Just-in-time Adaptive Mechanisms of Popular Mobile Applications for Individuals with Depression: Systematic Review (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisbert Wilhelm Teepe ◽  
Ashish Da Fonseca ◽  
Birgit Kleim ◽  
Nicholas C. Jacobson ◽  
Alicia Salamanca Sanabria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
American Psychological Association ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Adaptive Intervention ◽  
Scientific Databases ◽  
App Store ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
Passive Measurements ◽  
Google Play

BACKGROUND There is an increasing number of smartphone applications (apps) focusing on prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of depression. A promising approach to increase the effectiveness while reducing the individual’s burden is the use of just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) mechanisms. OBJECTIVE With this work, we systematically assess the use of JITAI mechanisms in apps for individuals with depression. METHODS We systematically searched for apps addressing depression in the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, and in curated lists from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the United Kingdom National Health Service, and the American Psychological Association in August 2020. Relevant apps were ranked according to the number of reviews (Apple App Store) or downloads (Google Play Store). For each app, two authors separately reviewed all publications concerning the app found within scientific databases (PubMed, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar), publications cited on the app’s website, information on the app’s website, and the app itself. RESULTS None of the 28 reviewed apps used JITAI mechanisms to tailor content to situations or individuals. Three apps did not use any measurements, 20 apps exclusively used self-reports that are insufficient to leverage the full potential of JITAIs, and the five apps employing self-reports and passive measurements used them as progress or task indicators only. While 23 of the 68 reviewed publications investigated the effectiveness and 14 publications investigated the efficacy of the apps, not one publication mentioned or evaluated JITAI mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS Promising JITAI mechanisms have not yet been translated into mainstream depression apps. The lack of publications investigating whether JITAI mechanisms lead to an increase of the apps’ effectiveness or efficacy highlights the need for further research, especially in real-world apps.

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

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

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

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

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

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

scholarly journals Reinforcement Learning to Send Reminders at Right Moments in Smartphone Exercise Application: A Feasibility Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 6059
Author(s):  
Shihan Wang ◽  
Karlijn Sporrel ◽  
Herke van Hoof ◽  
Monique Simons ◽  
Rémi D. D. de Boer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Healthcare Intervention ◽  
Adaptive Intervention ◽  
Mobile Healthcare ◽  
Crucial Component ◽  
Application Data ◽  
The Right

Just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) has gained attention recently and previous studies have indicated that it is an effective strategy in the field of mobile healthcare intervention. Identifying the right moment for the intervention is a crucial component. In this paper the reinforcement learning (RL) technique has been used in a smartphone exercise application to promote physical activity. This RL model determines the ‘right’ time to deliver a restricted number of notifications adaptively, with respect to users’ temporary context information (i.e., time and calendar). A four-week trial study was conducted to examine the feasibility of our model with real target users. JITAI reminders were sent by the RL model in the fourth week of the intervention, while the participants could only access the app’s other functionalities during the first 3 weeks. Eleven target users registered for this study, and the data from 7 participants using the application for 4 weeks and receiving the intervening reminders were analyzed. Not only were the reaction behaviors of users after receiving the reminders analyzed from the application data, but the user experience with the reminders was also explored in a questionnaire and exit interviews. The results show that 83.3% reminders sent at adaptive moments were able to elicit user reaction within 50 min, and 66.7% of physical activities in the intervention week were performed within 5 h of the delivery of a reminder. Our findings indicated the usability of the RL model, while the timing of the moments to deliver reminders can be further improved based on lessons learned.

scholarly journals Development of a Just-in-Time Adaptive Intervention for Smoking Cessation Among Korean American Emerging Adults

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 665-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Jules Cerrada ◽  
Eldin Dzubur ◽  
Kacie C. A. Blackman ◽  
Vickie Mays ◽  
Steven Shoptaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Korean American ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Adaptive Intervention

scholarly journals Mobile Health Apps for Medical Emergencies: Systematic Review

10.2196/18513 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e18513
Author(s):  
Alejandro Plaza Roncero ◽  
Gonçalo Marques ◽  
Beatriz Sainz-De-Abajo ◽  
Francisco Martín-Rodríguez ◽  
Carlos del Pozo Vegas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
App Store ◽  
Mobile Health Apps ◽  
Medical Emergencies ◽  
Google Play

Background Mobile health apps are used to improve the quality of health care. These apps are changing the current scenario in health care, and their numbers are increasing. Objective We wanted to perform an analysis of the current status of mobile health technologies and apps for medical emergencies. We aimed to synthesize the existing body of knowledge to provide relevant insights for this topic. Moreover, we wanted to identify common threads and gaps to support new challenging, interesting, and relevant research directions. Methods We reviewed the main relevant papers and apps available in the literature. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was used in this review. The search criteria were adopted using systematic methods to select papers and apps. On one hand, a bibliographic review was carried out in different search databases to collect papers related to each application in the health emergency field using defined criteria. On the other hand, a review of mobile apps in two virtual storage platforms (Google Play Store and Apple App Store) was carried out. The Google Play Store and Apple App Store are related to the Android and iOS operating systems, respectively. Results In the literature review, 28 papers in the field of medical emergency were included. These studies were collected and selected according to established criteria. Moreover, we proposed a taxonomy using six groups of applications. In total, 324 mobile apps were found, with 192 identified in the Google Play Store and 132 identified in the Apple App Store. Conclusions We found that all apps in the Google Play Store were free, and 73 apps in the Apple App Store were paid, with the price ranging from US $0.89 to US $5.99. Moreover, 39% (11/28) of the included studies were related to warning systems for emergency services and 21% (6/28) were associated with disaster management apps.

scholarly journals Μια επισκόπηση του πεδίου των εκπαιδευτικών φορητών εφαρμογών για παιδιά προσχολικής και πρώτης σχολικής ηλικίας.

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stamatios Papadakis ◽  
Michail Kalogiannakis
Keyword(s):  
App Store ◽  
Google Play

Στις μέρες μας, τα μέσα οθονών αφής έχουν στην κυριολεξία εκτοξευθεί και τα παιδιά νεαρής ηλικίας έχουν γίνει χρήστες των ψηφιακών τεχνολογιών, όπως είναι τα έξυπνα κινητά τηλέφωνα και οι ταμπλέτες. Αυτές οι συσκευές υιοθετούνται ολοένα και περισσότερο σε όλες τις προηγμένες χώρες, ουσιαστικά ως οικογενειακές συσκευές, ορισμένες φορές ως ‘ατομική ιδιοκτησία’ του παιδιού αποτελώντας την ‘πρώτη’ τους επιλογή, τόσο λόγω των χαρακτηριστικών τους όσο και της πληθώρας των συνοδευτικών τους εφαρμογών. Η δημοτικότητα των μέσων αυτών στα παιδιά νεαρής ηλικίας έχει οδηγήσει στην παραγωγή δεκάδων χιλιάδων φορητών εφαρμογών που υπάρχουν διαθέσιμες είτε δωρεάν είτε επί πληρωμή στα δυο δημοφιλή διαδικτυακά ηλεκτρονικά καταστήματα, Apple App Store και Google Play, και οι οποίες - θεωρητικά τουλάχιστον - έχουν σχεδιαστεί για να διδάσκουν ποικίλες μαθησιακές περιοχές. Ωστόσο, παρά την δεδηλωμένη επιθυμία και εν μέρει ανάγκη των γονέων και εκπαιδευτικών  να χρησιμοποιήσουν τις εφαρμογές αυτές, στην πλειονότητα τους οι διαθέσιμες εφαρμογές οι οποίες αυτοπροβάλλονται ως «εκπαιδευτικές», έχουν ελάχιστα δικαιώσει τον αυτοπροσδιορισμό τους, καθώς στην πλειοψηφία τους έχουν μηδαμινή ή ελάχιστη εκπαιδευτική αξία. Η παρούσα εργασία η οποία αποτελεί μια επισκόπηση του πεδίου επιχειρεί να αποτυπώσει την  κατάσταση που επικρατεί στο οικοσύστημα των εκπαιδευτικών εφαρμογών και την αναντίρρητη ανάγκη γονέων και εκπαιδευτικών για εφαρμογές με πραγματική εκπαιδευτική αξία.

scholarly journals Smartphone Apps Targeting Physical Activity in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Systematic Quality Appraisal and Content Analysis

10.2196/18495 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e18495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay M Bearne ◽  
Mandeep Sekhon ◽  
Rebecca Grainger ◽  
Anthony La ◽  
Mehrdad Shamali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Information Support ◽  
World Health ◽  
Smartphone Apps ◽  
High Quality ◽  
App Store ◽  
Google Play

Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disabling, inflammatory joint condition affecting 0.5%-1% of the global population. Physical activity (PA) and exercise are recommended for people with RA, but uptake and adherence tend to be low. Smartphone apps could assist people with RA to achieve PA recommendations. However, it is not known whether high quality, evidence-informed PA apps that include behavior change techniques (BCTs) previously identified as effective for PA adherence are available for people with RA. Objective This study aims to systematically identify apps that include goals to facilitate PA for adults with RA and assess app quality and content for the inclusion of relevant BCTs against recommendations for cardiorespiratory, resistance, flexibility, and neuromotor PA and exercise. Methods A systematic search of the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in the United Kingdom was conducted to identify English language apps that promote PA for adults with RA. Two researchers independently assessed app quality (mobile app rating scale [MARS]; range 0-5) and content (BCT Taxonomy version 1, World Health Organization, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the European League against Rheumatism recommendations for PA). The completeness of reporting of PA prescription was evaluated using a modified version of the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT; range 0-14). Results A total of 14,047 apps were identified. Following deduplication, 2737 apps were screened for eligibility; 6 apps were downloaded (2 on the Apple App Store and 4 on the Google Play Store), yielding 4 unique apps. App quality varied (MARS score 2.25-4.17). Only 1 app was congruent with all aspects of the PA recommendations. All apps completely or partially recommended flexibility and resistance exercises, 3 apps completely or partially advised some form of neuromotor exercise, but only 2 offered full or partial guidance on cardiorespiratory exercise. Completeness of exercise reporting was mixed (CERT scores 7-14 points) and 3-7 BCTs were identified. Two BCTs were common to all apps (information about health consequences and instruction on how to perform behavior). Higher quality apps included a greater number of BCTs and were more closely aligned to PA guidance. No published trials evaluating the effect of the included apps were identified. Conclusions This review identifies 4 PA apps of mixed quality and content for use by people with RA. Higher quality apps were more closely aligned to PA guidance and included a greater number of BCTs. One high-quality app (Rheumatoid Arthritis Information Support and Education) included 7 BCTs and was fully aligned with PA and exercise guidance. The effect of apps on PA adherence should be established before implementation.

scholarly journals Tele-Dentistry Rising: The Apps of Pediatric Dentistry: An Up-ToDate Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karataban PK
Keyword(s):  
Dental Care ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Dental Trauma ◽  
Dental Pain ◽  
Pediatric Dentistry ◽  
App Store ◽  
Pediatric Dentists ◽  
Google Play ◽  
Dental Professionals

The pandemic changed the landscape of the accessibility to healthcare in an unexpected way. The instant disconnection with healthcare professionals including dental professionals thrusted tele-medicine and tele-dentistry into the spotlight. In pediatric dentistry, there are applications developed for both patients and dentists. This article aims to provide an overview of pediatric dentistry-related applications available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store that can be useful for children, families and pediatric dentists. iPhone XS was used to access the Apple App Store, and Samsung Galaxy Note 20 devices was used to access the applications in the Google Play Store. The keywords; pediatric dentistry, teeth, brushing teeth, toothbrush timer, pediatric dental care, dentist games, dental pain, dental trauma were selected and searched in Google Play Store and Apple App Store. In total there were 313 applications related to pediatric dentistry which were classified as “Applications for Pediatric Dentists” and “Applications for Pediatric Patients and Their Families”.

Optimal repositioning following failure and time to success on the Google Play app store

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
pp. 10378
Author(s):  
Ryan Angus ◽  
Matthew Barlow ◽  
Cameron Verhaal
Keyword(s):  
App Store ◽  
Google Play
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