Compliance of Blood Donation Apps with Mobile OS Usability Guidelines

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to employ the guidelines of Android, iOS, Blackberry and Windows Phone to analyze the usability compliance of free blood donation (BD) apps. An analysis process based on a systematic review protocol is used to select free BD apps. An assessment is conducted using a questionnaire composed of 13 questions concerning the compliance of free BD apps with Android, Blackberry, iOS and Windows Phone usability guidelines. A total of 133 free BD apps have been selected from the 188 BD apps identified. Around 63% of the free BD apps selected have a good compliance with mobile OS usability recommendations. Around 72% of Android, 57% of Windows Phone, 33% of iOS and 33% of Blackberry BD apps have a high usability score. The aspect of BD app behavior should be improved along with some style components: the use of pictures to explain ideas and the adaptation of the app to both horizontal and vertical orientations. Structure patterns should also be used to improve the structure aspect of a BD app. Usability is a quality aspect that should be improved in current BD apps. Our study provides smartphone users with a list of usable free BD apps and BD app developers with recommendations.

Blood donation mobile applications: are donors ready?

“…In addition to security and privacy issues, many implementation challenges and practical concerns remain with administering off‐site donor questionnaires and conducting donor evaluations via mobile apps, such as lack of reliable methods to confirm date of administration, privacy of interview, identity of donor, and comprehension of questions. Not surprisingly, none of the 169 blood donation mobile apps surveyed in the recent reports provided off‐site blood donor eligibility interview capability …”

“…Recently published reports have examined 169 free blood donation mobile apps already in existence as of 2014. 17,18 The reports mainly focused on the utilities and various functional aspects of the apps, such as system requirements, search capabilities, display features, and user authentication requirements. It is unclear whether existing blood donor mobile apps have features and designs that meet the needs and preferences of donors, and consequently how they may influence donation practice and recruitment strategies in the future.…”

“…Not surprisingly, none of the 169 blood donation mobile apps surveyed in the recent reports provided off-site blood donor eligibility interview capability. 17,18 Our survey was designed to investigate the receptiveness of donors toward a mobile app intended to help them manage their donations with greater convenience, flexibility, and efficiency. It was also our aim to determine functions most useful to potential users and their concerns associated with app usage.…”

“…Recently published reports have examined 169 free blood donation mobile apps already in existence as of 2014 . The reports mainly focused on the utilities and various functional aspects of the apps, such as system requirements, search capabilities, display features, and user authentication requirements.…”

A Framework for Evaluating the Software Product Quality of Pregnancy Monitoring Mobile Personal Health Records

“…Mobile personal health records (mPHRs) are mobile applications that allow users to access and record their medical information in any place and at any time by using their smartphones [3]. MPHRs are particularly useful in the case of chronic diseases and specific health conditions that require extensive monitoring [4][5][6]. Unlike chronic diseases, which are long-lasting conditions, pregnancy is considered to be a health condition that terminates within a finite period.…”