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Rachael Shields
- Department of Design Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jenny Lee
- Department of Design Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Zachary Skrove
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Ross Tredinnick
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Kevin Ponto
- Department of Design Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Beth Fields
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Pustozerov E, Von Jan U, Albrecht UV. COVID-19 Mobile Apps Trends Derived from Long-Term Google Play Analysis. Stud Health Technol Inform 2023; 305:141-142. [PMID: 37386978 DOI: 10.3233/shti230444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we describe the 5-year trends of COVID-related mobile apps in the Google Play platform obtained by retrospectively analyzing app descriptions. Out of 21764 and 48750 unique apps available free of charge in the "medical" and "health and fitness", there were 161 and 143 COVID-related apps, respectively. The prominentrise in apps' prevalence occurred in January 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Pustozerov
- Department of Digital Medicine, Medical Faculty OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Ute Von Jan
- Peter L Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics of TU Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Urs-Vito Albrecht
- Department of Digital Medicine, Medical Faculty OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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Pustozerov E, Von Jan U, Lawin D, Albrecht UV. Medical Apps for Android and iOS: Differences and Similarities. Stud Health Technol Inform 2023; 302:370-371. [PMID: 37203690 DOI: 10.3233/shti230145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Google Play and Apple's App Store dominate the mobile health app market. We analyzed the metadata and descriptive texts of apps in the medical category using semi-automated retrospective app store analysis (SARASA) and compared the store offerings in terms of their number, descriptive texts, user ratings, medical device status, diseases, and conditions (both keyword-based). Relatively speaking, the store listings for the selected items were comparable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Pustozerov
- Department of Digital Medicine, Medical Faculty OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Ute Von Jan
- Peter L Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics of TU Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dennis Lawin
- Department of Digital Medicine, Medical Faculty OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Department of Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital OWL of Bielefeld University, Campus Klinikum Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Urs-Vito Albrecht
- Department of Digital Medicine, Medical Faculty OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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Weisberg EM, Raminpour S, Lugo-Fagundo E, Kauffman L, Fishman EK. A Primer on the Role of iPhone Apps in Medical and Radiology Education and How to Develop Them. J Med Educ Curric Dev 2023; 10:23821205231192341. [PMID: 37538107 PMCID: PMC10395180 DOI: 10.1177/23821205231192341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Among the numerous innovations implemented in medical education since the beginning of the 21st century, small-group learning experiences have worked well for modern students and the application of computer technology provided access to thousands of lectures, images, and slides via the internet. This has helped to build an electronic foundation on which further educational adaptations have arisen in the current era, coupled with the altered communications landscape represented by Apple's introduction of the iPhone and Google's subsequent entrance onto the playing field. With the advent of smartphone applications (apps), education has taken on an even more personalized approach. Data show that the use of educational apps has been embraced by today's nursing and medical students, notably including radiology students. We survey recent research on the use and desirability of medical apps and offer practical tips for those ready to embark on developing medical, particularly radiology, educational apps including how to assess and hone them for optimal use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmund M Weisberg
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sara Raminpour
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elias Lugo-Fagundo
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lilly Kauffman
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elliot K Fishman
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Casale M, Costantino A, Rinaldi V, Forte A, Grimaldi M, Sabatino L, Oliveto G, Aloise F, Pontari D, Salvinelli F. Mobile applications in otolaryngology for patients: An update. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol 2018; 3:434-438. [PMID: 30599026 PMCID: PMC6302723 DOI: 10.1002/lio2.201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Recently smartphones and tablets have spread in developed countries, and healthcare-related apps are growing incredibly in different specialties. The aim of this study is to provide an up-to-date review of the current OtoHNS (otolaryngology-head and neck surgery) apps developed for patients. Methods This mobile applications review was conducted in September 2017. Relevant apps about OtoHNS were searched in the Apple Store and in the Google Play using various keywords. We included helpful apps for OtoHNS patients. Apps for medical students, physician (95 apps) and non-English apps (6 apps) were excluded. Results At the end of our selection process, 216 apps have been included for mobile applications review. The number of apps published per year in OtoHNS has increased each year. The most common apps were about hearing, in particular 63 of 216 (29%) were hearing test; 75 of 216 (35%) for tinnitus treatment; 10 of 216 (5%) for sounds measurement around the patients; and 7 of 216 (3%) to treat vertigo. One hundred thirty-seven of 216 (63%) apps were free of charge. Physicians were clearly involved in the app's development in only 73 of 216 (34%) apps. One hundred sixty-three of 216 (75%) had no user ratings. Conclusions Apps are increasingly and easily accessible, although their use in clinical practice is not yet totally accepted. Our review showed that most apps have been created with no guidance from otolaryngologist. Further steps are needed to regulate apps' development. Hoping an "App Board," such as editorial board for scientific journal, to assess app quality, validity, and effectiveness before they can be fully incorporated into clinical practice and medical education. Level of Evidence N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuele Casale
- Unit of Otolaryngology Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
| | - Andrea Costantino
- Unit of Otolaryngology Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
| | - Vittorio Rinaldi
- Unit of Otolaryngology Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
| | - Antonio Forte
- Unit of Otolaryngology Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
| | - Marta Grimaldi
- Unit of Otolaryngology Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
| | - Lorenzo Sabatino
- Unit of Otolaryngology Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
| | - Giuseppe Oliveto
- Unit of Otolaryngology Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
| | - Fabio Aloise
- School of Medicine Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
| | - Domenico Pontari
- School of Medicine Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
| | - Fabrizio Salvinelli
- Unit of Otolaryngology Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, BioHealth Lab Rome Italy
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