mHealth最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation of the Healthy Eating and Recovery Together (HEART) digital health intervention to support head and neck cancer caregivers and survivors.","authors":"Katherine R Sterba, Jessica L Burris, Rong Duan, Benjamin Toll, Kent Armeson, Christina Sithideth, Bhishamjit Chera, Kenneth Ruggiero, Evan M Graboyes","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-53","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-53","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors and their caregivers face significant challenges at the end of treatment and interventions are critically needed to support their needs. The Healthy Eating and Recovery Together (HEART) intervention includes a needs assessment and tailored care plan for dyads and an application (App) for caregivers. The objectives of this trial were to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and short-term effects of HEART on unmet needs and depression in HNC survivors and caregivers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a single arm clinical trial, HNC caregivers and survivors (n=23 dyads) completed baseline surveys followed by an in-person or virtual HEART session; caregivers used the HEART App for 4 weeks and dyads completed a 6-week follow-up survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>HEART feasibility was demonstrated in session completion (100%), content covered (>80%) and App use metrics (mean =20 logins over 4 weeks). The needs assessment triggered an average of 4 referrals per dyad yet acceptance rates were low. HEART acceptability was demonstrated with both dyads and nurses rating the intervention (>75%) and App [mean System Usability Scale (SUS) =75] favorably. Unmet needs remained stable over time in dyads (P>0.05) while depressive symptoms decreased in survivors (P=0.02).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Digital health interventions are promising to address HNC survivor and caregiver challenges. HEART demonstrated favorable feasibility and acceptability. With further enhancements to streamline this multi-component intervention and its delivery, timing and participant engagement, HEART merits further study in a larger randomized controlled trial.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"12 ","pages":"6"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12885827/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146168285","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":"Community health workers and social media: benefits, drawbacks, and training needs.","authors":"Manuel A Ocasio, Joanna Fashjian, Charles A Haywood, Tamachia Davenport, Ashley Wennerstrom, Mallory O Johnson, Parya Saberi, M Isabel Fernández","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-20251-68","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-20251-68","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Community health workers (CHWs) are an essential and rapidly growing part of the public health workforce. CHW activities are traditionally conducted in person, such as in clinics and at community events; social media could further extend their impact. Many health professionals use social media for disseminating health information, engaging patients, and promoting positive health change, while also navigating risks, such as privacy concerns. Training could be an effective approach to equipping CHWs with skills to maximize social media's benefits while mitigating risks. Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly popular for creating, refining, or tailoring social media content and could be useful for CHWs who use social media. In this study, we conducted qualitative interviews to explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of using social media as a CHW tool, CHW preferences for social media skills training, and interest in learning how to use AI for social media content creation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recruited CHWs in Louisiana, USA, through targeted e-mails to a CHW professional organization and agencies that employ CHWs. Between October 2024 and February 2025, we conducted 15 interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed for analysis. We used deductive and general inductive approaches to analyze transcripts and generate themes. Results were finalized with input from experienced CHWs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified five themes related to the benefits and drawbacks of social media use: reach and engagement, privacy and confidentiality, health education, organizational policy and expectations, and time and effort. For example, in terms of reach and engagement, CHWs highlighted social media as being particularly effective for reaching specific groups, such as young people, but also recognized that many clients they serve live in rural areas with limited internet access. All participants were supportive of a social media skills training, except for one. Participants commented on the format, teaching approaches, and content they would like to see in a social media skills training program for CHWs, such as incorporating interactive elements and teaching how to develop culturally sensitive content and navigate personal-professional boundaries. Many CHWs expressed hesitancy about training on how to use AI for content creation, noting concerns about authenticity and accuracy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Social media could be a powerful tool for boosting outreach efforts and expanding access to health information. However, using social media can present challenges in maintaining personal-professional boundaries and the privacy and confidentiality of CHWs and their clients. Results from our study can be used to inform the development and testing of a social media skills training that is responsive to CHW needs.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"12 ","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12902161/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146204119","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":"Utilization of teledentistry in rural areas: a scoping review.","authors":"Kyoko Nakao, Kazuhiko Kotani","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-28","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-28","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Rural areas have a shortage of dental care resources and geographical remoteness, which is a major issue. Teledentistry, a new technology, provides dental care remotely and can reduce the care gap between rural and urban areas. However, the utilization of teledentistry has not been fully understood in rural settings. This study reviewed the current status and potential of dental care services for teledentistry in rural areas.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched for papers in MEDLINE/PubMed and CENTRAL published up to May 2024 with keywords of \"rural\" and \"teledentistry\" and conducted a scoping review based on the contents of the papers. Literature was limited to original articles, and conference abstracts, letters, editorials, and review papers were excluded. The target populations were subjects living in rural areas. Studies that compared the application with non-application of teledentistry and the remote approach with face-to-face approach were eligible.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirteen eligible papers were identified and divided into four categories of utilization. Four of the papers studied dental screening (checkups), five of pathological diagnoses, two of oral health support, and two of referrals to specialists. These papers covered studies in populations with a wide range of ages, from children to the elderly. The time reduction for access to services, acceptable satisfaction, and potential cost reduction were partly described. Overall, it was determined that teledentistry could indeed be useful.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The current review demonstrates the useful applications of teledentistry in rural areas. Although the introduction of teledentistry may be considered suitable for dental care services in rural areas, further studies are required to establish it. With the development of photography, artificial intelligence, and communication systems, teledentistry will be a future challenge.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"12 ","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12885803/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146168189","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":"Integration of a patient-orientated eHealth intervention in the setting of an established enhanced recovery after surgery program can reduce complications and length of stay: an observational study.","authors":"John Woodfield, Kari Clifford, Cole Melhopt, Charlotte Paddon, James Haddow, Susan Binks","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-41","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-41","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) significantly improves outcomes for colorectal surgery, but in publicly funded health services with resource constraints, some targets can be difficult to fully implement. eHealth interventions are increasingly used in surgery to improve outcomes. In 2020, we developed eHealth content to optimise prehabilitation, the delivery of an ERAS program, and postoperative care in a tertiary New Zealand hospital. Our objective was to summarise the clinical outcomes of implementing a patient-orientated eHealth intervention for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery for neoplasia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes with propensity score matching for patients undergoing elective colorectal resection for neoplastic disease between January 2020 and May 2024. Those using eHealth were compared to patients receiving standard care. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from the Otago Clinical Audit (OCA) database and from the eHealth platform. Complications, length of hospital stay (LOS), and readmission were compared using intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified 333 patients; 102 using eHealth and 231 receiving standard care. For matched ITT analysis, 102 patients from the standard care group were included. The eHealth group had a significantly shorter LOS [median of 5 <i>vs.</i> 6 days; relative risk (RR) =0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.71, 0.88; P<0.001] and fewer total complications [27 <i>vs.</i> 51; odds ratio (OR) =0.60; 95% CI: 0.30, 1.22; P=0.03]. Readmissions were not significantly different between groups. The eHealth platform was well-liked, with 72% of interactions rated as \"very helpful\".</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Patient support through eHealth, with a focus on prehabilitation as well as postoperative recovery, can be used to effectively supplement ERAS pathways and improve clinical outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"12 ","pages":"4"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12885829/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146168318","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 results of a web-based randomized controlled intervention trial to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among Youth with HIV (YouTHrive, ATN 135) during the COVID-19 pandemic.","authors":"Keith J Horvath, Michael Miller-Perusse, Richard MacLehose, Patrick S Sullivan, Lisa L Hightow-Weidman, K Rivet Amico","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-47","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-47","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Two-thirds of youth with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (YWH) were virally suppressed at the end of 2022 in the United States. We developed and evaluated the YouTHrive intervention in a multi-site 2-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) for effects on viral suppression. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on participants.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The 5-month mHealth intervention included participant interaction features, adherence information and monitoring, goal setting, and gamification, and was compared to an HIV information-only control condition. Viral suppression was defined as viral load &lt;50 copies/mL, with secondary outcomes including examining viral load &lt;200 copies/mL, viral load as a continuous outcome, and self-reported adherence using a visual analog scale (VAS). At baseline and 5-month follow-up, log-binomial regression models were used to estimate rate ratios (RRs) between study arms for viral suppression outcomes, and ordinary least squares linear regression models estimated mean differences (MDs) between study arms for antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and continuous viral load. The impacts of COVID-19 on different aspects of youth's lives were examined for the full sample and by intervention group. We also compared the responses of youth who were enrolled pre- &lt;i&gt;vs.&lt;/i&gt; post-COVID-19 on self-reported adherence and treatment engagement outcomes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;From August 2019 to December 2022, 208 youth across 8 recruiting sites were enrolled. The trial was stopped in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which study procedures were modified before reopening in October 2020. Over half of participants (64%) were between 21 and 24 years of age, and 29% were between 18 and 20 years of age. Most were cisgender males (68%), Black/African American (66%), non-Hispanic (76%), and identified as gay (50%). Of the 120 participants with complete viral load data at both time points, most were virally suppressed at baseline and at the 5-month follow-up (67%). No significant group differences in primary or secondary outcomes were found in either the complete case models or models that used multiple imputation to account for missing variables. Youth reported that the COVID-19 pandemic overall reduced their quality of life, with the greatest impacts on anxiety levels, finances, and reducing opportunities for sex, although relatively few participants reported that it negatively impacted access to HIV treatment and care services.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;The YouTHrive intervention did not improve ART adherence or HIV viral load in this sample of youth. However, substantial changes to study procedures made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to these findings. Teams conducting similar studies in the future should consider ways of mitigating the impacts of possible future pandemics or simi","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"12 ","pages":"5"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12885784/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146168206","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":"Considerations for mHealth development: lessons learned from two diabetes education apps.","authors":"Anita Pienkowska, Josip Car, Andy Hau Yan Ho","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-60","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-60","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer promising tools for supporting behavior change and chronic disease management, yet the development of such tools remains complex and underexplored. While existing frameworks provide high-level guidance, they often lack practical detail, particularly regarding the logistics of app design and development with external vendors. This study addresses this gap by sharing lessons learned from the mHealth development process involving a multidisciplinary team. We report on the iterative process of re-designing, re-developing and re-evaluating two health education apps: Glow, for people living with type 2 diabetes, and WellFeet, for those at risk of developing foot ulcers. The development and evaluation followed a hybrid of two frameworks: Design Thinking framework and Rapid Application Development. The apps were evaluated in a co-design study, randomized controlled trial and a feasibility study. This report follows autoethnographic methods for data collection and analysis. The process of (re-)designing, (re-)developing and (re-)evaluating the apps yielded valuable insights in three areas: (re-)designing app features, adjusting to regulatory landscape, and synchronizing with the developer. (Re-)designing app features included improvements in tracking and gamification, notifications, and tailored education. Adjusting to the regulatory landscape occurred at the institutional, platform, and national levels. Effective synchronization with the developer required understanding and adapting to their workflow, improving testing protocols, and maintaining a strong rapport to navigate unexpected challenges. Key practice implications emerged: the need to clarify and adjust the project vision iteratively within multidisciplinary teams, and to approach this work with resilience, humility, and curiosity instead of authority. It is equally important to prepare for uncertainty and remain flexible, as evolving requirements and regulatory shifts can influence both product and project plans. In such environments, adaptability is not merely helpful-it is imperative.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"12 ","pages":"8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12885799/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146168358","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":"A narrative review of health inequalities in dementia care in China: exploring mHealth's potential.","authors":"Rich Q Y Zhou, Bao-Liang Zhong","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-64","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-64","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong>Dementia poses a significant public health challenge in China, exacerbated by profound health inequities driven by socioeconomic, geographic, and systemic factors. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer promising potential to bridge these gaps by overcoming physical and economic barriers to care. However, their deployment presents complex socio-technical challenges that could either narrow or widen disparities without deliberate equity-focused strategies. This review was conducted to identify implementation barriers at micro (user), meso (healthcare system), and macro (policy) levels, highlight an evidence-impact gap, and propose a novel framework to guide equitable mHealth adoption in dementia care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed (English-language) and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI; Chinese-language) databases, covering publications from database inception to September 20, 2025. The search included quantitative studies, qualitative studies, and systematic reviews in English or Chinese focusing on the intersection of dementia, health inequalities, and mHealth in China. Additional sources, such as Chinese governmental policy document repositories, were consulted. Search terms encompassed relevant keywords for dementia, inequities, and mHealth interventions.</p><p><strong>Key content and findings: </strong>The review synthesizes evidence on mHealth's role in dementia care, emphasizing its capacity for convergence (narrowing care gaps) or divergence (widening them). Key content includes an analysis of implementation challenges using a multi-level socio-technical framework, revealing barriers such as user-level digital literacy issues, system-level integration hurdles, and policy-level regulatory gaps. Findings indicate a limited evidence base in China, with most studies focusing on efficacy rather than scalability and equity. The review culminates in the 'Inclusive by Design' framework, comprising four pillars: participatory co-creation for the care triad, and others, up to a mission-oriented research agenda, aimed at fostering inclusive digital health ecosystems.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Without equity-focused implementation, mHealth risks exacerbating dementia-related inequalities in China. The proposed 'Inclusive by Design' framework provides an actionable strategy for policymakers, developers, and providers to mitigate this. This review may influence future research by prioritizing implementation science and equity assessments, enhancing clinical practice through co-designed interventions, and informing policy by advocating for inclusive digital health strategies, ultimately promoting equitable access for vulnerable populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"12 ","pages":"12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12885787/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146168299","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":"A scoping review of implementation determinants and strategy alignment patterns in mHealth interventions for stroke recurrence prevention between low and high resource settings.","authors":"Xiru Yu, Jia Peng, Hua Tong, Keqin Rao, Min Cai, S'thembile Thusini, Yueli Meng, Xiaoling Yan","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-20","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-20","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Stroke remains a major global health burden, with high recurrence rates despite preventability through standardized interventions. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions show promise in stroke recurrence prevention, yet mHealth implementation varies significantly across different resource settings. This study aimed to investigate implementation determinants and strategy alignment patterns in mHealth interventions for recurrent stroke prevention between low and high resource settings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Six databases [PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), and Wanfangdata] were searched for the publication period from January 2013 to December 2023. We included empirical studies and evidence syntheses of mHealth interventions for secondary stroke prevention with implementation descriptions, excluding those using specialized medical devices, robot-assisted interventions, or involving participants with significant comorbidities. Implementation determinants were coded using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) constructs, and implementation strategies were mapped using Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) taxonomy. Strategy-barrier alignment was summarized by comparing implemented versus expert-recommended strategies across settings. Statistical significance was assessed using non-parametric tests and bootstrap analyses, with sensitivity analyses accounting for study quality.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Fifty-five studies were included, with 52.7% conducted in low resource settings. 74.5% were published between 2019-2023, with randomized controlled trials (RCTs) being the most common study design (49.1%). Interventions primarily utilized smartphone applications (APPs) (49.1%) and instant messaging systems (IMS) (25.5%). Key CFIR determinants differed between resource settings. \"Relative Advantage\" (9/29 &lt;i&gt;vs.&lt;/i&gt; 4/23) and \"Access to knowledge & information\" (11/29 &lt;i&gt;vs.&lt;/i&gt; 5/23) were emphasized in low resource settings, while \"Design Quality & Packaging\" (2/29 &lt;i&gt;vs.&lt;/i&gt; 9/23) and \"Reflecting & Evaluating\" (1/29 &lt;i&gt;vs.&lt;/i&gt; 6/23) were highlighted in high resource settings. There was a higher adoption of recommended strategies in low resource settings compared to high resource settings (9.40 &lt;i&gt;vs.&lt;/i&gt; 7.16 matches per study) as well as more gaps in reported strategies (9.53 &lt;i&gt;vs.&lt;/i&gt; 8.00 gaps per study). Mann-Whitney &lt;i&gt;U&lt;/i&gt; tests showed marginally significant differences in strategy adoption, with bootstrap analysis confirming it [mean difference =2.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36-4.12]. Implementation gaps showed no significant difference between settings (P=0.34).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Implementation determinants and strategy adoption vary between low and high resource settings. Low-resource settings demonstrate significantly greater adoption of ERIC strategies. Context-tailo","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12593981/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145483976","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 and validation of an online tool for assessing dietary intake, diet quality, and environmental impact in Mexico.","authors":"Mariana Lares-Michel, Fatima Ezzahra Housni, Virginia Gabriela Aguilera-Cervantes, Rosa María Michel-Nava","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-16","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-16","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tools assessing diet composition, diet quality, and environmental impact are essential for promoting sustainable diets. However, no such tools currently exist in the Mexican context. The objective of this article was to develop and validate Nutriecology^®, an online software designed to assess dietary intake, automatically calculate diet quality, and evaluate environmental impact through water footprint (WF) analysis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The software was developed using the waterfall life cycle methodology and a multi-stage process. It included a 24-hour recall, a validated and adapted Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and an automatic WF assessment. The Alternate Mexican Diet Quality Index (IACDMx) was also included to evaluate diet quality. The IACDMx was adapted from the Mexican Diet Quality Index (ICDMx) to reflect sustainable consumption patterns. The tool's accuracy was evaluated through two studies: (I) by comparing an FFQ and a 24-hour recall in 174 Mexican adults (18-74 years); (II) by comparing 2 FFQs and 24-hour recalls in a period of 6 months in 87 Mexican young adults (18-35 years). Validation was done through Spearman correlations and Bland-Altman analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nutriecology^® provides a novel technology for assessing diet aspects and WF simultaneously, cooking and food-washing water, and applying correction factors. Correlations for energy and macronutrient intake ranged from 0.64 to 0.80 (P<0.0001), while micronutrient correlations ranged from 0.22 to 0.57 (P<0.0001). WF correlations for the three components ranged from 0.53 to 0.60 (P<0.0001). Bland-Altman plots showed high agreement between methods, confirming adequate validity. Study 2 showed high reproducibility regarding diet composition and quality, food group and sub-group intake, and WFs (rho ≥0.5; P<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Nutriecology^® is a reliable and valid tool for assessing dietary intake and its environmental impact in the Mexican context. Its use can facilitate the integration of nutritional and sustainability research, supporting efforts to promote sustainable diets.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"52"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12594016/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145484086","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 App Rating Scale (User Version) for the assessment of a community health worker medical application.","authors":"Jan Noel Molon","doi":"10.21037/mhealth-25-22","DOIUrl":"10.21037/mhealth-25-22","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) pose a significant burden in the Philippines, with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases among the leading causes of mortality. The Department of Health implemented the Philippine Package of Essential Non-Communicable Disease Interventions (Phil PEN) to address this issue. However, healthcare professionals faced challenges in implementing the program due to the cumbersome nature of the multiple forms required for patient risk assessment. To address this, a mobile medical app, the PhilPEN Risk Stratification application (App), was developed for community health workers (CHWs) using the extreme prototyping framework. This study aimed to assess the usability of the PhilPEN Risk Stratification App using the (User Version) Mobile App Rating Scale (uMARS)'s 1-5 rating system and to determine the utility of uMARS in app development. The secondary objective was to evaluate whether the app could achieve an acceptable uMARS rating score (>3), highlighting the significance of quality monitoring through validated metrics in improving the adoption and continuous iterative development of medical mobile apps.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, including key informant interviews, linguistic validation, and cognitive debriefing. The extreme prototyping framework was used for app development, involving iterative refinement through progressively functional prototypes. CHWs from a designated health center participated in the app development and evaluation process, providing feedback and using the app to collect data from patients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The uMARS scores for the PhilPEN Risk Stratification App were above the targeted acceptable rating, with an objective quality rating of 4.05 and a personal opinion/subjective quality rating of 3.25. The app scored well in functionality (4.19), aesthetics (4.08), and information (4.41), indicating its accuracy, ease of use, and provision of high-quality information. The engagement score (3.53) was lower due to the app's primary focus on healthcare rather than entertainment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study demonstrated the effectiveness of the extreme prototyping framework in developing a medical mobile app and the utility of uMARS as a guide for authoring high-quality mobile health apps. The uMARS metrics were beneficial in setting developer expectations, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and guiding the iterative improvement of the app. Further assessment with more CHWs and patients is recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":74181,"journal":{"name":"mHealth","volume":"11 ","pages":"48"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12594008/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145484145","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}