scholarly journals Towards Release Strategy Optimization for Apps in Google Play

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng Shen ◽  
Xuan Lu ◽  
Ziniu Hu ◽  
Xuanzhe Liu
Keyword(s):  
Google Play ◽  
Release Strategy

Mobile Applications for Health Management of Older Adults: A Scoping Review (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Asilah Ahmad ◽  
Shahrul Azman Mohd Noah ◽  
Arimi Fitri Mat Ludin ◽  
Suzana Shahar ◽  
Noorlaili Mohd Tohit
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Goal Setting ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Personalized Feedback ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
App Store ◽  
Evidenced Based ◽  
Google Play

BACKGROUND Currently, the use of smartphones to deliver health-related content has experienced a rapid growth, with more than 165,000 mobile health (mHealth) applications currently available in the digital marketplace such as iOS store and Google Play. Among these, there are several mobile applications (mobile apps) that offer tools for disease prevention and management among older generations. These mobile apps could potentially promote health behaviors which will reduce or delay the onset of disease. However, no review to date that has focused on the app marketplace specific for older adults and little is known regarding its evidence-based quality towards the health of older adults. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to characterize and critically appraise the content and functionality of mobile apps that focuses on health management and/or healthy lifestyle among older adults. METHODS An electronic search was conducted between May 2019 to December 2019 of the official app store for two major smartphone operating systems: iPhone operating system (iTunes App Store) and Android (Google Play Store). Stores were searched separately using predetermined search terms. Two authors screened apps based on information provided in the app description. Metadata from all included apps were abstracted into a standard assessment criteria form. Evidenced based strategies and health care expert involvement of included apps was assessed. Evidenced based strategies included: self-monitoring, goal setting, physical activity support, healthy eating support, weight and/or health assessment, personalized feedback, motivational strategies, cognitive training and social support. Two authors verified the data with reference to the apps and downloaded app themselves. RESULTS A total of 16 apps met the inclusion criteria. Six out of 16 (37.5%) apps were designed exclusively for the iOS platform while ten out of 16 (62.5%) were designed for Android platform exclusively. Physical activity component was the most common feature offered in all the apps (9/16, 56.3%) and followed by cognitive training (8/16, 50.0%). Diet/nutrition (0/16, 0%) feature, however, was not offered on all reviewed mobile apps. Of reviewed apps, 56.3% (9/16) provide education, 37.5% (6/16) provide self-monitoring features, 18.8% (3/16) provide goal setting features, 18.5% (3/16) provide personalized feedback, 6.3% (1/16) provide social support and none of the reviewed apps offers heart rate monitoring and reminder features to the users. CONCLUSIONS All reviewed mobile apps for older adults in managing health did not focused on diet/nutrition component, lack of functional components and lack of health care professional involvement in their development process. There is also a need to carry out scientific testing prior to the development of the app to ensure cost effective and its health benefits to older adults. Collaborative efforts between developers, researchers, health professionals and patients are needed in developing evidence-based, high quality mobile apps in managing health prior they are made available in the app store.

A review of mHealth depression apps: Assessing app functions for the Self-Determination Theory (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Brownlow
Keyword(s):  
Health Behavior ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Basic Needs ◽  
Health Behavior Change ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Healthcare Research ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Ideal Tool ◽  
Google Play

BACKGROUND Smartphone applications (apps) are an ideal tool that is highly accessible to people who wish to begin self-treatment for depression. While many studies have performed content analyses on healthcare apps, few studies have reviewed these apps for adherence to behavior theory. Furthermore, apps for depression management are underrepresented in healthcare research. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to assess mHealth depression apps using SDT as a theoretical framework for meeting needs of autonomy, competence and, relatedness METHODS All depression healthcare apps available in Australia from the iTunes and Google Play app stores that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Each app was reviewed based on price options, store availability, download rates, and how in-app functions met the three basic needs for motivation towards health behavior change outlined in the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). RESULTS The analysis of the apps showed that most apps were free to download (69.9%) and addressed at least one of the three needs (81.4%) of SDT. However, few apps addressed all three of the basic needs through their functions (7.7%), and no apps hosted all functions expected to stimulate motivation for health behavior change. Furthermore, neither store availability, price option nor download rate were accurate predictors that apps hosted in-app functions expected to meet the basic needs. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that some depression healthcare apps that meet the basic needs would effectively stimulate motivation (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness). However, each individual app is limited in its number of functions that meet the basic needs. People who want access to more functions would need to download a suite of apps.

Evaluation of Persian language epilepsy-related mobile apps: A systematic review and quality assessment with a focus on content (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mina Zibaei ◽  
Reza Khajouei
Keyword(s):  
Information Quality ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Keywords Epilepsy ◽  
Limited Health Literacy ◽  
Persian Language ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Limited Health ◽  
Google Play

BACKGROUND In Iran, around 0.05 of population suffer from epilepsy. Poorer health outcomes stem from limited health literacy. The use of mHealth, especially for educating patients in terms of self-care can be very effective. But the important thing is the content that is presented by apps, especially when unreliable or biased information can negatively affect the patient-doctor relationship, causing anxiety or stress. Also, usability of mHealth apps and their impact on behavior change are the other important issues that should be considered. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of Persian language epilepsy-related mobile applications in terms of functionality and quality with a focus on content. METHODS The Persian equivalent of the keywords 'epilepsy' and 'seizure' were searched in the Google Play, Cafe Bazaar and IranApps app stores and the Persian language applications about epilepsy were extracted. These apps were evaluated by two trained reviewers independently using the uMARS scale and DISCERN instrument. Also apps’ prices and the number of installations were assessed. RESULTS A total of 659 applications were retrieved, 78 of which were epilepsy-related. After exclusion of non-Persian language and duplicate apps, there remained 11 relevant apps. The overall mean uMARS score was 2.8 out of 5 while six out of 11 apps (54%) scored higher than 3. The mean figures for the section-specific scores were as follows: engagement 2.2, functionality 4.0, aesthetics 3.3, and information 2.3. The overall DISCERN scores ranged from 26 to 40 out of 80, while the mean score was 34.5. The mean score of reliability was 18.5. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that the overall information quality of the epilepsy apps is poor. The most important missing characteristics of these apps include lack of functionalities for self-care, missing entry date, lack of details about additional sources and inexistence of the risks/benefits of each treatment. The findings suggest that more efforts should be made to develop evidence-based epilepsy-related apps to cover broader domains of self-care and behavioral change techniques.

App review of anxiety and depression chatbots and their self-care features (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arfan Ahmed ◽  
Nashva ALi ◽  
Sarah Aziz ◽  
Alaa A Abd-Alrazaq ◽  
Asmaa Hassan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Conversational Agents ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
On Demand ◽  
User Ratings ◽  
Google Play

BACKGROUND Anxiety and depression rates are at an all-time high along with other mental health disorders. Smartphone-based mental health chatbots or conversational agents can aid psychiatrists and replace some of the costly human based interaction and represent a unique opportunity to expand the availability and quality of mental health services and treatment. Regular up-to-date reviews will allow medics and individuals to recommend or use anxiety and depression related smartphone based chatbots with greater confidence. OBJECTIVE Assess the quality and characteristics of chatbots for anxiety and depression available on Android and iOS systems. METHODS A search was performed in the App Store and Google Play Store following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocol to identify existing chatbots for anxiety and depression. Eligibility of the chatbots was assessed by two individuals based on predefined eligibility criteria. Meta-data of the included chatbots and their characteristics were extracted from their description and upon installation by 2 reviewers. Finally, chatbots quality information was assessed by following the mHONcode principles. RESULTS Although around 1000 anxiety and depression related chatbots exist, only a few (n=11) contained actual chatbots that could provide the user a real substitute for a human-human based interaction, even with today's Artificial Intelligence advancements, only one of these chatbots had voice as an input/output modality. Of the selected apps that contained chatbots all were clearly built with a therapeutic human substitute goal in mind. The majority had high user ratings and downloads highlighting the popularity of such chatbots and their promising future within the realm of anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS Anxiety and depression chatbot apps have the potential to increase the capacity of mental health self-care providing much needed assistance to professionals. In the current covid-19 pandemic, chatbots can also serve as a conversational companion with the potential of combating loneliness, especially in lockdowns where there is a lack of social interaction. Due to the ubiquitous nature of chatbots users can access them on-demand at the touch of a screen on ones’ smartphone. Self-care interventions are known to be effective and exist in various forms and some can be made available as chatbot features, such as assessment, mood tracking, medicine tracking, or simply providing conversation in times of loneliness.

scholarly journals Influence of competition and intraguild predation between two candidate biocontrol parasitoids on their potential impact against Harrisia cactus mealybug, Hypogeococcus sp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
María B. Aguirre ◽  
Octavio A. Bruzzone ◽  
Serguei V. Triapitsyn ◽  
Hilda Diaz-Soltero ◽  
Stephen D. Hight ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intraguild Predation ◽  
Interference Competition ◽  
Biocontrol Agents ◽  
Parasitoid Species ◽  
Temporal Window ◽  
Response Models ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Functional Response Models ◽  
Fully Bayesian ◽  
Release Strategy

AbstractWhen two or more parasitoid species, particularly candidates for biocontrol, share the same target in the same temporal window, a complex of behaviors can occur among them. We studied the type of interactions (competition and intraguild predation) that existed between the nymphal parasitoids Anagyrus cachamai and A. lapachosus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), two candidate neoclassical biocontrol agents against the Puerto Rican cactus pest mealybug, Hypogeococcus sp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). The surrogate native congener host in Argentina, the cactus mealybug Hypogeococcus sp., was studied to predict which species should be released; in the case that both should be released, in which order, and their potential impact on host suppression. In the laboratory we conducted experiments where different densities of the host mealybug were exposed to naive females of A. cachamai and A. lapachosus sequentially in both directions. Experiments were analyzed by combining a series of competitive behavioral and functional response models. A fully Bayesian approach was used to select the best explaining models and calculate their parameters. Intraguild predation existed between A. cachamai, the species that had the greatest ability to exploit the resource, and A. lapachosus, the strongest species in the interference competition. The role that intraguild predation played in suppression of Hypogeococcus sp. indicated that a multiple release strategy for the two biocontrol agents would produce better control than a single release; as for the release order, A. lapachosus should be released first.

scholarly journals Prehospital emergency medical technicians can perform ultrasonography and blood analysis in prehospital evaluation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a feasibility study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giti Nadim ◽  
Christian B. Laursen ◽  
Pia I. Pietersen ◽  
Daniel Wittrock ◽  
Michael K. Sørensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Respiratory Insufficiency ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Emergency Medical Technicians ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Release Strategy

Abstract Introduction Crowding of the emergency departments is an increasing problem. Many patients with an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are often treated in the emergency departments for a very short period before discharged to their homes. It is possible that this treatment could take place in the patients’ homes with sufficient diagnostics supporting the treatment. In an effort to keep the diagnostics and treatment of some of these patients in their homes and thus to reduce the patient load at the emergency departments, we implemented a prehospital treat-and-release strategy based on ultrasonography and blood testing performed by emergency medical technicians (EMT) or paramedics (PM) in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD. Method EMTs and PMs were enrolled in a six-hour educational program covering ultrasonography of the lungs and point of care blood tests. During the seasonal peak of COPD exacerbations (October 2018 – May 2019) all patients who were treated by the ambulance crews for respiratory insufficiency were screened in the ambulances. If the patient had uncomplicated COPD not requiring immediate transport to the hospital, ultrasonographic examination of the lungs, measurements of C-reactive protein and venous blood gases analyses were performed. The response to the initial treatment and the results obtained were discussed via telemedical consultation with a prehospital anaesthesiologist who then decided to either release the patient at the scene or to have the patient transported to the hospital. The primary outcome was strategy feasibility. Results We included 100 EMTs and PMs in the study. During the study period, 771 patients with respiratory insufficiency were screened. Uncomplicated COPD was rare as only 41patients were treated according to the treat-and-release strategy. Twenty of these patients (49%) were released at the scene. In further ten patients, technical problems were encountered hindering release at the scene. Conclusion In a few selected patients with suspected acute exacerbations of COPD, it was technically and organisationally feasible for EMTs and PMs to perform prehospital POCT-ultrasound and laboratory testing and release the patients following treatment. None of the patients released at the scene requested a secondary ambulance within the first 48 h following the intervention.

scholarly journals P50 Exploring the Merits and Availability of Smartphone Applications Related to Melanoma

BJS Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jade Kabbani ◽  
Jamil Kabbani ◽  
Jade Kabbani
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Management ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Patient Access ◽  
Smartphone Applications ◽  
App Store ◽  
Widespread Availability ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Clinical Tools ◽  
Google Play ◽  
Privacy Issues

Abstract Background The increased use of smartphone applications across healthcare specialties has been particularly relevant in dermatology, with dermatology related applications widely available on mainstream application stores. We reviewed published literature regarding melanoma-related applications, and the number and types of such applications available for download. Methods A literature search of “dermatology”, “smartphone” and “melanoma” was conducted to identify publications assessing applications of interest. “Melanoma” was searched in Apple’s (iOS) “App Store” and Google’s “Google Play”, and application purposes and ratings were analysed. Results 54 of the 63 literature search results explored smartphone use in relation to melanoma, describing benefits including quicker patient access to care, reduced referrals and hence unnecessary consultations, and improved accessibility to information. However, concerns include insufficient image quality, privacy issues related to encryption, and diagnostic inaccuracy. Searches on the Google Play and iOS stores identified 249 and 51 apps respectively. 25% of Google Play results were categorised as clinical tools, 17% as educational, and 58% as recreational. The corresponding results for the App store were 92%, 6% and 2%. 81% of the educational apps and 92% of the clinical management apps related to dermatology and melanoma on Google Play, whereas all of the clinical management apps and 67% of the education apps on the App store were of relevance. Conclusion The results illustrate the widespread availability of applications related to melanoma, particularly for educational and clinical purposes. Standardising photographing techniques, improving diagnostic accuracy, and privacy issues are important aspects to consider and warrant further investigation.

scholarly journals Minimizing Potential Allee Effects in Psittacine Reintroductions: An Example from Puerto Rico

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Thomas H. White ◽  
Wilfredo Abreu ◽  
Gabriel Benitez ◽  
Arelis Jhonson ◽  
Marisel Lopez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Allee Effects ◽  
Species Reintroduction ◽  
Social Species ◽  
Potential Applicability ◽  
Amazona Vittata ◽  
Puerto Rican Parrot ◽  
Release Strategy

The family Psittacidae is comprised of over 400 species, an ever-increasing number of which are considered threatened with extinction. In recent decades, conservation strategies for these species have increasingly employed reintroduction as a technique for reestablishing populations in previously extirpated areas. Because most Psittacines are highly social and flocking species, reintroduction efforts may face the numerical and methodological challenge of overcoming initial Allee effects during the critical establishment phase of the reintroduction. These Allee effects can result from failures to achieve adequate site fidelity, survival and flock cohesion of released individuals, thus jeopardizing the success of the reintroduction. Over the past 20 years, efforts to reestablish and augment populations of the critically endangered Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vittata) have periodically faced the challenge of apparent Allee effects. These challenges have been mitigated via a novel release strategy designed to promote site fidelity, flock cohesion and rapid reproduction of released parrots. Efforts to date have resulted in not only the reestablishment of an additional wild population in Puerto Rico, but also the reestablishment of the species in the El Yunque National Forest following its extirpation there by the Category 5 hurricane Maria in 2017. This promising release strategy has potential applicability in reintroductions of other psittacines and highly social species in general.

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