Healthcare in the pocket: Mapping the space of mobile-phone health interventions

Abstract

Mobile phones are becoming an increasingly important platform for the delivery of health interventions. In recent years, researchers have used mobile phones as tools for encouraging physical activity and healthy diets, for symptom monitoring in asthma and heart disease, for sending patients reminders about upcoming appointments, for supporting smoking cessation, and for a range of other health problems. This paper provides an overview of this rapidly growing body of work. We describe the features of mobile phones that make them a particularly promising platform for health interventions, and we identify five basic intervention strategies that have been used in mobile-phone health applications across different health conditions. Finally, we outline the directions for future research that could increase our understanding of functional and design requirements for the development of highly effective mobile-phone health interventions.

Randomized Controlled Trial of MyLastDip: A Web-Based Smokeless Tobacco Cessation Program for Chewers Ages 14-25

“…Future research might also explore augmenting the efficacy of the Enhanced Condition with a mobile treatment adjunct designed to proactively push content to participants (Klasnja & Pratt, 2012). The use of mobile treatment adjuncts is consistent with a recent Pew Report (Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, & Zickuhr, 2010) and other similar reviews (Nielsen, 2009), concluding that texting is indispensable to the lives of American teens and young adults.…”

Managing obesity through mobile phone applications: a state-of-the-art review from a user-centred design perspective

“…The above factors have prompted initiatives to prevent obesity which range from the implementation of public health policies such as nutrition labeling [8], unhealthy food and drinks tax [9], to interventions by means of mobile phone applications to promote healthy eating and increased physical activity [10]. Some literature reviews, which have studied the effectiveness of obesity prevention through mobile phone applications, reported a mixed outcome of the intervention effectiveness [11,12].…”

“…Nagai et al [6] reported that in spite of shorter life expectancy, individuals that are obese still require higher lifetime medical expenditures than those of normal weight. These costs are likely to increase as the prevalence of obesity increases [7].The above factors have prompted initiatives to prevent obesity which range from the implementation of public health policies such as nutrition labeling [8], unhealthy food and drinks tax [9], to interventions by means of mobile phone applications to promote healthy eating and increased physical activity [10]. Some literature reviews, which have studied the effectiveness of obesity prevention through mobile phone applications, reported a mixed outcome of the intervention effectiveness [11,12].…”

A Review and Comparative Analysis of Security Risks and Safety Measures of Mobile Health Apps

“…mHealth can enable healthcare that is "more accessible, affordable and available" (Akter et al 2013 p. 181), given that the majority of people throughout the world (more than 5.5 billion people) own a mobile phone (Akter et al 2013) and their tendency to keep them close at hand at all times (Klasnja and Pratt 2012). mHealth also enables healthcare communication, such as phoning new mothers (Tamrat and Kachnowski 2012) or sending patients an SMS with information about their medical condition (Technologies 2014).…”