There is an “app” for that

Abstract

Purpose Asthma burden affects mortality, morbidity, quality of life, and the economy. Written asthma action plans are standard of care according to national guidelines, but these plans are often not prescribed. The purpose of this project was to develop an asthma action plan application for smartphones. Data sources A development studio was consulted for support in developing a smartphone application to code the software for the asthma action plan and assist in the design process. During development of the application, a survey was conducted to assist in design of the application and functionality. Conclusions All survey participants agreed that the application was easy to use, could be used without written instruction, and was designed for adolescents with asthma of any severity. Patients and providers mostly agreed that the app would help provide information about what to do in the event of an asthma exacerbation, and the application would be used frequently. Implications for practice There was consensus from both patients and providers that this application is not only functional but also helpful in the event of an asthma exacerbation. The project met the goal of designing a mobile phone application that would improve patient access to asthma action plans.

Smartphone Applications for Encouraging Asthma Self-Management in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

“…Odom and Christenberry [ 28 ] describe the development of a digital asthma action plan application. A short survey of 12 children with asthma, aged 12 to 19, reported that the developed application was easy to use and could be used without any written instruction.…”

Aerosol Therapy in Asthma–Why We Are Failing Our Patients and How We Can Do Better

“…The emergency asthma plan is often poorly understood, reviewed sporadically and poorly implemented. The incorporation of this into an app was rated highly in Burbank's adolescent study, with 93% reporting that they would adhere better to plans accessed via an app (83) whilst Odom showed that they are easier to follow (84) and Ramsey that they are preferable to a written plan (85).…”

Evidence-Based Review of Smartphone Versus Paper Asthma Action Plans on Asthma Control

“…In studies evaluating patient perceptions of a MAAP, user satisfaction was generally high and patients demonstrated willingness to use a MAAP in the future. 22,[24][25][26][27] As electronic information is often more commonly available than paper information, patients with a MAAP can easily access a user-friendly and personalized plan. This is particularly important when a patient's symptoms are worsening or in the event of an exacerbation, when a patient's ability to use an AAP is vital.…”