scholarly journals Development of a Multidimensional App-Quality Assessment Tool for Health-Related Apps (AQUA)

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-23
Author(s):  
Teresa O'Rourke ◽  
Rüdiger Pryss ◽  
Winfried Schlee ◽  
Thomas Probst
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
German Language ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Quality Assessment Tool ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Related

Background A multitude of health-related mobile applications is available to the public in app stores. Many of these apps were not developed by health professionals and do not keep what they promise. To facilitate a safe handling and use of such apps, it is important to assess their quality in a standardized way. Some instruments for app quality assessment exist, although they have some limitations, which we want to improve on with this new assessment tool. Objectives The objective of this paper is to introduce a new multidimensional criteria-based tool for the quality assessment of health-related apps. Method Based on existing app-quality assessment tools and guidelines for evaluating health-related app-quality, items were constructed to assess objective and subjective app-quality. A pretest in form of cognitive testing was conducted with six participants and some items were optimized. Results An expert and a user version of AQUA were developed in English and German language. The expert version consists of 31 items in the seven dimensions Usability, User Engagement, Content, Visual Design, Therapeutic Quality, Security and Information. The user version consists of 34 items and additionally includes the dimension Impact. Conclusion AQUA is a brief multidimensional app-quality assessment tool that can be used for the quality assessment of health-related and mental health-related apps by experts and app-users.

scholarly journals QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF ETHICS ANALYSES FOR HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSSESSMENT

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 362-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Mae Scott ◽  
Kenneth Bond ◽  
Iñaki Gutiérrez-Ibarluzea ◽  
Björn Hofmann ◽  
Lars Sandman
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Quality Assessment Tool ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Crucial Part

Objectives: Although consideration of ethical issues is recognized as a crucial part of health technology assessment, ethics analysis for HTA is generally perceived as methodologically underdeveloped in comparison to other HTA domains. The aim of our study is (i) to verify existing tools for quality assessment of ethics analyses for HTA, (ii) to consider some arguments for and against the need for quality assessment tools for ethics analyses for HTA, and (iii) to propose a preliminary set of criteria that could be used for assessing the quality of ethics analyses for HTA.Methods: We systematically reviewed the literature, reviewed HTA organizations’ Web sites, and solicited views from thirty-two experts in the field of ethics for HTA.Results: The database and HTA agency Web site searches yielded 420 references (413 from databases, seven from HTA Web sites). No formal instruments for assessing the quality of ethics analyses for HTA purposes were identified. Thirty-two experts in the field of ethics for HTA from ten countries, who were brought together at two workshops held in Edmonton (Canada) and Cologne (Germany) confirmed the findings from the literature.Conclusions: Generating a quality assessment tool for ethics analyses in HTA would confer considerable benefits, including methodological alignment with other areas of HTA, increase in transparency and transferability of ethics analyses, and provision of common language between the various participants in the HTA process. We propose key characteristics of quality assessment tools for this purpose, which can be applied to ethics analyses for HTA purposes.

scholarly journals Development of Quality Assessment Tool for Health-related Information in Korean Online Newspaper Articles (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naae Lee ◽  
Seung-Won Oh ◽  
Seung-Kwon Myung ◽  
Seung-Sik Hwang ◽  
BeLong Cho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Rater Agreement ◽  
Quality Assessment Tool ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Online Newspaper ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Newspaper Articles

BACKGROUND Concern has arisen over the reliability and inaccuracy of the health-related information provided by online newspaper articles. Many criteria and items have been proposed and published regarding the quality assessment of online information, but there is no standard quality assessment tool available for online newspapers. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to develop a quality assessment tool for health-related information in online newspaper articles. METHODS We reviewed the previous health information quality assessments tools and relative studies, and accordingly developed and customized the new criteria. The inter-rater agreement for the new assessment tool was assessed for three newspaper articles using Fleiss’ kappa (K), Krippendorff’s alpha, and Gwet’s agreement coefficient (AC). RESULTS Overall, the quality assessment tool for health information in newspaper articles comprised five domains: reliability, usefulness, understandability, sufficiency, and transparency, and had a total of 10 items. The inter-rater agreement among the reviewers for the article on colorectal cancer was in the moderate to substantial range (Fleiss' K = 0.48 (s.e.= 0.11); Kripendorff's Alpha = 0.50 (0.11); Gwet's AC = 0.74 (0.13)), while that for the article introducing obesity genetic testing was in the substantial range with values of 0.63 (0.28), 0.64 (0.28), and 0.86 (0.10) for the three measures, respectively. There was relatively low agreement for the third article on hypertension diagnostic criteria at 0.20 (0.10), 0.21 (0.10), and 0.75 (0.13), respectively. CONCLUSIONS We developed a new assessment tool to evaluate the quality of health information in online newspaper articles, as well as in helping consumers discern accurate sources of health information. This tool can help increase the accuracy and quality of online health information in Korea.

Complications following volar locking plate fixation for distal radial fractures: a systematic review

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 745-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bentohami ◽  
K. de Burlet ◽  
N. de Korte ◽  
M. P. J. van den Bekerom ◽  
J. C. Goslings ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Locking Plate ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Plate Fixation ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Volar Locking Plate ◽  
Locking Plate Fixation ◽  
Distal Radial Fractures ◽  
Level Of Evidence

The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the prevalence of complications following volar locking plate fixation of distal radial fractures. A computer-based search was carried out using EMBASE and PUBMED/MEDLINE. Only prospective comparative and prospective cohort studies that presented data concerning complications after treatment of distal radial fractures with a volar locking plate in human adults with a minimal follow-up of 6 months were included. Two quality assessment tools were used to assess the methodological quality of the studies (level of evidence rating according to the Oxford Centre of Evidence Based Medicine and the modified version of the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group’s former quality assessment tool). Thirty three studies were eligible for final assessment. Most complications were problems with nerve and tendon function as well as complex regional pain syndrome. With an overall complication rate of 16.5%, most of which were ‘minor’ complications and low rates of nonunion and malunion, volar locking plate fixation can be considered a reasonably safe treatment option for patients with distal radial fractures.

The validity of mobile applications to facilitate patient care provided to cancer patients: opportunities and limitations

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haneen Amawi ◽  
Sayer Alazzam ◽  
Tasnim Alzanati ◽  
Neveen Altamimi ◽  
Alaa Hammad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Free Access ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Detailed Assessment

Background: The use of health-related applications (apps) on smartphones has become widespread. This is especially of value during the ongoing SAR-COV-2 pandemic, where the accessibility for health care services has been greatly limited. Patients with free access to apps can obtain information to improve their understanding and management of health issues. Currently, there are cancer-related apps available on iPhones and androids. However, there are no guidelines to control these apps and ensure their quality. Furthermore, these apps may significantly modify the patients’ perception and knowledge toward drug-related health services. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the convenience, quality, safety and efficacy of apps for cancer patient care. Methods: The study was conducted by searching all apps related to cancer care on both Google Play Store and Apple iTunes Store. A detailed assessment was then performed using the mobile application rating scale (MARS) and risk assessment tools. Results: The results indicated that on a scale from 1-5, 47% of the apps were rated ≥ 4. The MARS assessment of the apps indicated an overall quality rating of 3.38 ± 0.9 (mean ± SD). The visual appeal of the app was found to have a significant effect on app functionality and user engagement. The potential benefits of these apps come with challenges and limitations. Patents related to smartphone applications targeting patients were also discussed. Conclusion: We recommend a greater emphasis toward producing evidence-based apps. These apps should be rigorously tested, evaluated and updated by experts, particularly clinical pharmacists. Also, these may alter patient attitudes toward services provided by physicians and pharmacists. Finally, these apps should not replace in-person interactive health services.

scholarly journals rnaQUAST: a quality assessment tool forde novotranscriptome assemblies: Table 1.

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (14) ◽  
pp. 2210-2212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Bushmanova ◽  
Dmitry Antipov ◽  
Alla Lapidus ◽  
Vladimir Suvorov ◽  
Andrey D. Prjibelski
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Quality Assessment Tool

scholarly journals Quality assessment of nutrition coverage in the media: a 6-week survey of five popular UK newspapers

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. e014633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice R Kininmonth ◽  
Nafeesa Jamil ◽  
Nasser Almatrouk ◽  
Charlotte E L Evans
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcome ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Quality Score ◽  
Food Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Day Of The Week ◽  
Article Quality

ObjectivesTo investigate the quality of nutrition articles in popular national daily newspapers in the UK and to identify important predictors of article quality.SettingNewspapers are a primary source of nutrition information for the public.DesignNewspaper articles were collected on 6 days of the week (excluding Sunday) for 6 weeks in summer 2014. Predictors included food type and health outcome, size of article, whether the journalist was named and day of the week.Outcome measuresA validated quality assessment tool was used to assess each article, with a minimum possible score of −12 and a maximum score of 17. Newspapers were checked in duplicate for relevant articles. The association of each predictor on article quality score was analysed adjusting for remaining predictors. A logistic regression model was implemented with quality score as the binary outcome, categorised as poor (score less than zero) or satisfactory (score of zero or more).ResultsOver 6 weeks, 141 nutrition articles were included across the five newspapers. The median quality score was 2 (IQR −2–6), and 44 (31%) articles were poor quality. There was no substantial variation in quality of reporting between newspapers once other factors such as anonymous publishing, health outcome, aspect of diet covered and day of the week were taken into account. Particularly low-quality scores were obtained for anonymously published articles with no named journalist, articles that focused on obesity and articles that reported on high fat and processed foods.ConclusionsThe general public are regularly exposed to poor quality information in newspapers about what to eat to promote health, particularly articles reporting on obesity. Journalists, researchers, university press officers and scientific journals need to work together more closely to ensure clear, consistent nutrition messages are communicated to the public in an engaging way.

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