Abstract
BackgroundThe availability of smartphone health apps empowers people to manage their own health. Currently, there are over 300,000 health apps available in the market targeting a variety of user needs from weight loss to management of chronic conditions, with diabetes being the most commonly targeted condition. To date, health apps largely fall outside government regulation, and there are no official guidelines to help clinicians and patients in app selection. Patients commonly resort to the internet for suggestions on which diabetes app to use.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate apps identified through a Google search and characterize these apps in terms of features that support diabetes management.MethodsWe performed a Google search for the “best diabetes apps 2017” and explored the first 4 search results. We identified and compiled a list of the apps recommended in the returned search results, which were Web articles. Information about each app was extracted from the papers and corresponding app store descriptions. We examined the apps for the following diabetes management features: medication management, blood glucose self-management, physical activity, diet and nutrition, and weight management.ResultsOverall, 26 apps were recommended in 4 papers. One app was listed in all 4 papers, and 3 apps appeared on 3 of the 4 lists. Apart from one paper, there were no explicit criteria to justify or explain the selection of apps. We found a wide variation in the type and the number of diabetes management features in the recommended apps. Five apps required payment to be used. Two-thirds of the apps had blood glucose management features, and less than half had medication management features. The most prevalent app features were nutrition or diet-related (19/24, 79%) and physical activity tracking (14/24, 58%).ConclusionsThe ambiguity of app selection and the wide variability in key features of the apps recommended for diabetes management may pose difficulties for patients when selecting the most appropriate app. It is critical to involve patients, clinicians, relevant professional bodies, and policy makers to define the key features an app should have for it to be classified as a “diabetes management” app. The lessons learned here may be extrapolated for the development and recommendation of apps for the management of other chronic conditions.
Highlights
We live in a digital era, where people turn first to the internet rather than a health provider to learn about a health condition or to look up health-related information [1]
We identified the listed apps from each paper and extracted the following information from the papers and the Apple App store or Google Play store descriptions: App name, developer, user rating, number of ratings, whether apps were free or paid, requirements related to external blood glucose monitoring devices, diabetes management features, and general characteristics derived from paper and store descriptions
This paper provides a description of the complications of diabetes and mentions the aspects that help a person live better with diabetes, such as healthy eating, exercising, taking medicines, and sticking to treatment plans
Summary
We live in a digital era, where people turn first to the internet rather than a health provider to learn about a health condition or to look up health-related information [1]. Of all medical conditions, diabetes is the most commonly targeted condition by health app developers [3]. The availability of smartphone health apps may empower people even further, as these provide an opportunity to assist or support patients to better self-manage long-term conditions, like diabetes, and influence healthier lifestyles [2]. Patients who actively engage in their own care between clinic visits are more successful in managing their diabetes [6,7], by, for example, using apps with blood glucose diary features and insulin calculators [8,9]. There are over 300,000 health apps available in the market targeting a variety of user needs from weight loss to management of chronic conditions, with diabetes being the most commonly targeted condition. We examined the apps for the following diabetes management features: medication management, blood glucose self-management, physical activity, diet and nutrition, and weight management. The lessons learned here may be extrapolated for the development and recommendation of apps for the management of other chronic conditions
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