Android based mobile apps for improved crop protection

In agriculture, methods of crop protection are too many making dissemination difficult. Mobile apps presenting information needs of client solutions and help in wider outreach. Prediction of pest incidence, synthesis of information on integrated pest management and selection cum calculation of appropriate pesticides in the area of crop protection have been used as information base in mobile apps. Mobile apps on pest forewarning (Pest-predict EMS and RBS), insecticide and fungicide calculators (IFCs) for 16 crops and on IPM for 4 crops that are android based have been developed. All the developed apps are hosted under “Google Play Store”. Desired mobile app can be downloaded using search term ‘ICAR-NCIPM’ under “Google Play Store” followed by the selection and installation of required mobile app. Feedback options and additional information are also inbuilt in the mobile apps.

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Weight Loss Mobile Apps: Do They Address COVID-19 and Diabetes

Journal of the Endocrine Society ◽

10.1210/jendso/bvab048.060 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. A31-A32

Author(s):

Gloria Wu ◽

Brian Nguyen ◽

Chap-Kay Kendra Lau ◽

Vincent Siu

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Public Education ◽

Small Business ◽

Information Needs ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

Small Business Administration ◽

Search Term

Abstract Background: Over 70 million Americans are obese and 99 million are overweight. There are over 3.7 billion ehealth mobile app downloads per year. Weight loss apps offer information on exercise and nutrition as well as weight tracking. Obesity is a risk factor for COVID-19 infection, along with diabetes and hypertension. In addition, obesity plays a role in the increased mortality of COVID patients. In March of 2020, the U.S. government, through the Small Business Administration and through the Small Business Innovation Research program, as well as through Facebook and Google, offered individuals and companies money for public education and/or solutions for the COVID-19 epidemic. Thus, are software app developers adding information about COVID-19 for their audience? Specifically, do weight loss apps mention obesity being a risk factor for DM, Hypertension, and COVID-19? Weight loss apps target a young demographic, and for public health purposes, COVID-19 information needs to reach this demographic since obesity can be a risk factor for COVID-19 infection. Purpose: Do weight loss apps provide information about DM, HTN, and COVID-19 during this pandemic era? Methods: Evaluation of the 10 most popular apps in the Apple (iOS) and Google (Android) stores via the search term “weight loss.” Apps were ranked by downloads/star rating respectively for Android and iOS apps. Apple does not provide information about the number of downloads. App inclusion criteria: 1) Free 2) iOS: star ratings greater than 4 (greater than 10K ratings); Android: greater than or equal to 1 Million downloads; App features: DM, HTN, Race, Gender, COVID-19, BMI, Heart Disease, Calorie Count, and Fitness. Results: DM: 0/20, HTN: 0/20, BMI: 19/20, while Race is 0/20; Gender 19/20; COVID-19: 0/20; Calorie Count 11/20; Fitness 13/20. Conclusion: 1) Weight Loss apps have not ventured in the public education realm of risk factors and comorbidities of COVID-19 despite the pandemic in 2020. 2) As physicians, we should continue to educate our patients with weight issues and other risk factors in the era of a worldwide pandemic.

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Quality of Mobile Apps for Care Partners of People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Mobile App Rating Scale Evaluation (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.33863 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nicole E Werner ◽

Janetta C Brown ◽

Priya Loganathar ◽

Richard J Holden

Keyword(s):

Rating Scale ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

Future Research ◽

App Development ◽

Care Partners ◽

Acceptable Quality ◽

The Us ◽

Google Play

BACKGROUND The over 11 million care partners in the US who provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) cite persistent and pervasive unmet needs related to all aspects of their caregiving role. The proliferation of mobile applications (apps) for care partners has potential to meet the care partners’ needs, but the quality of apps is unknown. OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to 1) evaluate the quality of publicly available apps for care partners of people living with ADRD and 2) identify design features of low- and high-quality apps to guide future research and app development. METHODS We searched the US Apple and Google Play app stores with the criteria that the app needed to be 1) available in US Google play or Apple app stores, 2) directly accessible to users “out of the box”, 3) primarily intended for use by an informal (family, friend) caregiver or caregivers of a person with dementia. The included apps were then evaluated using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), which includes descriptive app classification and rating using 23 items across five dimensions: engagement, functionality, aesthetics, information, and subjective quality. Next, we computed descriptive statistics for each rating. To identify recommendations for future research and app development, we categorized rater comments on the score driving factors for each item and what the app could have done to improve the score for that item. RESULTS We evaluated 17 apps (41% iOS only, 12% Android only, 47% both iOS and Android). We found that on average, the apps are of minimally acceptable quality. Although we identified apps above and below minimally acceptable quality, many apps had broken features and were rated as below acceptable for engagement and information. CONCLUSIONS Minimally acceptable quality is likely insufficient to meet care partner needs. Future research should establish minimum quality standards across dimensions for mobile apps for care partners. The design features of high-quality apps we identified in this research can provide the foundation for benchmarking those standards.

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Usable Mobile App for Community Education on Colorectal Cancer: Development Process and Usability Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.12103 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Muhamad Fadhil Mohamad Marzuki ◽

Nor Azwany Yaacob ◽

Najib Majdi bin Yaacob ◽

Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan ◽

Shahrul Bariyah Ahmad

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Mobile Phone ◽

Colorectal Cancer Screening ◽

Community Education ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

Nominal Group ◽

User Friendly ◽

Google Play

BACKGROUND Participation in colorectal cancer screening is still low among Malaysians despite the increasing trend of incidence, with more than half of the new cases being detected in the advanced stages. Knowledge improvement might increase screening participation and thus improve the chances of disease detection. With the advancement of communication technology, people nowadays prefer to read from their mobile phone using a Web browser or mobile apps compared with the traditional printed material. Therefore, health education and promotion should adapt this behavior change in educating the community. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to document the process of designing and developing a mobile app for community education on colorectal cancer and assess the usability of the prototype. METHODS The nominal group technique (NGT) was used for the content development of the mobile app. NGT involving community educationists and clinicians combined with community representatives as the target users identified relevant health information and communication strategies including features for a user-friendly mobile app. The prototype was developed using framework Ionic 1, based on the Apache Cordova and Angular JS (Google). It was published in the Google Play store. In total, 50 mobile phone users aged 50 years and above and who had never been diagnosed with any type of cancer were invited to download and use the app. They were asked to assess the usability of the app using the validated Malay version of System Usability Scale Questionnaire for the Assessment of Mobile Apps questionnaire. The One-sample t test was used to assess the usability score with a cut-off value of 68 for the usable mobile app. RESULTS The Colorectal Cancer Awareness Application (ColorApp) was successfully developed in the local Malay language. The NGT discussion had suggested 6 main menus in the ColorApp prototype, which are Introduction, Sign and Symptoms, Risk Factors, Preventive Measures, Colorectal Cancer Screening Program, and immunochemical fecal occult blood test kit. A total of 2 additional artificial intelligence properties menus were added to allow user-ColorApp interaction: Analyze Your Status and ColorApp Calculator. The prototype has been published in the Google Play store. The mean usability score was 72 (SD 11.52), which indicates that ColorApp is a usable mobile app, and it can be used as a tool for community education on colorectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS ColorApp mobile app can be used as a user-friendly tool for community education on colorectal cancer.

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Vaping-Related Mobile Apps Available in the Google Play Store After the Apple Ban: Content Review

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/20009 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (11) ◽

pp. e20009

Author(s):

Meredith C Meacham ◽

Erin A Vogel ◽

Johannes Thrul

Keyword(s):

Rating Scale ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

App Store ◽

Quit Smoking ◽

Quitting Smoking ◽

Do It Yourself ◽

Content Review ◽

Google Play

Background In response to health concerns about vaping devices (eg, youth nicotine use, lung injury), Apple removed 181 previously approved vaping-related apps from the App Store in November 2019. This policy change may lessen youth exposure to content that glamorizes vaping; however, it may also block important sources of information and vaping device control for adults seeking to use vaping devices safely. Objective Understanding the types of nicotine and cannabis vaping–related apps still available in the competing Google Play Store can shed light on how digital apps may reflect information available to consumers. Methods In December 2019, we searched the Google Play Store for vaping-related apps using the keywords "vape" and "vaping" and reviewed the first 100 apps presented in the results. We reviewed app titles, descriptions, screenshots, and metadata to categorize the intended substance (nicotine or cannabis/tetrahydrocannabinol) and the app’s purpose. The most installed apps in each purpose category were downloaded and evaluated for quality and usability with the Mobile App Rating Scale. Results Of the first 100 apps, 79 were related to vaping. Of these 79 apps, 43 (54%) were specific to nicotine, 3 (4%) were specific to cannabis, 1 (1%) was intended for either, and for the remaining 31 (39%), the intended substance was unclear. The most common purposes of the apps were making do-it-yourself e-liquids (28/79, 35%) or coils (25/79, 32%), games/entertainment (19/79, 24%), social networking (16/79, 20%), and shopping for vaping products (15/79, 19%). Of the 79 apps, at least 4 apps (5%) paired with vaping devices to control temperature or dose settings, 8 apps (10%) claimed to help people quit smoking using vaping, and 2 apps (3%) had the goal of helping people quit vaping. Conclusions The majority of vaping-related apps in the Google Play Store had features either to help users continue vaping, such as information for modifying devices, or to maintain interest in vaping. Few apps were for controlling device settings or assisting with quitting smoking or vaping. Assuming that these Google Play Store apps were similar in content to the Apple App Store apps that were removed, it appears that Apple’s ban would have a minimal effect on people who vape with the intention of quitting smoking or who are seeking information about safer vaping via mobile apps.

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Mobile Apps to Fight the COVID-19 Crisis

Data ◽

10.3390/data6100106 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (10) ◽

pp. 106

Author(s):

Chrisa Tsinaraki ◽

Irena Mitton ◽

Marco Minghini ◽

Marina Micheli ◽

Alexander Kotsev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Digital Media ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

Digital Tools ◽

Qualitative Information ◽

Complementary Information ◽

Manual Analysis ◽

Status Information ◽

Google Play

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a multi-faceted global crisis, which triggered the diverse and quickly emerging use of old and new digital tools. We have developed a multi-channel approach for the monitoring and analysis of a subset of such tools, the COVID-19 related mobile applications (apps). Our approach builds on the information available in the two most prominent app stores (i.e., Google Play for Android-powered devices and Apple’s App Store for iOS-powered devices), as well as on relevant tweets and digital media outlets. The dataset presented here is one of the outcomes of this approach, uses the content of the app stores and enriches it, providing aggregated information about 837 mobile apps published across the world to fight the COVID-19 crisis. This information includes: (a) information available in the mobile app stores between 20 April 2020 and 2 August 2020; (b) complementary information obtained from manual analysis performed until mid-September 2020; and (c) status information about app availability on 28 February 2021, when we last collected data from the mobile app stores. We highlight our findings with a series of descriptives, which depict both the activities in the app stores and the qualitative information that was revealed by the manual analysis.

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Mobile Applications for Allergic Rhinitis

Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology ◽

10.1177/0003489418798385 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 127 (11) ◽

pp. 836-840 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Albert H. Zhou ◽

Varesh R. Patel ◽

Soly Baredes ◽

Jean Anderson Eloy ◽

Wayne D. Hsueh

Keyword(s):

Allergic Rhinitis ◽

Operating Systems ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

App Store ◽

Search Terms ◽

Pollen Forecast ◽

Google Play

Objective: To study and review the currently available mobile applications relating to allergic rhinitis. Methods: The Apple and Google mobile app stores were queried with search terms relating to allergic rhinitis. Apps were assigned to categories and analyzed based on description and characteristics such as popularity, reviews, cost, platform, and physician involvement in development. Results: A total of 72 apps related to allergic rhinitis were identified. Fifty-four apps were unique, with 18 apps found on both operating systems. Forty (55.5%) apps were available in the Apple App store, and 32 (44.4%) apps were available in the Google Play app store. They were grouped into the following categories: patient education (18; 25%), journals (15; 20.8%), symptom tracking (14; 19.4%), clinical/private practice (13; 18.1%), pollen forecast (7; 9.7%), medical education (4; 5.6%), and other (1; 1.4%). The majority of apps were free of charge (67; 93.1%), with paid apps ranging from $1.47 to $4.99. Apps that were reviewed had an average rating of 3.9 out of 5. Physicians were involved in the development of 37 (51.4%) apps. Conclusions: The collection of mobile apps developed for allergic rhinitis includes those for both educational and clinical use. Mobile apps may have an increasing role in otolaryngic allergy and rhinology practices in the future. Thus, continued research is warranted to determine the best way to ensure the accuracy and quality of app content as well as the extent mobile apps can benefit allergic rhinitis patients.

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Mobile Apps for Speech-Language Therapy in Adults With Communication Disorders: Review of Content and Quality

JMIR mhealth and uhealth ◽

10.2196/18858 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. e18858

Author(s):

Atiyeh Vaezipour ◽

Jessica Campbell ◽

Deborah Theodoros ◽

Trevor Russell

Keyword(s):

Rating Scale ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Communication Disorders ◽

Mobile App ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Language Therapy ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

App Store ◽

Google Play

Background Worldwide, more than 75% of people with acquired brain injury (ABI) experience communication disorders. Communication disorders are impairments in the ability to communicate effectively, that is, sending, receiving, processing, and comprehending verbal and nonverbal concepts and symbols. Such disorders may have enduring impacts on employment, social participation, and quality of life. Technology-enabled interventions such as mobile apps have the potential to increase the reach of speech-language therapy to treat communication disorders. However, ensuring that apps are evidence-based and of high quality is critical for facilitating safe and effective treatment for adults with communication disorders. Objective The aim of this review is to identify mobile apps that are currently widely available to adults with communication disorders for speech-language therapy and to assess their content and quality using the validated Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Methods Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and webpages were searched to identify mobile apps for speech-language therapy. Apps were included in the review if they were designed for the treatment of adult communication disorders after ABI, were in English, and were either free or for purchase. Certified speech-language pathologists used the MARS to assess the quality of the apps. Results From a total of 2680 apps identified from Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and web searches, 2.61% (70/2680) apps met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. Overall, 61% (43/70) were available for download on the iPhone Operating System (iOS) platform, 20% (14/70) on the Android platform, and 19% (13/70) on both iOS and Android platforms. A content analysis of the apps revealed 43 apps for language, 17 apps for speech, 8 apps for cognitive communication, 6 apps for voice, and 5 apps for oromotor function or numeracy. The overall MARS mean score was 3.7 out of 5, SD 0.6, ranging between 2.1 and 4.5, with functionality being the highest-scored subscale (4.3, SD 0.6), followed by aesthetics (3.8, SD 0.8), information (3.4, SD 0.6), and engagement (3.3, SD 0.6). The top 5 apps were Naming Therapy (4.6/5), Speech Flipbook Standard (4.6/5), Number Therapy (4.5/5), Answering Therapy, and Constant Therapy (4.4/5). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically identify and evaluate a broad range of mobile apps for speech-language therapy for adults with communication disorders after sustaining ABI. We found a lack of interactive and engaging elements in the apps, a critical factor in sustaining self-managed speech-language therapy. More evidence-based apps with a focus on human factors, user experience, and a patient-led design approach are required to enhance effectiveness and long-term use.

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Mobile Apps to Support Family Caregivers of People With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias in Managing Disruptive Behaviors: Qualitative Study With Users Embedded in a Scoping Review

JMIR Aging ◽

10.2196/21808 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. e21808

Author(s):

Marjorie Désormeaux-Moreau ◽

Charlie-Maude Michel ◽

Mélanie Vallières ◽

Maryse Racine ◽

Myriame Poulin-Paquet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer Disease ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Disruptive Behaviors ◽

Mobile App ◽

Burden Of Care ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Google Play ◽

Support Family

Background People with Alzheimer disease and related dementias often display disruptive behaviors (eg, aggression, wandering, and restlessness), which increase family caregivers’ burden of care. However, there are few tools currently available to help these caregivers manage disruptive behaviors. Mobile apps could meet this need, but to date little is known about them. Objective The aims of our study were to identify existing mobile apps designed to support family caregivers of people with Alzheimer disease and related dementias in managing disruptive behaviors; explore whether family caregivers view these mobile apps as relevant to meeting their needs and as useful in managing disruptive behaviors; and document the types of mobile apps that are of interest and appeal to most family caregivers (with regard to format, ergonomics, and clarity). Methods A review of mobile apps initially conducted in February 2018 was updated in March 2019 with 2 platforms (App Store [Apple Inc.] and Google Play [Google]). The selected apps were first analyzed independently by 3 raters (2 students and 1 researcher) for each of the platforms. A focus group discussion was then held with 4 family caregivers to explore their perceptions of the apps according to their needs and interests. The content of the discussion was analyzed. Results Initially, 7 of 118 apps identified met the inclusion criteria. An eighth app, recommended by one of the knowledge users, was added later. Four family caregivers (women aged between 58 and 78 years) participated in the discussion. Participants expressed a preference for easy-to-understand apps that provide concrete intervention strategies. They reported being most inclined to use two apps, Dementia Advisor and DTA Behaviours. Conclusions Few mobile apps on the market meet the needs of family caregivers in terms of content and usability. Our results could help to address this gap by identifying what family caregivers deem relevant in a mobile app to help them manage disruptive behaviors.

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Analysis of Mobile Applications to Support Family Caregivers of People with Neurocognitive Disorders in Managing Disruptive Behaviors: A Qualitative Study with Users Embedded in a Scoping Review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.21808 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Marjorie Desormeaux-Moreau ◽

Charlie-Maude Michel ◽

Mélanie Vallières ◽

Maryse Racine ◽

Myriame Poulin-Paquet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Family Caregivers ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Disruptive Behaviors ◽

Neurocognitive Disorders ◽

Mobile App ◽

Burden Of Care ◽

Google Play ◽

Support Family

BACKGROUND People with neurocognitive disorders (NCD) often display disruptive behaviors (eg, aggression, wandering and restlessness), which increase family caregivers’ burden of care. However, there are few tools currently available to help these caregivers manage disruptive behaviors. Mobile applications (apps) could meet this need but to date little is known about them. OBJECTIVE 1) Identify existing mobile apps designed to support family caregivers of people with NCD in managing disruptive behaviors; 2) Explore whether family caregivers view these mobile apps as relevant to meeting their needs and useful in managing disruptive behaviors; and 3) Document the types of mobile apps that appeal to and interest the most family caregivers (with regard to format, ergonomics, and clarity). METHODS A review of mobile apps initially conducted in February 2018 was updated in March 2019, using two platforms (App Store and Google Play). The selected apps were first analyzed independently by three raters (two students and one researcher) for each of the platforms. Then a focus group discussion was held with family caregivers to explore their perceptions of the apps according to their needs and interests. The content of the discussion was analyzed. RESULTS Seven of 118 apps initially identified met the inclusion criteria. An 8th app, recommended by one of the knowledge users, was added later. Four family caregivers (women aged between 58 and 78 years) participated in the discussion. Participants expressed a preference for easy-to-understand apps that provide concrete intervention strategies. They reported being most inclined to use two apps, Dementia Advisor and DTA Behaviours. CONCLUSIONS Few mobile apps on the market meet the needs of family caregivers in terms of content and usability. Our results could help to address this gap by identifying what family caregivers deem relevant in a mobile app to help them manage disruptive behaviors.

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Examining Predictors of Real-World User Engagement with Self-Guided eHealth Interventions: Analysis of Mobile Apps and Websites Using a Novel Dataset (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.11491 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Amit Baumel ◽

John M Kane

Keyword(s):

Therapeutic Alliance ◽

Product Design ◽

Real World ◽

Research Evidence ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

Visual Design ◽

User Engagement ◽

Web Based ◽

Google Play

BACKGROUND The literature suggests that the product design of self-guided electronic health (eHealth) interventions impacts user engagement. Traditional trial settings, however, do not enable the examination of these relationships in real-world use. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine whether the qualities of product design, research evidence, and publicly available data predict real-world user engagement with mobile and Web-based self-guided eHealth interventions. METHODS This analysis included self-guided mobile and Web-based eHealth interventions available to the public—with their qualities assessed using the Enlight suite of scales. Scales included Usability, Visual Design, User Engagement, Content, Therapeutic Persuasiveness, Therapeutic Alliance, Credibility, and Research Evidence. Behavioral data on real-world usage were obtained from a panel that provides aggregated nonpersonal information on user engagement with websites and mobile apps, based on a time window of 18 months that was set between November 1, 2016 and April 30, 2018. Real-world user engagement variables included average usage time (for both mobile apps and websites) and mobile app user retention 30 days after download. RESULTS The analysis included 52 mobile apps (downloads median 38,600; interquartile range [IQR] 116,000) and 32 websites (monthly unique visitors median 5689; IQR 30,038). Results point to moderate correlations between Therapeutic Persuasiveness, Therapeutic Alliance, and the 3 user engagement variables (.31≤rs≤.51; Ps≤.03). Visual Design, User Engagement, and Content demonstrated similar degrees of correlation with mobile app engagement variables (.25≤rs≤.49; Ps≤.04) but not with average usage time of Web-based interventions. Positive correlations were also found between the number of reviews on Google Play and average app usage time (r=.58; P<.001) and user retention after 30 days (r=.23; P=.049). Although several product quality ratings were positively correlated with research evidence, the latter was not significantly correlated with real-world user engagement. Hierarchical stepwise regression analysis revealed that either Therapeutic Persuasiveness or Therapeutic Alliance explained 15% to 26% of user engagement variance. Data on Google Play (number of reviews) explained 15% of the variance of mobile app usage time above Enlight ratings; however, publicly available data did not significantly contribute to explaining the variance of the other 2 user-engagement variables. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that the qualities of product design predict real-world user engagement with eHealth interventions. The use of real-world behavioral datasets is a novel way to learn about user behaviors, creating new avenues for eHealth intervention research.

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