A Review of Mobile Applications Available in the App and Google Play Stores Used During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to review the functionalities and effectiveness of the free mobile health applications available in the Google Play and App stores used in Saudi Arabia, Italy, Singapore, the United Kingdom, USA, and India during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This study adopted a systematic search strategy to identify the free mobile applications available in the App and Google Play stores related to the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the PRISMA flowchart of the search, only 12 applications met the inclusion criterion. Results: The 12 mobile applications that met the inclusion criterion were: Mawid, Tabaud, Tawakkalna, Sehha, Aarogya setu, TraceTogether, COVID safe, Immuni, COVID symptom study, COVID watch, NHS COVID-19, and PathCheck. The following features and functionalities of the apps were described: app overview (price, ratings, android, iOS, developer/ owner, country, status), health tools (user status-risk assessment, self-assessment, E-pass integration, test results reporting, online consultation, contact tracing), learning options (personalized notes, educational resources, COVID-19 information), communication tools (query resolution, appointments, social network, notifications), app design (data visualization, program plan), networking tools (location mapping-GPS, connectivity with other devices), and safety and security options (alerts, data protection). Also, the effectiveness of the apps was analyzed. Conclusion: The analysis revealed that various applications have been developed for different functions like contact tracing, awareness building, appointment booking, online consultation, etc. However, only a few applications have integrated various functions and features such as self-assessment, consultation, support and access to information. Also, most of the apps are focused on contact tracing, while very few are dedicated to raising awareness and sharing information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, the majority of applications rely on GPS and Bluetooth technologies for relevant functions. No apps were identified that had built-in social media features. It is suggested to design and develop an integrated mobile health application with most of the features and functionalities analyzed in this study.

The Effects on the Number of Patients Visiting the Emergency Units: Comparison Study Before and During COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia

“…9 In Saudi Arabia, hospital EDs were prepared to some extent since isolation areas had been created within those departments when the SARS virus outbreak occurred in 2003. 10 , 11 On a normal day, the ED is manned by three shifts of doctors and nurses over a 24-hr period. The private hospital used in this was therefore prepared to receive a higher number of patients than usual due to the increasing number of COVID-19 infections.…”

Usage of Digital Tools to Access Primary Care in Quebec: An Environmental Scan

“…As one of the interviewees said: "Every morning at 8am, there are people on the phone that look for a way not to come at the ER" [Respondent 4]. While digital tools try to address a part of this problem, we argue that the lack of single apps integrating the different needed features might cause more confusion, as also observed in other countries [14]. Also, misalignment of incentives and processes lead to the resistance of public efforts by the government of Quebec to offer online booking.…”

Implementing Public Health Strategies—The Need for Educational Initiatives: A Systematic Review

“…According to the GDPR regulation, people have the possibility of using their rights in not disclosing whom they have been in contact with or can legally resist and challenge the tracking by authorities [7,19,22,35]. Furthermore, critics of contact tracing have pointed out that most of the apps are inconsistent with a range of older Android devices.…”

“…However, the inadequate level of public compliance with these public health strategies has resulted in mandatory contact tracing strategies as part of a government strategy in some countries [8,17,21]. Within the European Union (EU), in some nations, authorities together with telecommunications providers started sharing people's anonymous location data on map concentrations, respecting the Europe's privacy laws and individuals' rights to privacy [8,9,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27].…”

“…Although the use of these apps seems necessary and beneficial, they seem to create several challenges, such as ethical, psychological, and practical, that may influence the willingness of individuals and a community to implement these measures actively [22,23,25]. The willingness itself is proven to be dependent on the level of information and knowledge, especially when dealing with unknown threats [28].…”