Abstract
The development of mobile health for epilepsy has grown in the last years, bringing new applications (apps) to the market and improving already existing ones. In this systematic review, we analyse the scope of mobile apps for seizure detection and epilepsy self-management, with two research questions in mind: what are the characteristics of current solutions and do they meet users’ requirements? What should be considered when designing mobile health for epilepsy? We used PRISMA methodology to search within App Store and Google Play Store from February to April of 2021, reaching 55 potential apps. A more thorough analysis regarding particular features was performed on 26 of those apps. The content of these apps was evaluated in five categories, regarding if there was personalisable content; features related to medication management; what aspects of seizure log were present; what type of communication prevailed; and if there was any content related to seizure alarm or seizure action plans. Moreover, the 26 apps were evaluated through using MARS by six raters, including two neurologists. The analysis of MARS categories was performed for the top and bottom apps, to understand the core differences. Overall, the lowest MARS scores were related to engagement and information, which play a big part in long-term use, and previous studies raised the concern of assuring continuous use, especially in younger audiences. With that in mind, we identified conceptual improvement points, which were divided in three main topics: customisation, simplicity and healthcare connection. Moreover, we summarised some ideas to improve m-health apps catered around long-term adherence. We hope this work contributes to a better understanding of the current scope in mobile epilepsy management, endorsing healthcare professionals and developers to provide off-the-shelf solutions that engage patients and allows them to better manage their condition.
Highlights
Over 50 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy, being one of the most common neurological diseases, according to the WHO [1]
Since medication plays an important role in seizure control, we evaluate how it is managed within the app through four features: M-1—type and dosage; M-2—schedule; M-3—history; M-4—side effects
This thorough comparison serves the purpose of understanding what is relevant to consider in an epilepsy management app, how can it stand out and what should it have to offer, besides the basics, to become more appealing to the end-user
Summary
Over 50 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy, being one of the most common neurological diseases, according to the WHO [1]. A seizure results from an excessive electrical discharge in a brain region, from which the outcome ranges from brief absence moments to minute-long generalised convulsions. From these outcomes, the patient is prone to suffer an accident, injury or even sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Many advances were made globally, in recent years, to reduce the burden of living with epilepsy, from raising awareness to improving overall epilepsy care. There are many unmet needs for patients with epilepsy (PWE), such as misdiagnosis and access to treatment [3], which have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic [4,5]. The widespread technology could play an essential role in epilepsy care and reduce the burden of epilepsy [4,7]
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