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

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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Stuttering mHealth Applications: A Qualitative Rubric Assessment (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.25914 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Fazwa M. Fadzilah ◽

Noreen Izza Arshad ◽

Izuddin Zainal-Abidin ◽

Hui Min Low ◽

Ahmad Kamil Mahmood ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Research Evidence ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Standard Form ◽

Mobile App ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Evaluation Instrument ◽

Collective Effort ◽

Speech Therapists

BACKGROUND Mobile applications (apps) that offer a variety of techniques to improve stuttering have been flourishing in the digital marketplace. In evidence-based clinical practice, speech therapists will recommend audio-enriched mobile apps to individuals with stuttering problems based on empirical research evidence. Unfortunately, many stuttering mobile apps available in the market are developed without a substantial research base. Hence, speech therapists necessitate a guideline which they could use to assess the quality of a stuttering mobile app before recommending the app to stutterers. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to develop a rubric for assessing the quality of the stuttering mobile app in assisting speech therapists to make informed recommendations METHODS The rubric was initially developed based on a set of criteria reviewed from the literature. Online surveys and focused group discussion were then conducted for results verification. RESULTS The outcome of this study is a rubric designed with four categories and 18-evaluative dimensions tailored to analyze the quality of stuttering mobile apps. The stuttering mobile app assessment rubric presented in the serve multiple purposes, including an evaluation instrument, providing guidelines for developing stuttering mobile apps and for creating a standard form that can be shared with professionals to facilitate a collective effort. CONCLUSIONS This rubric also offers a guidance to steer drive the future development of stuttering mobile apps that are evidence-based, and theoretically grounded

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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 Health Apps on COVID-19 Launched in the Early Days of the Pandemic: Content Analysis and Review

JMIR mhealth and uhealth ◽

10.2196/19796 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (9) ◽

pp. e19796 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Long Chiau Ming ◽

Noorazrina Untong ◽

Nur Amalina Aliudin ◽

Norliza Osili ◽

Nurolaini Kifli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Home Monitoring ◽

Mobile App ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Self Monitoring ◽

App Store ◽

Online Consultation ◽

Basic Features

Background Mobile health (mHealth) app use is a major concern because of the possible dissemination of misinformation that could harm the users. Particularly, it can be difficult for health care professionals to recommend a suitable app for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) education and self-monitoring purposes. Objective This study aims to analyze and evaluate the contents as well as features of COVID-19 mobile apps. The findings are instrumental in helping health care professionals to identify suitable mobile apps for COVID-19 self-monitoring and education. The results of the mobile apps’ assessment could potentially help mobile app developers improve or modify their existing mobile app designs to achieve optimal outcomes. Methods The search for the mHealth apps available in the android-based Play Store and the iOS-based App Store was conducted between April 18 and May 5, 2020. The region of the App Store where we performed the search was the United States, and a virtual private network app was used to locate and access COVID-19 mobile apps from all countries on the Google Play Store. The inclusion criteria were apps that are related to COVID-19 with no restriction in language type. The basic features assessment criteria used for comparison were the requirement for free subscription, internet connection, education or advisory content, size of the app, ability to export data, and automated data entry. The functionality of the apps was assessed according to knowledge (information on COVID-19), tracing or mapping of COVID-19 cases, home monitoring surveillance, online consultation with a health authority, and official apps run by health authorities. Results Of the 223 COVID-19–related mobile apps, only 30 (19.9%) found in the App Store and 28 (44.4%) in the Play Store matched the inclusion criteria. In the basic features assessment, most App Store (10/30, 33.3%) and Play Store (10/28, 35.7%) apps scored 4 out of 7 points. Meanwhile, the outcome of the functionality assessment for most App Store apps (13/30, 43.3%) was a score of 3 compared to android-based apps (10/28, 35.7%), which scored 2 (out of the maximum 5 points). Evaluation of the basic functions showed that 75.0% (n=36) of the 48 included mobile apps do not require a subscription, 56.3% (n=27) provide symptom advice, and 41.7% (n=20) have educational content. In terms of the specific functions, more than half of the included mobile apps are official mobile apps maintained by a health authority for COVID-19 information provision. Around 37.5% (n=18) and 31.3% (n=15) of the mobile apps have tracing or mapping and home monitoring surveillance functions, respectively, with only 17% (n=8) of the mobile apps equipped with an online consultation function. Conclusions Most iOS-based apps incorporate infographic mapping of COVID-19 cases, while most android-based apps incorporate home monitoring surveillance features instead of providing focused educational content on COVID-19. It is important to evaluate the contents and features of COVID-19 mobile apps to guide users in choosing a suitable mobile app based on their requirements.

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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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Quality, Functionality, and Features of Chinese Mobile Apps for Diabetes Self-Management: Systematic Search and Evaluation of Mobile Apps

JMIR mhealth and uhealth ◽

10.2196/14836 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. e14836 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Enying Gong ◽

Zongmuyu Zhang ◽

Xurui Jin ◽

Yishan Liu ◽

Lumin Zhong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Glucose ◽

Behavior Change ◽

Rating Scales ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

Systematic Search ◽

Self Management ◽

Average Score ◽

Inclusion Criteria

Background The emergence and advancement of mobile technologies offer a promising opportunity for people with diabetes to improve their self-management. Despite the proliferation of mobile apps, few studies have evaluated the apps that are available to the millions of people with diabetes in China. Objective This study aimed to conduct a systematic search of Chinese mobile apps for diabetes self-management and to evaluate their quality, functionality, and features by using validated rating scales. Methods A systematic search was conducted to identify Chinese apps for diabetes self-management in the four most popular Chinese language mobile app stores. Apps were included if they were designed for diabetes self-management and contained at least one of the following components: blood glucose management, dietary and physical activity management, medication taking, and prevention of diabetes-related comorbidities. Apps were excluded if they were unrelated to health, not in Chinese, or the targeted users are health care professionals. Apps meeting the identified inclusion criteria were downloaded and evaluated by a team of 5 raters. The quality, functionalities, and features of these apps were assessed by using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics Functionality score, and a checklist of self-management activities developed based on the Chinese diabetes self-management guideline, respectively. Results Among 2072 apps searched, 199 were eligible based on the inclusion criteria, and 67 apps were successfully downloaded for rating. These 67 apps had an average MARS score of 3.42 out of 5, and 76% (51/67) of the apps achieved an acceptable quality (MARS score >3.0). The scores for the four subdomains of MARS were 3.97 for functionality, 3.45 for aesthetics, 3.21 for information, and 3.07 for engagement. On average, reviewed apps applied five out of the 19 examined behavior change techniques, whereas the average score on the subjective quality for the potential impact on behavior change is 3 out of 5. In addition, the average score on IMS functionality was 6 out of 11. Functionalities in collecting, recording, and displaying data were mostly presented in the reviewed apps. Most of the apps were multifeatured with monitoring blood glucose and tracking lifestyle behaviors as common features, but some key self-management activities recommended by clinical guidelines, such as stress and emotional management, were rarely presented in these apps. Conclusions The general quality of the reviewed apps for diabetes self-management is suboptimal, although the potential for improvement is significant. More attention needs to be paid to the engagement and information quality of these apps through co-design with researchers, public health practitioners, and consumers. There is also a need to promote the awareness of the public on the benefit and potential risks of utilizing health apps for self-management.

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