mHealth Application Areas and Technology Combinations

Abstract

SummaryBackground: With the continuous and enormous spread of mobile technologies, mHealth has evolved as a new subfield of eHealth. While eHealth is broadly focused on information and communication technologies, mHealth seeks to explore more into mobile devices and wireless communication. Since mobile phone penetration has exceeded other infrastructure in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), mHealth is seen as a promising component to provide pervasive and patient-centered care.Objectives: The aim of our research work for this paper is to examine the mHealth literature to identify application areas, target diseases, and mHealth service and technology types that are most appropriate for LMICs.Methods: Based on the 2011 WHO mHealth report, a combination of search terms, all including the word “mHealth”, was identified. A literature review was conducted by searching the PubMed and IEEE Xplore databases. Articles were included if they were published in English, covered an mHealth solution/intervention, involved the use of a mobile communication device, and included a pilot evaluation study. Articles were excluded if they did not provide sufficient detail on the solution covered or did not focus on clinical efficacy/effectiveness. Cross-referencing was also performed on included articles.Results: 842 articles were retrieved and analyzed, 255 of which met the inclusion criteria. North America had the highest number of applications (n=74) followed by Europe (n=50), Asia (n=44), Africa (n=25), and Australia (n=9). The Middle East (n=5) and South America (n=3) had the least number of studies. The majority of solutions addressed diabetes (n=51), obesity (n=25), CVDs (n=24), HIV (n=18), mental health (n=16), health behaviors (n=16), and maternal and child’s health (MCH) (n=11). Fewer solutions addressed asthma (n=7), cancer (n=5), family health planning (n=5), TB (n=3), malaria (n=2), chronic obtrusive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n=2), vision care (n=2), and dermatology (n=2). Other solutions targeted stroke, dental health, hepatitis vaccination, cold and flu, ED prescribed antibiotics, iodine deficiency, and liver transplantation (n=1 each). The remainder of solutions (n=14) did not focus on a certain disease. Most applications fell in the areas of health monitoring and surveillance (n=93) and health promotion and raising awareness (n=88). Fewer solutions addressed the areas of communication and reporting (n=11), data collection (n=6), tele-medicine (n=5), emergency medical care (n=3), point of care support (n=2), and decision support (n=2). The majority of solutions used SMS messaging (n=94) or mobile apps (n=71). Fewer used IVR/phone calls (n=8), mobile website/email (n=5), videoconferencing (n=2), MMS (n=2), or video (n=1) or voice messages (n=1). Studies were mostly RCTs, with the majority suffering from small sample sizes and short study durations. Problems addressed by solutions included travel distance for reporting, self-management and disease monitoring, and treatment/medication adherence.Conclusions: SMS and app solutions are the most common forms of mHealth applications. SMS solutions are prevalent in both high and LMICs while app solutions are mostly used in high income countries. Common application areas include health promotion and raising awareness using SMS and health monitoring and surveillance using mobile apps. Remaining application areas are rarely addressed. Diabetes is the most commonly targeted medical condition, yet remains deficient in LMICs.

The Use of Mobile Phones for the Prevention and Control of Arboviral Diseases: A Scoping Review

“…Evidence suggests that using both approaches together (standard surveillance methods (traps) and mobile apps) are effective as entomological surveillance instruments for decisionmaking in the control of Aedes mosquitoes and subsequent action. Our review shows that the most dominant purpose is surveillance while research on management of arboviral disease is limited which is consistent with another review (Abaza and Marschollek, 2017). However, we also observed an increasing interest in the use of mobile phones addressed to diagnose arboviral diseases in the last three years.…”

Utilization of Mobile Mental Health Services among Syrian Refugees and Other Vulnerable Arab Populations—A Systematic Review

“…With regard to the success of mMHealth uptake among vulnerable Arab populations, many barriers exist spanning stigmatization, technological literacy, technological access, general distrust towards healthcare providers and political conflicts [14,28,30,35]. In Arab communities, there is a strong social stigma associated with mental illness as men who seek care are considered weak and women associate it with helplessness and being 'cursed' [12,37,38]. Another barrier is the preferred provider-patient relationship in this population, in which Arabs expect an authoritative style of communication where providers give concrete and specific solutions rather than long-term, "collaborative," dynamic psychotherapy [37].…”

“…Despite its novelty, mHealth has had some inspiring successes that may serve as precedents for governments and NGOs around the globe. A review article by Abaza and Marschollek published in 2017 identified 255 distinct articles addressing different applications of mHealth technology [38]. These studies spanned the globe and covered all continents except Antarctica and addressed mHealth applications for chronic diseases, transplantation, dermatology, dentistry, health promotion, maternal and child health and so forth [38].…”

Strengthening Surveillance Systems for Malaria Elimination by Integrating Molecular and Genomic Data

“…To get reliable and complete information from genomic data, sample sizes must be adequate for the specific questions asked; the centralization of samples storage collected during routine surveillance or case management at reference laboratories could help in having access to a large number of samples to analyze if the appropriate metadata are also stored appropriately ( Figure 2). Data transfer systems using mobile phone-based applications could be implemented at the different levels of the health systems for accurate and rapid transmission of information to the reference laboratories and the National Malaria Control Program [77][78][79]. Figure 2.…”