scholarly journals Mobile and Web-Based Apps That Support Self-Management and Transition in Young People With Chronic Illness: Systematic Review

10.2196/13579 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. e13579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yisselle Ilene Virella Pérez ◽  
Sharon Medlow ◽  
Jane Ho ◽  
Katharine Steinbeck

Background More adolescents with chronic physical illness are living into adulthood, and they require the development of proficient self-management skills to maintain optimal physical health as they transition into adult care services. It is often during this vulnerable transition period that deterioration in illness control is seen as a result of inadequate self-management skills and understanding of their chronic illness. Mobile technology has been proposed as an innovative opportunity to assist in improving the management of chronic conditions as young people transition to adult care services. Over the past 5 years, there has been a significant increase in research into the use of health-related apps. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the utility and effectiveness of mobile and Web-based health apps that support self-management and transition in young people with chronic physical health illnesses. Methods We conducted a comprehensive review of the literature in 5 bibliographic databases, using key search terms, considering only articles published from 2013, as we were extending the data from 2 previous systematic reviews. Abstracts were screened for possible inclusion by 2 reviewers. Data extraction and quality assessment tools were used for the evaluation of included studies. Results A total of 1737 records were identified from the combined electronic searches, and 854 records were removed as duplicates. A total of 68 full articles were further assessed for eligibility, and 6 articles met our review criteria: 3 pilot studies, 2 randomized controlled trials, and 1 prospective cohort study. Publication years ranged from 2015 to 2018. The apps reported were targeted at type 1 diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, asthma, beta thalassemia major, and sickle cell disease, with a combined sample size of 336. A total of 4 studies included in this review reported being effective in increasing knowledge of the targeted condition and increasing therapy adherence, including increased medication adherence. A total of 2 manuscripts only mentioned the word transition. Participant’s satisfaction was reported for all studies. Heterogeneity of the studies prevented meta-analysis. Conclusions There remain limited data on the effectiveness and use of mobile and Web-based apps, which might facilitate the transition of adolescents with chronic illnesses from pediatric to adult health care services. This systematic review provides an updated overview of available apps for adolescents with chronic illnesses. This systematic review has been unable to provide evidence for effectiveness of this approach, but it does provide insights into future study design, with reference to the development, evaluation, and efficacy of apps tailored for adolescents with chronic illnesses, including the involvement of adolescents in such designs. Trial Registration PROSPERO CRD42018104611; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=104611

Author(s):  
Yisselle Ilene Virella Pérez ◽  
Sharon Medlow ◽  
Jane Ho ◽  
Katharine Steinbeck

BACKGROUND More adolescents with chronic physical illness are living into adulthood, and they require the development of proficient self-management skills to maintain optimal physical health as they transition into adult care services. It is often during this vulnerable transition period that deterioration in illness control is seen as a result of inadequate self-management skills and understanding of their chronic illness. Mobile technology has been proposed as an innovative opportunity to assist in improving the management of chronic conditions as young people transition to adult care services. Over the past 5 years, there has been a significant increase in research into the use of health-related apps. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the utility and effectiveness of mobile and Web-based health apps that support self-management and transition in young people with chronic physical health illnesses. METHODS We conducted a comprehensive review of the literature in 5 bibliographic databases, using key search terms, considering only articles published from 2013, as we were extending the data from 2 previous systematic reviews. Abstracts were screened for possible inclusion by 2 reviewers. Data extraction and quality assessment tools were used for the evaluation of included studies. RESULTS A total of 1737 records were identified from the combined electronic searches, and 854 records were removed as duplicates. A total of 68 full articles were further assessed for eligibility, and 6 articles met our review criteria: 3 pilot studies, 2 randomized controlled trials, and 1 prospective cohort study. Publication years ranged from 2015 to 2018. The apps reported were targeted at type 1 diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, asthma, beta thalassemia major, and sickle cell disease, with a combined sample size of 336. A total of 4 studies included in this review reported being effective in increasing knowledge of the targeted condition and increasing therapy adherence, including increased medication adherence. A total of 2 manuscripts only mentioned the word transition. Participant’s satisfaction was reported for all studies. Heterogeneity of the studies prevented meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS There remain limited data on the effectiveness and use of mobile and Web-based apps, which might facilitate the transition of adolescents with chronic illnesses from pediatric to adult health care services. This systematic review provides an updated overview of available apps for adolescents with chronic illnesses. This systematic review has been unable to provide evidence for effectiveness of this approach, but it does provide insights into future study design, with reference to the development, evaluation, and efficacy of apps tailored for adolescents with chronic illnesses, including the involvement of adolescents in such designs.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick McCrossan ◽  
Kathryn Ferris ◽  
Michael Shields ◽  
Dara O'Donoghue

Abstract Introduction Chronic disease in childhood is becoming more prevalent worldwide. Self-management skills can only be taught with effective communication between the health care worker and the patient or primary care provider. ‘Teach-back’ is one proposed method for providing this education which has yielded success in adult populations but is not yet fully employed in the paediatric setting. Aims To determine whether the ‘teach-back’ technique is effective and feasible at all levels of care (primary, secondary and tertiary) to improve the self-management skills and knowledge required for a young person, or their parent/guardian, to control their chronic illness. Methods We have developed a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analyses in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol (PRISMA-P) statement and have registered it with Prospero [CRD42021229025].


Pharmacy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Mohammed Almunef ◽  
Julie Mason ◽  
Chris Curtis ◽  
Zahraa Jalal

Recent evidence has shown that the incidence of long-term illnesses in young people aged 10–24 years is increasing. It is essential to highlight the importance of long-term health conditions in this age group and understand young people’s health needs to be able to improve current support for young people. Pharmacists, as medicine experts, are in a unique position to promote young people’s health. The role of primary care pharmacists in the management of chronic illnesses in young people has not been widely researched. The aim of this review was to explore the current role of primary care pharmacists in the management of chronic illnesses in young people aged 10–24 years. A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and Embase subject headings (Emtree) terms, covering three main themes: Pharmacists, young people and chronic illnesses. Articles were critically appraised using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tools. Eight articles were included in this review. Seven articles included original research studies (one observational study, two surveys, two qualitative interview studies and two interventions). The remaining article was a literature review. All of the articles made reference to community pharmacists, while there was no information about GP pharmacists. Roles that community pharmacists identified as high-priority in their practice when dealing with young people included supporting young people to develop generic healthcare skills, counselling and building trusted relationships directly with young people, helping young people to find credible health information and the provision of specialist services. Community pharmacists feel that they have a role to play in supporting young people with chronic illness and have identified many areas where they can provide services and support.


Author(s):  
Kadi Lubi

This article uses social practice theory to examine the role of information-seeking in the maintenance of existing lifestyle and illness-related adjustments in the context of chronic illnesses. The research findings are derived from a thematic analysis of 16 semi-structured in-depth interviews with Estonian Parkinson’s disease patients. The coding scheme bases on the four practice elements outlined by Schatzki (practical understandings, rules, teleological structures and general understandings) and other categories related to chronic illness self-management skills, bodily movements, daily routines and information-seeking practices. The findings reveal that people with chronic illness value maintaining their existing lifestyles as long as possible and the willingness to seek out illness-related information is related to the severity and duration of the disease. These findings suggest that effective illness-related communication that supports self-management should provide patients with possibilities to adjust and switch between practices in a time and a pace that is natural and acceptable to them.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Dodgson ◽  
Mike Holland ◽  
Luke Pembroke ◽  
Kate Khair

Abstract Transition is the term used to describe the process of approaching and crossing the chronological boundary between paediatric and adult care services. Transfer of care describes the administrative arrangements associated with moving from a paediatric to an adult service across this boundary. Transforming Transition was a nurse-led initiative designed to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and experience to enhance transition practice in the UK. The aims of the programme were to secure changes in working practices that enabled nurses to drive improved transition outcomes, enhance self-management by people with haemophilia and develop clinical leadership. From the outset of the programme it was clear that there were differences in practice and that sharing practice would be one route to addressing some of these variations. As a result of the knowledge and experience shared through the programme, resources described in this paper are available to all haemophilia centres. Sharing between people with haemophilia, their families and carers, and the haemophilia clinical team have resulted in the development of practical resources that enhance practice within the haemophilia centre. Sharing of practice between nurses and young people with haemophilia at the programme workshops provided a focus for development of local and regional action plans, a framework for reviewing progress, the introduction of transition clinics and improved transition documentation.


2021 ◽  
pp. 174239532110674
Author(s):  
Caitlin S. Sayegh ◽  
Ellen Iverson ◽  
Clarissa Newman ◽  
Diane Tanaka ◽  
Ellen F. Olshansky ◽  
...  

Objectives Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with chronic illnesses often struggle with illness self-management. The objective of this study is to understand how AYA with various chronic illnesses develop self-management skills and which mobile health (mHealth) strategies they believe could be helpful. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients, between 16 to 20 years old, living with at least one chronic illness (N = 19), between 2018 and 2019 in Los Angeles, CA. Three coders completed thematic coding to understand how AYA develop and maintain self-management skills, to inform the development of mHealth interventions appropriate across a variety of chronic conditions. Results Results suggest that AYA develop self-management skills through several strategies, including (1) getting organized, (2) making it work for me and (3) keeping the right mentality. AYA described developing these strategies through: (1) receiving social support, (2) accessing helpful tools and technologies, and (3) going through a maturation process. They provided recommendations for mHealth intervention developers. Discussion The results suggest that an appealing mHealth intervention could support AYA patients in proactively acquiring self-management skills and prevent having to rely on trial and error or uneven access to guidance and support. Interventions should be responsive to individual technology preferences and practices.


Author(s):  
Jaunna Gauci ◽  
Jacqueline Bloomfield ◽  
Sharon Lawn ◽  
Susan Towns ◽  
Katharine Steinbeck

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document