mHealth最新文献

{"title":"Development, validation, adherence, self-efficiency and satisfaction of a mobile health application for women with primary dysmenorrhea.","authors":"Ana Jessica Dos Santos Sousa, Barbara Inácio da Silva, Beatriz Laryssa de Jesus Santos, Guilherme Tavares de Arruda, Jessica Cordeiro Rodrigues, Mariana Arias Avila, Patricia Driusso","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-24-88","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-24-88","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a prevalent gynecological condition characterized by menstrual pain. Women with PD often experience functional disability, absenteeism, and presenteeism, leading to increased healthcare costs. Health education is a proven strategy for improving self-management behaviors, and mobile health (mHealth) technologies, such as smartphone applications (apps), offer a promising avenue for delivering educational interventions. However, existing menstrual cycle apps have limited functionality and do not focus on PD self-management. We aimed to develop and validate a health education app-ColicApp-to improve knowledge and self-management of PD and to assess adherence, self-efficacy, and satisfaction among users.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a descriptive technology development study. The content of the app was designed based on a literature review, incorporating scientific evidence on PD self-management. A prototype was developed following structured guidelines and included sections on the definition, prevalence, pathophysiology, symptoms, self-care strategies, and pain management techniques. The content was reviewed for accessibility and comprehension by a group of women from the community. The app was validated by women's health physiotherapists and women with PD using the content validity index (CVI) and percentage of absolute agreement. Adherence, self-efficacy, and satisfaction were assessed over three menstrual cycles using standardized instruments. Data were collected online using Google Forms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The content of the app was evaluated by 22 women's health physiotherapists and 17 women with PD. The experts rated the app with a CVI greater than 0.76, while women with PD rated it greater than 0.80, with overall agreement levels of 96% and 94%, respectively. Participants provided suggestions for improvement, including the addition of explanatory videos for women with low literacy. Among 99 women who used the app, adherence rates were 76.8% in the first cycle, 68.7% in the second cycle, and 55.6% in the third cycle. A significant correlation was observed between adherence in the third cycle and pain reduction. Self-efficacy scores were high, indicating improved confidence in managing PD symptoms. Most participants reported high satisfaction with the app's design, functionality and educational content of the app.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>ColicApp was successfully developed and validated as an educational tool for PD self-management. High levels of adherence, self-efficacy, and satisfaction ratings suggest strong clinical applicability. This mHealth intervention has the potential to enhance self-care practices among women with PD and could serve as a valuable resource for both individuals and healthcare professionals. Future studies should evaluate the performance of the app when integrated into operating system platforms.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"31"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314701/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transforming daily support with multidisciplinary teleassistance: impact on health parameters in older adults-a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Andressa Crystine da Silva Sobrinho, Guilherme da Silva Rodrigues, Karine Pereira Rodrigues, Larissa Chacon Finzeto, Laura T D V Sampaio, Guilherme Carvalho Daniel, João Paulo de Freitas, João Gabriel Ribeiro de Lima, Grace Angélica Oliveira Gomes, Carlos Roberto Bueno Júnior","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-24-72","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-24-72","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Home care and teleassistance emerge as effective, patient-centered approaches to meet the healthcare needs of older adults, enabling them to remain in familiar environments while receiving personalized care. Despite technological advancements driving teleassistance, the success of these interventions hinges on the acceptance and adherence of older person and their caregivers. This study explores the impact of teleassistance on older adults' health, focusing on daily and simple care, through a randomized clinical trial.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Individuals aged 60 years or older were recruited and divided into two groups: the application group (APPG, n=21) and the control group (CG, n=19). Various anthropometric, motor, clinical, and biochemical measures were utilized for participant assessments. Throughout the 14-week experimental period, participants utilized the \"Viva\" application, receiving teleassistance and educational resources. Personalized support was provided to address any difficulties.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study demonstrated that the \"Viva\" application had significant positive impacts on the health and well-being of older adult participants. Specifically, the APPG showed no-table improvements in flexibility [sit and reach (S&R): +5.1 cm, P<0.001], lower limb strength [sit and stand test (S&ST): +5.2 reps, P<0.001], and walking performance [6-minute walk test (6MWT): +41.3 m, P<0.001], compared to the CG. Additionally, the APPG exhibited enhanced overall health (P<0.001), cognitive function [Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): +4.7 points, P<0.001], and significant reductions in total cholesterol levels (-25 mg/dL, P<0.05). These findings were complemented by improvements in healthy food consumption patterns, reduced daytime sleepiness, and greater health literacy, further emphasizing the application's role in promoting healthy aging and improved quality of life. With technological advances and expanding internet access, telecare has the potential.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>With technological advances and expanding internet access, telecare has the potential to revolutionize care for older adults by enabling them to safely and autonomously remain at home while receiving personalized support. This study demonstrated significant improvements in health outcomes, including reduced sedentary time, enhanced physical activity, better sleep quality, lower cholesterol levels, improved cognitive function, and healthier dietary habits in the teleassisted group. These results highlight teleassistance as an essential strategy for promoting healthy and active aging, reducing the risk of chronic diseases, and improving the overall quality of life for older adults.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>This study is registered in the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (RBR-6wgkzs8).</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"30"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314694/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pilot questionnaire survey shows the lack of diagnostic criteria for electromagnetic hypersensitivity: a viewpoint.","authors":"Dariusz Leszczynski","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-4","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Wireless communication devices and networks are currently prevalent in human environment. Some persons claim to be sensitive to emitted by them microwave radiation. Commonly, this sensitivity is called electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) or microwave disease. However, because of the yet scientifically unproven link between radiation exposures and EHS symptoms, this sensitivity is also called idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF). The sensitivity is not recognized by the World Health Organization as a disease or as being caused by exposures to wireless radiation. There are no medical tests for detecting sensitivity to wireless radiation. Physicians are not being educated to deal with persons who claim to be sensitive to wireless radiation. However, some persons who consider themselves to be sensitive to wireless radiation exposures claim to have medical diagnoses made by physicians or other health professionals. This project looked at the contradiction of the lack of diagnostic criteria for sensitivity to wireless radiation with the medical diagnoses claimed by some of the self-declared sensitive persons. Analysis of questionnaire responses of 142 self-declared sensitive persons suggests that, currently, it is not possible to diagnose sensitivity to wireless radiation exposures. The claimed medical diagnoses appear to be based on the anecdotal evidence presented by the self-declared sensitive persons. In some cases, medical tests were used but these tests lacked scientific proof of their ability to detect the sensitivity of a person to wireless radiation exposure. The proof of the existence of sensitivity to wireless radiation remains inadequate. However, logically and by analogy to other environmental stressors, it is likely that individual sensitivity to wireless radiation exists. Because provocation studies in wireless radiation-exposed volunteers alone seem unable to provide definite answers, further research using both, provocation and biochemical methods with controlled wireless radiation exposures in volunteers is necessary to discover diagnostic biomarkers of EHS.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"35"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314686/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of digital storytelling methods in promoting health-related outcomes among young adults of color: a systematic review.","authors":"Allysha C Maragh-Bass, Nhi Dinh, Grace Cooney, Ese Aikhuele, Rasheeta Chandler, Royal Hughes, Zoe Jones, Stephen Thomas, Zachary R Soberano, Jacob B Stocks, Henna Budhwani, Lisa B Hightow-Weidman, Lara Lorenzetti","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-24-65","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-24-65","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Digital storytelling (DST) encourages participants to use technology to create narratives and share personal experiences. Although DST can amplify the voices of groups experiencing marginalization, it is unclear how DST has been used among young adults of color. We also lack a comprehensive understanding of DST's role in addressing health-related outcomes. We conducted a systematic review to examine the role of DST in influencing health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among young adults of color.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched three databases for peer-reviewed literature between January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2023, for references examining DST methods among young adults (aged 18-39 years) of color that included at least one health-related outcome. We used a two-stage review process to assess eligibility. Data were analyzed by DST type and health outcome.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 877 references, we identified 33 eligible articles, most of which were from Canada and the USA. Studies addressed infectious diseases (n=13), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); mental health issues (n=10); maternal and reproductive health (n=5); and behavioral or other health themes (n=5). Across health areas, studies were divided by DST type: media creation (e.g., participants created digital stories) or media consumption (e.g., participants or other community members were exposed to stories). Studies using media creation often use qualitative methods to identify social determinants of health or reveal complex health-related issues. Studies using media consumption often used quantitative methods to measure knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Across health topics, DST demonstrated some effect in changing health knowledge and attitudes, but mixed results in terms of shifting health behaviors.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>DST can amplify the voices of young adults of color, especially regarding complex issues, such as managing HIV or mental health issues. Media creation studies explored lived experiences, while media consumption studies showed that DST was effective at improving knowledge and attitudes related to certain health issues. More randomized controlled trials may be necessary to better assess the effect of DST interventions on modifying health behaviors. Researchers should also consider the value of DST beyond health outcomes intended to be measured, including the ability to empower young adults of color to be more fully engaged throughout the research process.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"42"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314724/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MobileMen: the development of a mobile application to promote physical activity in African American men.","authors":"Amanda N Brice, Steve Fullmer, Charles Barger, Joel Serbinski, Michael Gallik, Phillip Nauta, Damon L Swift, April J Stull, David B Buller, Derek M Griffith, Kayla Nuss, Robert L Newton","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-24-82","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-24-82","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>African American men experience higher rates of chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity compared to other race and gender groups. This population also has high levels of inactivity, one of the major risk facts for chronic disease. Due to the promise shown by mobile applications (apps) in providing tailored and easily accessible health interventions, we aimed to build an app designed for African American men to initiate and maintain their physical activity (PA) called MobileMen.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted focus groups (n=24) with African American men to gain insight on the features and design aspects to include in the app prototype. We then used an iterative design process by conducting multiple rounds of beta (n=14) and useability (n=16) testing to create a prototype that was easy to use, visually pleasing, and culturally tailored. A satisfaction and helpfulness questionnaire and the System Usability Scale (SUS) were used as quantitative measures in addition to qualitative data provided by participants. Tasks were given to participants to test for ability to navigate and use the app features.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The average satisfaction and helpfulness ratings from participants were 3.9/5 and 3.7/5 for beta testing and 4.3/5 and 4.1/5 for usability testing, which met the pre-determined criteria of ≥3.5. Only one of the satisfaction questions, which was about cultural tailoring for African American men, was below the pre-determined criteria (2.7). By round two of usability testing, the majority of tasks were able to be completed by all of the participants and the mean SUS score was 90.36 out of 100 which exceeded a priori feasibility criterion of a mean rating of 68.0. The feedback on the finalized features was positive, and participants expressed that they would use the app if it were on the market.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Based on both the qualitative and quantitative data obtained from multiple iterative design rounds, the MobileMen app was well received by the target population and is ready to be tested on a larger scale for effectiveness. The app is easy to use and contains culturally tailored features.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"32"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314695/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the essential components in a mobile application for non-pharmacological management of fibromyalgia: a qualitative study from the perspective of patients and professionals.","authors":"María Adelaida Arboleda-Trujillo, Sara Gabriela Pacichana-Quinayaz, María Paz Grisales Gafaro, Katalina Espinosa Soto, Olga Marina Hernández Orobio, María Ana Tovar-Sánchez","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-24-56","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-24-56","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by widespread chronic pain, associated with fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive impairment, among others. Effective management of fibromyalgia requires an integrated pharmacological and non-pharmacological approach that involves the patient in self-care. M-health devices are widely used as complementary resources for chronic pain management and patient empowerment. The objective of this study is to define the content of a mobile application, FibroApp, for the non-pharmacological management of fibromyalgia, based on the perspectives of patients and expert professionals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>FibroApp was developed through a qualitative design, with the unit of analysis being meaningful discourse fragments from interviews with key informants (rheumatologists, physiatrists, physical and occupational therapists, psychiatrists, and patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia). Atlas.ti software was used for the analysis and triangulation of literature and qualitative findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The content of FibroApp, in consensus with the interviewees-both patients and experts-includes modules on physical activity or exercise, education, cognitive stimulation, reminders, and freely accessible supplementary material. The study highlighted the importance of social support, educational resources, and personalized exercise programs as essential components of the app.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The development of FibroApp underscores the potential of mHealth applications in enhancing the management of fibromyalgia by providing a multifaceted tool that addresses the physical, emotional, and educational needs of patients. The integration of social support, education, physical activity, and relaxation techniques within a mobile application offers a promising approach to improving the quality of life for individuals with fibromyalgia. Further research is needed to evaluate the app's effectiveness in larger, diverse populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"26"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314691/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mobile apps designed for preschoolers produce comparable physical activity outcomes to traditional physical education activities.","authors":"Nan Zeng, Susan L Johnson, Barbara Chamberlin, Laura L Bellows","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-24-78","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-24-78","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Globally, preschoolers' physical activity (PA) levels are lower than recommended. Digital interventions involving child-centered approaches hold promise for increasing PA behaviors. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the acute effects of 3 custom mobile apps, Foods & Moves, on preschooler's PA outcomes in comparison with traditional physical education (PE) activities as part of the HEalthy EnviROnments (HEROs) Study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-one children (17 boys, X_age =4.3±0.5 years; 42% Hispanic) participated in a 6-week parent-child intervention aimed at enhancing healthy eating and PA behaviors. Children's PA outcomes, including percentage of time spent in moderate PA (MPA%), vigorous PA (VPA%), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA%), and cadence (steps/minute), were collected by ActiGraph GT9X Link accelerometers on each of the 3 apps (Jungle Gym, Jungle Gym-2, Spin-n-Move) and 2 traditional PE activities (obstacle course and PA skill building) during weekly workshops.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Linear models revealed condition differences in VPA% [<i>F</i>(4,147) =10.18, P<0.001, <i>η²</i> =0.22], MVPA% [<i>F</i>(4,147) =13.46, P<0.001, <i>η²</i> =0.26], and cadence [<i>F</i>(4,147) =20.88, P<0.001, <i>η²</i> =0.35]. Pairwise comparisons indicated that VPA% for PA skill building, Jungle Gym, and Jungle Gym-2 was higher than the obstacle course (all P<0.001). MVPA% and cadence in PA skill building, Jungle Gym, Jungle Gym-2, and Spin-n-Move were higher compared to the obstacle course (all P<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Foods & Moves apps prompted a considerable proportion of high-intensity PA, which is comparable to or higher than traditional PE activities, demonstrating the potential to use digital strategies to promote PA in preschoolers.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"25"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314688/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Telemonitoring and self-management for digital hypertension management: is there a preferred method?","authors":"Nicolas Postel-Vinay, Roland Asmar, Olivier Steichen","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-24-104","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-24-104","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Given the rise of telemonitoring and self-management, experts debate the respective advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches. To date, no study has directly compared the efficiency or cost-effectiveness of blood pressure (BP) telemonitoring initiated and supervised by healthcare professionals (HCPs) and self-management of patients autonomously following a prespecified plan, but both have been compared to standard in-office BP management. A 2017 meta-analysis showed that telemonitoring leads to faster BP reduction and a higher rate of patients reaching their BP target than standard care. A 2023 meta-analysis found that digital health intervention to assist patients, such as short message services (SMS), smartphone apps, and websites, led to a larger BP decrease compared to usual care but the high variability in study designs and potential biases temper these results. Currently, the evidence supporting self-management for BP control is less compelling than for telemonitoring. But clinical trials may not fully reflect real-world scenarios. Economic evaluations have not clearly shown that telemonitoring is more cost-effective than standard care. In some studies, healthcare costs were even higher in the telemonitoring group, although this must be weighed against the benefits. On the opposite, some digital self-management tools do not collect identifiable user information, therefore face fewer regulatory constraints, and finally are less costly. Telemonitoring requires significant involvement and time to devote from HCPs to manage data and respond to alerts, raising concerns about increased workload. On the opposite, self-management <i>vs.</i> telemonitoring reduces the workload for HCPs because patients manage their own BP readings and interactions with digital tools autonomously. Another critical aspect to consider is the relationship between patients and HCPs, which differs greatly between telemonitoring and self-management. However, we still lack a full understanding of patient and HCP expectations regarding autonomy and monitoring. The 2023 European Society of Hypertension (ESH) guidelines now endorse digital interventions and self-titration algorithms. There are many differences between self-managing and telemonitoring to claim that one is superior to the other. A more constructive approach is to explore how they can complement each other.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"40"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314696/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Informing the future of digital therapeutics: lessons learnt.","authors":"Sara Tohme, Jennifer H LeLaurin, Jesse Dallery, Ramzi G Salloum","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-24","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-24","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"43"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314708/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a personalized conversational health agent to enhance physical activity for blind and low-vision individuals.","authors":"Soyoung Choi, JooYoung Seo, Ashwath Krishnan, Sanchita Kamath, Spyros Kitsiou, Justin Haegele","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-24-60","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-24-60","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>With the advancements in mobile health (mHealth) technologies, sighted individuals can benefit from mobile apps and wearable devices to more easily manage their physical activity (PA) and wellness data through intuitive touch gestures and effective data visualizations. However, for blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals, these conventional interaction methods are often challenging, not only limiting their ability to use these technologies but also potentially diminishing their motivation to adopt them to support health-promoting behaviors. We aimed to develop a health monitoring application called Personalized and Conversational Health Agent (PCHA) that supports BLV individuals with self-monitoring and management of their PA and wellness data (e.g., step count, exercise duration, calories burned, heart rate).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Drawing on social cognitive theory and insights from prior needs assessment research, five key design goals were established to guide the development of the app's core features and functionalities. PCHA leverages a large language model (LLM) to enable a conversational health agent that can be installed on iPhone and Apple Watch devices. This conversational interface is designed to ensure accessibility and inclusivity, offering PA management tools through a voice user interface (VUI) that minimizes the navigation challenges often associated with traditional touchscreen-based systems. To ensure evidence-based PA guidance, a thorough review of scientific literature and published PA guidelines was conducted. Finally, two blind accessibility experts conducted the accessibility testing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Accessible user interface (UI) designs, featuring high color contrast, large buttons, and a simple layout, were created using Figma. The main features and functionalities include: (I) a voice health interview to assess users' basic health information; (II) PA recommendations to guide users toward achieving their PA goals; (III) a chat feature enabling human-like conversations with the app; (IV) a PA scheduling and reminder feature with haptic feedback on the Apple Watch; and (V) an in-exercise mode that provides audible updates on heart rate, PA duration, and walking speed. The app's mobile accessibility was found to be satisfactory.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A follow-up study involving BLV research participants will be conducted to improve the app's accessibility and usability, and to update its features and functionalities. More research is needed to fully harness the potential of LLMs in the new mHealth system to motivate PA behaviors for BLV populations. To deliver truly personalized PA feedback for BLV individuals, mHealth app developer should incorporate PA and wellness data specific to the BLV population, along with their unique personal and contextual factors that influence PA behaviors.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"29"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314731/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144777032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}