Background The use of mobile technology or smartphones has grown exponentially in the United States, allowing more individuals than ever internet access. This access has been especially critical to households earning less than US $30,000, the majority of whom indicate that smartphones are their main source of internet access. The increasing ubiquity of smartphones and virtual care promises to offset some of the health disparities that cut through the United States. However, disparities cannot be addressed if the medical information offered though smartphones is not accessible or reliable. Objective This study seeks to create a framework to review the strengths and weaknesses of mobile Health (mHealth) apps for diverse, low-income populations. Methods Focusing on smoking cessation, diabetes management, and medication adherence as models of disease management, we describe the process for selecting, evaluating, and obtaining patient feedback on mHealth apps. Results The top 2 scoring apps in each category were QuitNow! and Smoke Free-Quit Smoking Now for smoking cessation, Glucosio and MyNetDiary for diabetes management, and Medisafe and MyMeds for medication adherence. Conclusions We believe that this framework will prove useful for future mHealth app development, and clinicians and patient advisory groups in connecting culturally, educationally, and socioeconomically appropriate mHealth apps with low-income, diverse communities and thus work to bridge health disparities.
BackgroundOver the past decade, the United States has seen a dramatic increase in immigration, with foreign-born individuals comprising nearly 50% of the nation's population growth. Today, the immigrant population, which includes refugees, asylum-seekers, and undocumented individuals, consists of about 43 million people or 13.4% of the national population. 1 This influx has bolstered economic growth and contributed to a rich cultural diversity throughout the country. However, providing healthcare to this vulnerable population presents multiple challenges. This study seeks to elucidate the major barriers to receiving healthcare for immigrants, refugees, and other limited English proficient (LEP) patients, by gathering information from patients in the Emergency Department (ED): a place where many of these patients first access the U.S. healthcare system.Immigrants face many challenges to accessing healthcare. After arriving in the U.S., many experience significant declines in their health status, 2,3 including increased prevalence of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension. However, barriers prevent them from receiving the medical care they require. These barriers include socio-economic factors, unfamiliarity with the U.S. healthcare system, and not speaking the same language as their providers. Refugees and asylum seekers are a particularly vulnerable community, as many have experienced
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.