Abstract
Significant health disparities exist between the general population and people with disabilities, particularly with respect to chronic health conditions. Mobile healthcare—the delivery of healthcare via mobile communication devices—is witnessing tremendous growth and has been touted as an important new approach for management of chronic health conditions. At present, little is known about the current state of mobile healthcare for people with disabilities. Early evidence suggests they are not well represented in the growth of mobile healthcare, and particularly the proliferation of mobile health software applications (mHealth apps) for smartphones. Their omission in mHealth could lead to further health disparities. This article describes our research investigating the current state of mHealth apps targeting people with disabilities. Based on a multi-modal approach (literature review, Internet search, survey of disabled smartphone users), we confirm that people with disabilities are under-represented in the growth of mHealth. We identify several areas of future research and development needed to support the inclusion of people with disabilities in the mHealth revolution.
Highlights
Over 80% of people with disabilities in the US have one or more chronic conditions that compound the effects of disability on health and function [1]
We examined published literature and online resources to determine the current state of mHealth applications targeting people with disabilities, and the inclusion of people with disabilities in usability and evaluation studies of mHealth apps, targeting people with disabilities or the general public
Twenty-three articles were excluded as either opinion/discussion articles, or presentations of a theoretical or conceptual framework related to mHealth and not an actual application of mHealth
Summary
Over 80% of people with disabilities in the US have one or more chronic conditions that compound the effects of disability on health and function [1]. There is growing evidence that people with disabilities, as a group, face significant disparities in accessing healthcare and preventive health and wellness services that may mitigate chronic health conditions [2]. Compared with their non-disabled peers, individuals with disabilities are: (1) less likely to receive recommended preventive health care services (e.g., routine physicals, cancer screenings); (2) at greater risk for poor health outcomes (e.g., obesity, hypertension, fall-related injuries, mood disorders); and (3) more likely to engage in behaviors that put their health at risk (e.g., smoking, inadequate physical activity) [3,4,5]. Rates of cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death in the US—are three times higher among adults with disabilities [12]
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