scholarly journals The Influence of Gamification and Information Technology Identity on Postadoption Behaviors of Health and Fitness App Users: Empirical Study in the United States

10.2196/28282 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e28282
Author(s):  
Pouyan Esmaeilzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Personal Health Information ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Health And Fitness ◽  
Mobile Health Apps ◽  
Personal Fitness ◽  
Fitness And Health

Background The use of health and fitness apps has been on the rise to monitor personal fitness and health parameters. However, recent research discovered that many users discontinue using these apps after only a few months. Gamification has been suggested as a technique to increase users’ interactions with apps. Nevertheless, it is still not clear how gamification mechanisms encourage continued use and inspire user self-management. Objective The main objective of this study was to articulate how gamification mechanisms in studies of designing and using health and fitness apps can contribute to the realization of information technology (IT) identity and positive behavioral outcomes. The broader goal was to shed light on how gamification mechanisms will translate into positive use behaviors in the context of mobile health apps. Methods Data were collected from 364 users of health and fitness apps through an online survey to empirically examine the proposed model. Results Based on identity theories, this study suggests the fully mediating role of IT identity to describe how gamification elements can lead to continued intention to use health and fitness apps, and increase users’ tendency for information sharing through the apps. The findings indicate that perceived gamification can increase users’ IT identity. In turn, a higher IT identity would encourage users to continue using the apps and share more personal health information with others through the apps. Conclusions The results of this study can have practical implications for app designers to use gamification elements to increase users’ dependency, relatedness, and emotional energy associated with health apps. Moreover, the findings can have theoretical contributions for researchers to help better articulate the process in which gamification can be translated into positive use behaviors.

scholarly journals The Influence of Gamification and Information Technology Identity on Postadoption Behaviors of Health and Fitness App Users: Empirical Study in the United States (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pouyan Esmaeilzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Personal Health Information ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Health And Fitness ◽  
Mobile Health Apps ◽  
Personal Fitness ◽  
Fitness And Health

BACKGROUND The use of health and fitness apps has been on the rise to monitor personal fitness and health parameters. However, recent research discovered that many users discontinue using these apps after only a few months. Gamification has been suggested as a technique to increase users’ interactions with apps. Nevertheless, it is still not clear how gamification mechanisms encourage continued use and inspire user self-management. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this study was to articulate how gamification mechanisms in studies of designing and using health and fitness apps can contribute to the realization of information technology (IT) identity and positive behavioral outcomes. The broader goal was to shed light on how gamification mechanisms will translate into positive use behaviors in the context of mobile health apps. METHODS Data were collected from 364 users of health and fitness apps through an online survey to empirically examine the proposed model. RESULTS Based on identity theories, this study suggests the fully mediating role of IT identity to describe how gamification elements can lead to continued intention to use health and fitness apps, and increase users’ tendency for information sharing through the apps. The findings indicate that perceived gamification can increase users’ IT identity. In turn, a higher IT identity would encourage users to continue using the apps and share more personal health information with others through the apps. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study can have practical implications for app designers to use gamification elements to increase users’ dependency, relatedness, and emotional energy associated with health apps. Moreover, the findings can have theoretical contributions for researchers to help better articulate the process in which gamification can be translated into positive use behaviors.

scholarly journals Development of a Personalized Apps to Inculcate Dietary Self-Management for Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: A Need Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1325-1325
Author(s):  
Jun Hao Lim ◽  
Cordelia Kheng May Lim ◽  
Imliya Ibrahim ◽  
Jazlina Shahrul ◽  
Mohd Hazli Mohd Zabil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Maintenance Hemodialysis ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Need Analysis ◽  
Renal Diet ◽  
Poor Treatment ◽  
Mobile Health Apps

Abstract Objectives Dietary non-adherence is highly prevalent among maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients resulting in multitudes health complications and poor treatment outcomes. Given high penetration of smartphone, well-designed mobile health apps emerged as a potential tool to empower HD patients with dietary self-management skills. This need analysis study determined the perception and expectation of patients and dietitians on the features and the use of apps in dialysis care to foster development of evidence-based renal diet apps. Methods This was a mixed-method study with concurrent triangulation design. The quantitative arm involved HD patients (n = 184) through face-to-face interview and dietitians (n = 120) via anonymous online survey. While the qualitative arm consisted of 10 in-depth interviews (HD patients) and 8 email interviews (dietitians). Descriptive and thematic analyses were used, and the results were compared. Results A total of 69.6% of HD patients owned a smartphone. More than half (53.9%) of the smartphone users had the experience of searching health information especially nutrition-related topics (91.3%). Majority of them (78.9%) perceived renal diet apps as very important and were willing to use (80.5%). They agreed that renal diet apps can help them in preventing nutrition complications (82.0%), planning menu (78.9%) and monitoring nutrient intakes (82.8%). In the context of practising dietitians, 60.8% aware of the existence of renal diet apps but only 38.3% of them would recommend existing renal diet apps to their patients due to lack of local content (42.5%) and unsure credibility (37.5%). Most of them (88.3%) perceived that local-based renal diet app is needed and agreed that it can enhance dietetics care in HD population (90.8%). Top features anticipated by both patients and dietitians included plan or order, tailored assistance, usability and tracker. Conclusions Dietary self-management via mobile health apps seems to be feasible in the dialysis population given the high smartphone penetration, strong desire to use and positive perceptions from patients and dietitians. Features valued by patients and dietitians will be integrated into the design of the apps to promote acceptance and usage. Funding Sources This project is funded by the internal grant of Universiti Putra Malaysia (Inisiatif Putra Muda).

scholarly journals The Mobile App Development and Assessment Guide (MAG): Delphi-Based Validity Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pere Llorens-Vernet ◽  
Jordi Miró
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
End Users ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
App Development ◽  
Mobile Health Apps

BACKGROUND In recent years, there has been an exponential growth of mobile health (mHealth)–related apps. This has occurred in a somewhat unsupervised manner. Therefore, having a set of criteria that could be used by all stakeholders to guide the development process and the assessment of the quality of the apps is of most importance. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to study the validity of the Mobile App Development and Assessment Guide (MAG), a guide recently created to help stakeholders develop and assess mobile health apps. METHODS To conduct a validation process of the MAG, we used the Delphi method to reach a consensus among participating stakeholders. We identified 158 potential participants: 45 patients as potential end users, 41 health care professionals, and 72 developers. We sent participants an online survey and asked them to rate how important they considered each item in the guide to be on a scale from 0 to 10. Two rounds were enough to reach consensus. RESULTS In the first round, almost one-third (n=42) of those invited participated, and half of those (n=24) also participated in the second round. Most items in the guide were found to be important to a quality mHealth-related app; a total of 48 criteria were established as important. “Privacy,” “security,” and “usability” were the categories that included most of the important criteria. CONCLUSIONS The data supports the validity of the MAG. In addition, the findings identified the criteria that stakeholders consider to be most important. The MAG will help advance the field by providing developers, health care professionals, and end users with a valid guide so that they can develop and identify mHealth-related apps that are of quality.

scholarly journals The Mobile App Development and Assessment Guide (MAG): Delphi-Based Validity Study

10.2196/17760 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e17760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pere Llorens-Vernet ◽  
Jordi Miró
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
End Users ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
App Development ◽  
Mobile Health Apps

Background In recent years, there has been an exponential growth of mobile health (mHealth)–related apps. This has occurred in a somewhat unsupervised manner. Therefore, having a set of criteria that could be used by all stakeholders to guide the development process and the assessment of the quality of the apps is of most importance. Objective The aim of this paper is to study the validity of the Mobile App Development and Assessment Guide (MAG), a guide recently created to help stakeholders develop and assess mobile health apps. Methods To conduct a validation process of the MAG, we used the Delphi method to reach a consensus among participating stakeholders. We identified 158 potential participants: 45 patients as potential end users, 41 health care professionals, and 72 developers. We sent participants an online survey and asked them to rate how important they considered each item in the guide to be on a scale from 0 to 10. Two rounds were enough to reach consensus. Results In the first round, almost one-third (n=42) of those invited participated, and half of those (n=24) also participated in the second round. Most items in the guide were found to be important to a quality mHealth-related app; a total of 48 criteria were established as important. “Privacy,” “security,” and “usability” were the categories that included most of the important criteria. Conclusions The data supports the validity of the MAG. In addition, the findings identified the criteria that stakeholders consider to be most important. The MAG will help advance the field by providing developers, health care professionals, and end users with a valid guide so that they can develop and identify mHealth-related apps that are of quality.

scholarly journals Comprehensively Addressing Postpartum Maternal Health: a Content and Image Review of Commercially Available Mobile Health Apps

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Tucker ◽  
Alan Cuevas Villagomez ◽  
Tamar Krishnamurti
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
Quality Score ◽  
People Of Color ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Mobile Health Apps ◽  
Google Play

Abstract Background: The United States is currently facing a maternal morbidity and mortality crisis, with the highest rates of any resource-rich nation. In efforts to address this, new guidelines for postpartum care suggest that mobile health apps can help provide complementary clinical support for new mothers during the postpartum period. However, to date no study has evaluated existing mobile health tools targeted to this time period for sufficiency of maternal health information, inclusivity of people of color, or accessibility to users.Methods: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards were used to review the peripartum apps from the Apple and Google Play stores in either the Health/Fitness, Medical, or Education categories. Apps were then evaluated for extent and quality of maternal health information, inclusivity of people of color, and accessibility to app users.Results: Of the 301 apps from the Apple and Google Play stores, 25 met criteria for final evaluation. Of the 30 maternal health topics coded for, the median number addressed by apps was 19.5 (65%). Peripartum behaviors were more frequently addressed than peripartum outpatient care topics and peripartum acute health risks. The amount of maternal health information correlated positively with the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) quality score of the app, and inclusivity of people of color in app imagery also correlated positively with the MARS quality score. Only 8 apps (32%) portrayed greater than 24% images of people of color- the percent of non-white Americans according to 2019 census estimates. There was no correlation between number of users as estimated by number of store ratings and MARS quality. In addition, apps with clinical authority had greater MARS engagement, information, aesthetics, and quality scores, but did not have greater numbers of store ratings.Conclusions: Current commercially available peripartum apps overall do not provide adequate maternal health information, are not inclusive of women of color, and are not optimally accessible to the target users. Apps authored with clinical authority and higher-quality apps, by MARS score, are more likely to meet these standards, but are not more likely to be downloaded and used.

scholarly journals With a little help from my walking app? Predictors of profile classifications of current users, previous users, and informed nonusers in a sample of Dutch adults (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gert-Jan UHvA ◽  
Joan Martine Dallinga ◽  
Marije Deutekom
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Mobile Health Apps ◽  
Specific Health ◽  
Discriminant Function Analyses

BACKGROUND The last decade has seen a substantial increase in the use of mobile health apps and research into the effects of those apps on health and health behaviour. In parallel, research has aimed at identifying population subgroups that are more likely to use those health apps. There are two major limitations to the present evidence base. First, research into mobile health apps has focused on vary broad health apps or health apps for behavioral categories. No research has investigated which population subgroups are more likely to use apps for a specific health behaviour. In this study, we focused on walking apps. Second, research has tended to focus on health app users versus non-users: little research effort has been directed at subgroups of non-users, including populations who previously used apps but decided not to use them anymore. OBJECTIVE We aimed to provide profile distributions of current users, previous users, and informed non-users, and to identify predictor variables relevant for profile classification. METHODS Data were available from 1683 participants who were participants of a national walking event in September 2017. They provided information on demographics, walking behaviour and walking app usage, and items from User Acceptance of Information Technology, in an online survey. Data were analyzed using discriminant function analyses and multinominal logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The majority was a current walking app user (n = 899, 53.4%) and only a small part was a previous walking app user (n = 121, 7.2%). Current walking app users were more likely to walk on at least five days per week and for at least 30 minutes for bout (OR = 1.4, 95% CI [1.1; 1.9], P = .005), but also to be more likely to be overweight, OR = 1.7, 95% CI [1.2 - 2.4], P = .001, or obese, OR = 1.4, 95% CI [1.1; 1.9], P = .005, as compared to informed non-users. Further, current walking app users perceived the app to be less boring, to be easier to ease and to retrieve information, and to be more helpful to obtain their goal. Effect sizes ranged from 0.10, 95% CI [0.08 – 0.30] to 1.58, 95% CI [1.47 – 1.70]. CONCLUSIONS Results demonstrated the usefulness to focus on behaviour-specific apps and on subgroups of non-users. The findings provide indications for health practitioners to stimulate walking app usage. For app-developers, findings indicate suggestions to prevent people to stop using (walking) apps.

scholarly journals Theme Trends and Knowledge Structure on Mobile Health Apps: Bibliometric Analysis

10.2196/18212 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e18212
Author(s):  
Cheng Peng ◽  
Miao He ◽  
Sarah L Cutrona ◽  
Catarina I Kiefe ◽  
Feifan Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
System Development ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Mobile Health Apps ◽  
The University

Background Due to the widespread and unprecedented popularity of mobile phones, the use of digital medicine and mobile health apps has seen significant growth. Mobile health apps have tremendous potential for monitoring and treating diseases, improving patient care, and promoting health. Objective This paper aims to explore research trends, coauthorship networks, and the research hot spots of mobile health app research. Methods Publications related to mobile health apps were retrieved and extracted from the Web of Science database with no language restrictions. Bibliographic Item Co-Occurrence Matrix Builder was employed to extract bibliographic information (publication year and journal source) and perform a descriptive analysis. We then used the VOSviewer (Leiden University) tool to construct and visualize the co-occurrence networks of researchers, research institutions, countries/regions, citations, and keywords. Results We retrieved 2802 research papers on mobile health apps published from 2000 to 2019. The number of annual publications increased over the past 19 years. JMIR mHealth and uHealth (323/2802, 11.53%), Journal of Medical Internet Research (106/2802, 3.78%), and JMIR Research Protocols (82/2802, 2.93%) were the most common journals for these publications. The United States (1186/2802, 42.33%), England (235/2802, 8.39%), Australia (215/2802, 7.67%), and Canada (112/2802, 4.00%) were the most productive countries of origin. The University of California San Francisco, the University of Washington, and the University of Toronto were the most productive institutions. As for the authors’ contributions, Schnall R, Kuhn E, Lopez-Coronado M, and Kim J were the most active researchers. The co-occurrence cluster analysis of the top 100 keywords forms 5 clusters: (1) the technology and system development of mobile health apps; (2) mobile health apps for mental health; (3) mobile health apps in telemedicine, chronic disease, and medication adherence management; (4) mobile health apps in health behavior and health promotion; and (5) mobile health apps in disease prevention via the internet. Conclusions We summarize the recent advances in mobile health app research and shed light on their research frontier, trends, and hot topics through bibliometric analysis and network visualization. These findings may provide valuable guidance on future research directions and perspectives in this rapidly developing field.

scholarly journals An Examination of the Westermarck Hypothesis and the Role of Disgust in Incest Avoidance Among Fathers

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 147470491984992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesleigh E. Pullman ◽  
Kelly Babchishin ◽  
Michael C. Seto
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Physical Proximity ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Incest Avoidance ◽  
Close Physical Proximity ◽  
Westermarck Hypothesis

From an evolutionary perspective, incestuous behavior is puzzling. The goal of this study was to assess the tenability of the Westermarck hypothesis (1891, 1921)—that people who live in close physical proximity with one another during childhood will develop a sexual indifference or aversion toward one another—and the mediating role of disgust as an incest avoidance mechanism in father–daughter relationships. A sample of fathers with daughters ( N = 632) from Canada and the United States were recruited by Qualtrics—a survey platform and project management company—to complete an online survey. The results from this study did not support the viability of the Westermarck hypothesis as a mechanism that facilitates incest avoidance for fathers. Physical proximity was not associated with incest propensity or disgust toward incest. Less disgust toward incest, however, was found to be associated with more incest propensity. These results indicate that physical proximity may not be a reliable kinship cue used by fathers to inform incest avoidance, but that disgust toward incest may still be a proximate mechanism that facilitates incest avoidance among fathers using kinship cues other than physical proximity.

scholarly journals Theme Trends and Knowledge Structure on Mobile Health Apps: Bibliometric Analysis (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng Peng ◽  
Miao He ◽  
Sarah L Cutrona ◽  
Catarina I Kiefe ◽  
Feifan Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
System Development ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Mobile Health Apps ◽  
The University

BACKGROUND Due to the widespread and unprecedented popularity of mobile phones, the use of digital medicine and mobile health apps has seen significant growth. Mobile health apps have tremendous potential for monitoring and treating diseases, improving patient care, and promoting health. OBJECTIVE This paper aims to explore research trends, coauthorship networks, and the research hot spots of mobile health app research. METHODS Publications related to mobile health apps were retrieved and extracted from the Web of Science database with no language restrictions. Bibliographic Item Co-Occurrence Matrix Builder was employed to extract bibliographic information (publication year and journal source) and perform a descriptive analysis. We then used the VOSviewer (Leiden University) tool to construct and visualize the co-occurrence networks of researchers, research institutions, countries/regions, citations, and keywords. RESULTS We retrieved 2802 research papers on mobile health apps published from 2000 to 2019. The number of annual publications increased over the past 19 years. <i>JMIR mHealth and uHealth</i> (323/2802, 11.53%), <i>Journal of Medical Internet Research</i> (106/2802, 3.78%), and <i>JMIR Research Protocols</i> (82/2802, 2.93%) were the most common journals for these publications. The United States (1186/2802, 42.33%), England (235/2802, 8.39%), Australia (215/2802, 7.67%), and Canada (112/2802, 4.00%) were the most productive countries of origin. The University of California San Francisco, the University of Washington, and the University of Toronto were the most productive institutions. As for the authors’ contributions, Schnall R, Kuhn E, Lopez-Coronado M, and Kim J were the most active researchers. The co-occurrence cluster analysis of the top 100 keywords forms 5 clusters: (1) the technology and system development of mobile health apps; (2) mobile health apps for mental health; (3) mobile health apps in telemedicine, chronic disease, and medication adherence management; (4) mobile health apps in health behavior and health promotion; and (5) mobile health apps in disease prevention via the internet. CONCLUSIONS We summarize the recent advances in mobile health app research and shed light on their research frontier, trends, and hot topics through bibliometric analysis and network visualization. These findings may provide valuable guidance on future research directions and perspectives in this rapidly developing field.

scholarly journals Comprehensively addressing postpartum maternal health: A content and image review of commercially available mobile health apps

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Tucker ◽  
Alan Cuevas Villagomez ◽  
Tamar Krishnamurti
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
Quality Score ◽  
People Of Color ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Mobile Health Apps ◽  
Google Play

Abstract Background: The United States is currently facing a maternal morbidity and mortality crisis, with the highest rates of any resource-rich nation. In efforts to address this, new guidelines for postpartum care suggest that mobile health apps can help provide complementary clinical support for new mothers during the postpartum period. However, to date no study has evaluated existing mobile health tools targeted to this time period for sufficiency of maternal health information, inclusivity of people of color, or accessibility to users.Methods: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards were used to review the peripartum apps from the Apple and Google Play stores in either the Health/Fitness, Medical, or Education categories. Apps were then evaluated for extent and quality of maternal health information, inclusivity of people of color, and accessibility to app users.Results: Of the 301 apps from the Apple and Google Play stores, 25 met criteria for final evaluation. Of the 30 maternal health topics coded for, the median number addressed by apps was 19.5 (65%). Peripartum behaviors were more frequently addressed than peripartum outpatient care topics and peripartum acute health risks. The amount of maternal health information correlated positively with the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) quality score of the app, and inclusivity of people of color in app imagery also correlated positively with the MARS quality score. Only 8 apps (32%) portrayed greater than 24% images of people of color- the percent of non-white Americans according to 2019 census estimates. There was no correlation between number of users as estimated by number of store ratings and MARS quality. In addition, apps with clinical authority had greater MARS engagement, information, aesthetics, and quality scores, but did not have greater numbers of store ratings.Conclusions: Current commercially available peripartum apps overall do not provide adequate maternal health information, are not inclusive of women of color, and are not optimally accessible to the target users. Apps authored with clinical authority and higher-quality apps, by MARS score, are more likely to meet these standards, but are not more likely to be downloaded and used.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document