scholarly journals Smartphone Ownership and Interest in Mobile Health Technologies for Self-Monitoring and Management of Heart Failure Symptoms (Preprint)

JMIR Cardio ◽  
10.2196/31982 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Leigh ◽  
Ben S Gerber ◽  
Christopher P Gans ◽  
Mayank M Kansal ◽  
Spyros Kitsiou
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Health Technologies

scholarly journals Smartphone Ownership and Interest in Mobile Health Technologies for Self-care Among Patients With Chronic Heart Failure: Cross-sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan W Leigh ◽  
Ben S Gerber ◽  
Christopher P Gans ◽  
Mayank M Kansal ◽  
Spyros Kitsiou
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
African American ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Minority Population ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Mhealth Apps

BACKGROUND Heart failure (HF) is a highly prevalent chronic condition that places a substantial burden on patients, families, and health care systems worldwide. Recent advances in mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer great opportunities for supporting many aspects of HF self-care. There is a need to better understand patients’ adoption of and interest in using mHealth for self-monitoring and management of HF symptoms. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to assess smartphone ownership and patient attitudes toward using mHealth technologies for HF self-care in a predominantly minority population in an urban clinical setting. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adult outpatients (aged ≥18 years) at an academic outpatient HF clinic in the Midwest. The survey comprised 34 questions assessing patient demographics, ownership of smartphones and other mHealth devices, frequently used smartphone features, use of mHealth apps, and interest in using mHealth technologies for vital sign and HF symptom self-monitoring and management. RESULTS A total of 144 patients were approached, of which 100 (69.4%) participated in the study (63/100, 63% women). The participants had a mean age of 61.3 (SD 12.25) years and were predominantly Black or African American (61/100, 61%) and Hispanic or Latino (18/100, 18%). Almost all participants (93/100, 93%) owned a cell phone. The share of patients who owned a smartphone was 68% (68/100). Racial and ethnic minorities that identified as Black or African American or Hispanic or Latino reported higher smartphone ownership rates compared with White patients with HF (45/61, 74% Black or African American and 11/18, 61% Hispanic or Latino vs 9/17, 53% White). There was a moderate and statistically significant association between smartphone ownership and age (Cramér <i>V</i> [Φ<sub>C</sub>]=0.35; <i>P</i>&lt;.001), education (Φ<sub>C</sub>=0.29; <i>P</i>=.001), and employment status (Φ<sub>C</sub>=0.3; <i>P</i>=.01). The most common smartphone features used by the participants were SMS text messaging (51/68, 75%), internet browsing (43/68, 63%), and mobile apps (41/68, 60%). The use of mHealth apps and wearable activity trackers (eg, Fitbits) for self-monitoring of HF-related parameters was low (15/68, 22% and 15/100, 15%, respectively). The most popular HF-related self-care measures participants would like to monitor using mHealth technologies were physical activity (46/68, 68%), blood pressure (44/68, 65%), and medication use (40/68, 59%). CONCLUSIONS Most patients with HF have smartphones and are interested in using commercial mHealth apps and connected health devices to self-monitor their condition. Thus, there is a great opportunity to capitalize on the high smartphone ownership among racial and ethnic minority patients to increase reach and enhance HF self-management through mHealth interventions.

scholarly journals Self-monitoring diabetes with multiple mobile health devices

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 667-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan J Shaw ◽  
Q Yang ◽  
A Barnes ◽  
D Hatch ◽  
M J Crowley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Health ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Models Of Care ◽  
Feasibility Trial ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Patients With Diabetes

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the use of multiple mobile health technologies to generate and transmit data from diverse patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in between clinic visits. We examined the data to identify patterns that describe characteristics of patients for clinical insights. Methods We enrolled 60 adults with T2DM from a US healthcare system to participate in a 6-month longitudinal feasibility trial. Patient weight, physical activity, and blood glucose were self-monitored via devices provided at baseline. Patients also responded to biweekly medication adherence text message surveys. Data were aggregated in near real-time. Measures of feasibility assessing total engagement in device submissions and survey completion over the 6 months of observation were calculated. Results It was feasible for participants from different socioeconomic, educational, and racial backgrounds to use and track relevant diabetes-related data from multiple mobile health devices for at least 6 months. Both the transmission and engagement of the data revealed notable patterns and varied by patient characteristics. Discussion Using multiple mobile health tools allowed us to derive clinical insights from diverse patients with diabetes. The ubiquitous adoption of smartphones across racial, educational, and socioeconomic populations and the integration of data from mobile health devices into electronic health records present an opportunity to develop new models of care delivery for patients with T2DM that may promote equity as well.

scholarly journals Would You Prescribe Mobile Health Apps for Heart Failure Self-care? An Integrated Review of Commercially Available Mobile Technology for Heart Failure Patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Mortara ◽  
Lucia Vaira ◽  
Vittorio Palmieri ◽  
Massimo Iacoviello ◽  
Ilaria Battistoni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Vital Signs ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Clinical Effectiveness ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Education Of Patients ◽  
Technological Potential ◽  
Mobile Health Applications ◽  
Mobile Health Apps

Treatment of chronic diseases, such as heart failure, requires complex protocols based on early diagnosis; self-monitoring of symptoms, vital signs and physical activity; regular medication intake; and education of patients and caregivers about relevant aspects of the disease. Smartphones and mobile health applications could be very helpful in improving the efficacy of such protocols, but several barriers make it difficult to fully exploit their technological potential and produce clear clinical evidence of their effectiveness. App suppliers do not help users distinguish between useless/dangerous apps and valid solutions. The latter are few and often characterised by rapid obsolescence, lack of interactivity and lack of authoritative information. Systematic reviews can help physicians and researchers find and assess the ‘best candidate solutions’ in a repeatable manner and pave the way for well-grounded and fruitful discussion on their clinical effectiveness. To this purpose, the authors assess 10 apps for heart failure self-care using the Intercontinental Marketing Statistics score and other criteria, discuss the clinical effectiveness of existing solutions and identify barriers to their use in practice and drivers for change.

A patient-centered mobile intervention to promote self-management and improve patient outcomes in chronic heart failure: The ManageHF4Life trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Dorsch ◽  
Karen B. Farris ◽  
Brigid E. Rowell ◽  
Scott L. Hummel ◽  
Todd M. Koelling
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Heart Failure Questionnaire

BACKGROUND Successful management of heart failure (HF) involves guideline based medical therapy as well as self-care behavior. As a result, the management of HF is moving toward a proactive real-time technological model of assisting patients with monitoring and self-management. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile application intervention that enhances self-monitoring on health-related quality of life, self-management, and reduces HF readmissions. METHODS A single-center randomized controlled trial was performed. Patients greater than 45 years of age and admitted for acute decompensated HF or recently discharged in the past 4 weeks were included. The intervention group used a mobile application (App). The intervention prompted daily self-monitoring and promoted self-management. The control group (No App) received usual care. The primary outcome was the change in Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) from baseline to 6 and 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were the Self-Care Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) questionnaire and recurrent HF admissions. RESULTS Eighty-three patients were enrolled and completed all baseline assessments. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups with the exception of HF etiology. The App group had a reduced MLHFQ at 6 weeks (37.5 ± 3.5 vs. 48.2 ± 3.7, P=0.039) but not at 12 weeks (44.2 ± 4 vs. 45.9 ± 4, P=0.778) compared to No App. There was no effect of the App on the SCHFI at 6 or 12 weeks. The time to first HF admission was not statistically different between the App versus No App groups (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.39-2.02, P=0.781) over 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS The mobile application intervention improved MLHFQ at 6 weeks, but did not sustain its effects at 12 weeks. No effect was seen on HF self-care. Further research is needed to enhance engagement in the application for a longer period of time and to determine if the application can reduce HF admissions in a larger study. CLINICALTRIAL NCT03149510

Mobile health technologies to improve walking distance in people with intermittent claudication

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marah Elfghi ◽  
Denise Dunne ◽  
Jennifer Jones ◽  
Irene Gibson ◽  
Gerard Flaherty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intermittent Claudication ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Walking Distance ◽  
Health Technologies

The Ethics of Mobile Health Technology

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S39-S39
Author(s):  
S. Galderisi ◽  
F. Caputo
Keyword(s):  
Health Equity ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Professional Associations ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Ethical Guidelines ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Quality Healthcare ◽  
Health Technologies

IntroductionMobile health (m-health) technology has been growing rapidly in the last decades. The use of this technology represents an advantage, especially for reaching patients who otherwise would have no access to healthcare. However, many ethical issues arise from the use of m-health. Health equity, privacy policies, adequate informed consent and a competent, safe and high quality healthcare need to be guaranteed; professional standards and quality of doctor-patient relationship in the digital setting should not be lower than those set for in-person practice.AimsTo assess advantages and threats that may arise from the wide use of m-health technologies, in order to guarantee the application of the best medical practices, resulting in the highest quality healthcare.MethodsA literature search has been conducted to highlight the most pressing ethical issues emerging from the spreading of m-health technologies.ResultsFew ethical guidelines on the appropriate use of m-health have been developed to help clinicians adopt a professional conduct within digital settings. They focus on the need for professional associations to define ethical guidelines and for physicians to take care of their education and online behavior when using m-health technologies.ConclusionsThe rapid spreading of m-health technologies urges us to evaluate all ethical issues related to its use. It would be advisable to produce an ethical code for the use of these new technologies, to guarantee health equity, privacy protection, high quality doctor-patient relationships and to ensure that m-health is not chosen over traditional care for merely economic purposes.Disclosure of interestSG received honoraria or Advisory board/consulting fees from the following companies: Lundbeck, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Hoffman-La Roche, Angelini-Acraf, Otsuka, Pierre Fabre and Gedeon-Richter. All other authors have declared.

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