Empowerment through technology: A systematic evaluation of the content and quality of mobile applications to empower individuals with cancer

Abstract

ObjectiveGreater emphasis on patient empowerment has led to a plethora of mobile health applications aimed at empowering patients with cancer. However, the rigor and evidence of these apps are rarely acknowledged. This systematic review of patient empowerment apps describes the characteristics, quality, heuristics, and evidence supporting these apps. Materials and MethodsWe identified commercially available apps through the Apple and Google Play stores using patient- and research-derived conceptualizations of patient empowerment. Three authors used the Mobile App Rating Scale, heuristics, readability, user ratings, and evidence to evaluate the apps’ foci, features, and quality. App characteristics were summarized with descriptive analyses. ResultsTwelve apps met the eligibility criteria and were analyzed. Apps’ content focused on enhancing communication skills (n = 10, 83.3%), social support (n = 8, 66.7%), information about cancer and treatment (n = 8, 66.7%), and peer-to-peer support (n = 5, 41.7%). The mean objective (3.9 ± 0.5 out of 5) and subjective (3.7 ± 1.0 out of 5) quality scores were moderate to high. Most heuristics were not violated, and the mean reading level was 10th grade, which is above the recommended 8th grade level. Four apps had been evaluated in published research articles. DiscussionThe contents of patient empowerment apps varied greatly, and the readability was exclusionary to the average reader. Apps. ConclusionPatient empowerment apps should be more rigorously designed and tested to ensure the apps are usable and beneficial to diverse groups of cancer survivors.