Analysis of mobile apps for information, prevention and monitoring of covid-19 and proposal of an innovative app in this field (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Herrera Montano ◽  
Javier Pérez Pacho ◽  
Santos Gracia Villar ◽  
Silvia Aparicio Obregon ◽  
José Breñosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Main Function ◽  
App Store ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Share Data ◽  
Virtual Stores ◽  
Google Play

BACKGROUND To address the current pandemic, multiple studies have focused on the development of new mHealth applications to help curb the number of infections, these applications aim to accelerate the identification and self-isolation of people exposed to SARS-CoV- 2, the coronavirus known to cause COVID-19, by being in close contact with infected individuals. OBJECTIVE The main objectives of this paper are: 1)To analyze the current status of COVID-19 apps available the main virtual stores: Google Play Store and App Store, and 2)To propose a novel mobile application based on the limitations of the analyzed apps. METHODS The search for apps in this research was carried out in the main virtual stores: Google Play Store and App Store, until May 2021. After the analysis of the selected apps, a novel app is proposed whose main function will be the multiple transmission of information about the patient's symptoms from the application, without the need for phone calls or chat in real time. For its development, the flowchart shown in this session is followed. RESULTS The search yielded a total of 50 apps, of which 24 were relevant to this study. It is important to note that 23 of the apps analyzed are free. Of the total number of apps, 54% are available for Android and iOS operating systems. 50% of the apps have more than 5 thousand downloads. This means that Covid-19 related apps are in high demand among mobile device users today. The developed app is called COVINFO and its name comes from the union of the words COVID-19 and information, inserted in such a way that the user can get an idea of the app's functionality just by listening or reading the resulting name. The application has been created for mobile devices with Android operating system, being compatible with Android 4.4 and higher. CONCLUSIONS Of the apps found, 37.5% only offer information about the virus and the necessary measures to avoid infection. During the analysis it was detected that 12.5% of the apps are focused on locating outbreaks and that none of them have been successful for the following reasons: not being interconnected to share data; and the request for access to the user's geolocation, generating distrust on the part of the user who, consequently, rejects them. This work addresses the development of an application for the transmission of the user's symptoms to his regular doctor, based on the fact that only 16.6% of the existing applications have this functionality. The COVINFO app offers a service that no other application on the market has: doctor-patient interaction without the need for calls or chat in real time for constant monitoring by the doctor of the patient's condition and evolution.

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 Mobile Health Apps for Medical Emergencies: Systematic Review (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
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.

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.

Social Media in Accelerating Mobile Apps

2020 ◽  
pp. 1513-1526
Author(s):  
Asta Bäck ◽  
Päivi Jaring
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Longitudinal Analysis ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
App Store ◽  
Data Points ◽  
Google Play

Mobile application stores have become very popular, and the two most popular, Google Play and Apple App Store, both have over a million applications (apps) available. Social media is extensively used for marketing products and services; but, its true potential, in service and product acceleration, has not been researched much. This paper studies the differences in actions between successful and less successful app developers and especially their social media use in accelerating applications and its impact on success. In this study, a longitudinal analysis is performed on 682 applications, from four Google Play categories, at three data points. This study concludes that almost 50% of the analyzed applications use some form of social media to promote their app, and that successful apps use social media more actively than less successful ones. The qualitative analysis of the apps sheds some light as to why some apps succeed without social media use, and why some fail while using it.

scholarly journals Vaping-Related Mobile Apps Available in the Google Play Store After the Apple Ban: Content Review

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.

scholarly journals Technology, Privacy, and User Opinions of COVID-19 Mobile Apps for Contact Tracing: Systematic Search and Content Analysis

10.2196/23467 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. e23467
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Elkhodr ◽  
Omar Mubin ◽  
Zainab Iftikhar ◽  
Maleeha Masood ◽  
Belal Alsinglawi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
The United States ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
App Store ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Google Play ◽  
Privacy Issues

Background Many countries across the globe have released their own COVID-19 contact tracing apps. This has resulted in the proliferation of several apps that used a variety of technologies. With the absence of a standardized approach used by the authorities, policy makers, and developers, many of these apps were unique. Therefore, they varied by function and the underlying technology used for contact tracing and infection reporting. Objective The goal of this study was to analyze most of the COVID-19 contact tracing apps in use today. Beyond investigating the privacy features, design, and implications of these apps, this research examined the underlying technologies used in contact tracing apps. It also attempted to provide some insights into their level of penetration and to gauge their public reception. This research also investigated the data collection, reporting, retention, and destruction procedures used by each of the apps under review. Methods This research study evaluated 13 apps corresponding to 10 countries based on the underlying technology used. The inclusion criteria ensured that most COVID-19-declared epicenters (ie, countries) were included in the sample, such as Italy. The evaluated apps also included countries that did relatively well in controlling the outbreak of COVID-19, such as Singapore. Informational and unofficial contact tracing apps were excluded from this study. A total of 30,000 reviews corresponding to the 13 apps were scraped from app store webpages and analyzed. Results This study identified seven distinct technologies used by COVID-19 tracing apps and 13 distinct apps. The United States was reported to have released the most contact tracing apps, followed by Italy. Bluetooth was the most frequently used underlying technology, employed by seven apps, whereas three apps used GPS. The Norwegian, Singaporean, Georgian, and New Zealand apps were among those that collected the most personal information from users, whereas some apps, such as the Swiss app and the Italian (Immuni) app, did not collect any user information. The observed minimum amount of time implemented for most of the apps with regard to data destruction was 14 days, while the Georgian app retained records for 3 years. No significant battery drainage issue was reported for most of the apps. Interestingly, only about 2% of the reviewers expressed concerns about their privacy across all apps. The number and frequency of technical issues reported on the Apple App Store were significantly more than those reported on Google Play; the highest was with the New Zealand app, with 27% of the reviewers reporting technical difficulties (ie, 10% out of 27% scraped reviews reported that the app did not work). The Norwegian, Swiss, and US (PathCheck) apps had the least reported technical issues, sitting at just below 10%. In terms of usability, many apps, such as those from Singapore, Australia, and Switzerland, did not provide the users with an option to sign out from their apps. Conclusions This article highlighted the fact that COVID-19 contact tracing apps are still facing many obstacles toward their widespread and public acceptance. The main challenges are related to the technical, usability, and privacy issues or to the requirements reported by some users.

scholarly journals Speaking for “Free”: Word of Mouth in Free- and Paid-Product Settings

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 276-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel D. Bond ◽  
Stephen X. He ◽  
Wen Wen
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Free Product ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Controlled Experiments ◽  
Free Products ◽  
Retrospective Survey ◽  
App Store ◽  
Google Play ◽  
Free Word

This research examines drivers of consumer word of mouth (WOM) in free-product settings, revealing fundamental differences with traditional, paid-product settings. The authors build and investigate a theoretical model that highlights two unique characteristics of free products (reciprocity motivation and diminished adoption risk) and considers their implications for WOM sharing. Results of a retrospective survey, two controlled experiments, and an analysis of more than 5,000 mobile apps at Google Play and Apple’s App Store reveal that consumers are generally more likely to share their opinions of free products than paid products, because of feelings of reciprocity toward the producer. However, this difference is reduced when prior consumer WOM is low in volume and highly disperse, signaling greater adoption risk. These findings contribute to nascent understanding of free-product marketing while offering new insights for catalyzing consumer WOM.

Mobile Applications for Allergic Rhinitis

2018 ◽  
Vol 127 (11) ◽  
pp. 836-840 ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Application of Developers’ and Users’ Dependent Factors in App Store Optimization

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur Strzelecki
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Short Description ◽  
Rating System ◽  
Average Rating ◽  
App Store ◽  
Volume Average ◽  
Sample Data ◽  
System Requirements ◽  
Google Play

This paper presents an application of developers' and users' dependent factors in the app store optimization. The application is based on two main fields: developers’ dependent factors and users’ dependent factors. Developers’ dependent factors are identified as: developer name, app name, subtitle, genre, short description, long description, content rating, system requirements, page url, last update, what’s new and price. Users’ dependent factors are identified as: download volume, average rating, rating volume and reviews. The proposed application in its final form is modelled after mining sample data from two leading app stores: Google Play and Apple App Store. Results from analyzing collected data show that developer dependent elements can be better optimized. Names and descriptions of mobile apps are not fully utilized. In Google Play there is one significant correlation between download volume and number of reviews, whereas in App Store there is no significant correlation between factors.

scholarly journals Mobile Apps for Speech-Language Therapy in Adults With Communication Disorders: Review of Content and Quality

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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