What the app? A 17-country study of apps’ effectiveness for brand lift

Cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and stroke affect millions of people in the United States annually.1 Despite significant advances in medical treatments for these conditions, they remain a major public health problem and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.1 A critical common element in optimizing care and outcomes for these conditions is the timely recognition of symptoms and initiation of treatment. For example, rapid initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with improved survival from cardiac arrest.2 Similarly, early recognition and presentation after onset of symptoms of AMI and ischemic stroke enable implementation of critical therapies such as primary angioplasty and thrombolysis, which are known to improve outcomes.1 Indeed, the “Chain of Survival” for emergency cardiovascular and cerebrovascular care (ECCC) starts with prompt identification of the condition and early activation of the healthcare system to rapidly initiate care.3 Unfortunately, despite national efforts that include public education initiatives and clinical practice guideline recommendations from entities such as the American Heart Association (AHA), major gaps remain in the timely identification of symptoms and initiation of ECCC.4–6 As one example, studies of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have consistently noted delays in the initiation of bystander CPR.7 For AMI, there have been advances in the provision of timely primary angioplasty for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), as reflected by significant improvements in door-to-balloon times.8 However, the time from patient symptom onset to seeking care for possible myocardial infarction has not improved significantly.9,10 Similarly, for stroke, there continue to be advances in door-to-needle times, but stroke symptom recognition and seeking of treatment by patients and their families remain a major barrier to timely stroke care.11–16 Public and clinician education efforts alone are not sufficient to reduce gaps …

There are more than 318,000 mobile health apps available worldwide and more than 200 new apps become available each day. Although most are general wellness apps, the number of those related to patient care and management of health conditions continues to increase and has reached 40 percent of all health apps on the market. In fact, there is at least one high-quality app (i.e., apps with such attributes as good patient ratings, frequent updates, and promising clinical evidence) available to support patients’ needs at each stage of the care continuum, from prevention to treatment. More than 570 studies on mobile apps have been published, providing a robust amount of clinical evidence on their quality and effectiveness.1 One survey identified that 75 percent of U.S. health consumers believe technology, including apps, is important for managing their health. Mobile health apps are being embraced by patients for a multitude of uses, including virtual care and tracking, recording, and sharing health data, such as blood pressure and heart rate.2 Top uses for virtual care have included after-hours and follow-up appointments and concern-specific discussions. The use of virtual care continues to increase; 25 percent of surveyed consumers indicated they used these services in 2018, which is up from 21 percent in 2017. The majority of 2018 respondents who used these services (74 percent) said they were satisfied with the virtual care they received; in fact, approximately 50 percent of all respondents reported they would prefer a faster virtual care appointment than a delayed in-person visit.2 Moreover, 79 percent of U.S. consumers reported in another survey that they are more likely to choose a health care provider who has methods in place to connect virtually instead of one who does not.3 Ninety percent of patients surveyed indicated they are willing to share their health data obtained from mobile apps and wearable devices with their health care team.2 For health care professionals, mobile apps are beneficial for a range of uses, including to access medical references for point-of-care decisions; assist with hospital information systems, such as the electronic health record; communicate with other clinicians; perform training; and remotely monitor patients. In one survey, approximately 30 to 50 percent of U.S. clinicians reported using apps to actively engage in patient care, including to collect patient information at the bedside and monitor medical device information.3 Approximately 66 percent of the 100 biggest U.S. hospitals provide mobile apps for patients; 40 percent of these developed the apps in house.4 Health apps have been proven to reduce use of acute care services for diabetes, asthma, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation; the use of apps in just these categories has the potential to save $7 billion in health care costs annually in the United States.1 Mobile apps can augment care for both patients and health care providers at all stages of care. Surveys of U.S. health care consumers and professionals point to an increasing adoption of this technology, highlighting the importance of identifying ways to incorporate these tools into patients’ health maintenance and care. This month’s lead feature discusses the use of mobile apps to aid patients in their postoperative recovery, including for medication compliance, pain management, and follow-up care.

Effect of a mobile medical app on outpatient experience: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThere is significant potential for mobile health technology to improve health outcomes for patients with chronic diseases. However, there is a need for further development of mobile health technology that would help to improve the health of lower-income communities.ObjectiveThe study objective was to assess mobile phone and app usage among a culturally diverse patient population, and to determine whether patients would be interested in using mobile health technology to help manage their chronic diseases.MethodsAn observational study was conducted with patients of the Internal Medicine resident primary care clinics of Los Angeles County and University of Southern California (LAC+USC) Medical Center. Self-reported information regarding demographics, current mobile phone usage, current mobile health app and social media usage, barriers to using mobile phones or mobile health apps, and interest in using a mobile health app was collected.ResultsNinety-one percent of patients owned a mobile phone, with 76% (169/223) of these reporting having a mobile phone with Internet capability. Fifty-seven percent of subjects used mobile apps on their mobile phones, and 32% (41/130) of these used mobile apps related to their health. Eighty-six percent (207/241) of respondents voiced interest in using a mobile app to improve their health, and 40% (88/221) stated they would use such an app daily. Patients stated they would find the mobile health app most useful for nutrition, exercise, and obtaining general information on medical conditions.ConclusionsDespite the fact that the majority of our primary care patients were of lower socioeconomic status, they utilized mobile phones with Internet and mobile app capabilities to a great extent. There was substantial interest among our patients in using mobile health technology to both manage chronic disease and improve overall health. Given that cultural, educational, and socioeconomic disparities strongly correlate with higher rates of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension, access to culturally relevant mobile health tools may empower patients in these populations to improve health outcomes.

Children with communication disorders experience difficulty in one or more areas of articulation and speech, language, fluency, voice and social communication, and they work with speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to improve their communication. With the rise of adoption and use for mobile applications among special education and healthcare service providers, SLPs also have implemented, and for some, contributed to the design of, mobile applications (apps) during clinical practice. However, how these mobile apps are designed and implemented for clinicians to facilitate their clients' communication and learning experiences during therapy remains underinvestigated. This qualitative research study investigates how mobile apps were designed for clinicians to target assessment and intervention goals. Additionally, it focused on how clinicians adopted these apps while integrating therapy techniques to facilitate their clients' learning. Informed by the Research, Practice, and Design for iPad Apps (iRPD) framework and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 licensed pediatric SLPs, including 23 SLPs who have used apps and 14 SLPs who have contributed to the design of their own mobile apps. Two rounds of qualitative coding via template analysis and thematic analysis were then used to analyse client and clinician characteristics, clinical practice, therapy tools, app characteristics, influential factors and app design and use recommendations. Results showed SLPs utilise different genres of assistive, educational and recreational game apps to support children's communication development when working with children who have diverse disorders and therapy needs across different age groups. SLPs who have designed their own apps emphasised the importance of following evidence-based practice, well-researched teaching methods and learning theories. Additionally, multiple financial, sociocultural, political and ethical factors contributed to the design, adoption and implementation of mobile apps during services. By understanding the clinician's app use practices situated in various therapy activities and techniques, we specified a list of design recommendations for app designers who are interested in creating mobile apps for supporting children's speech and language development. By bringing insights from both clinical practitioners as well as those with additional technical design backgrounds, this study contributes to the understanding of clinical practice needs and strategies and will lead to the most optimal app design and adoption practice to support the well-being of children with communication disorders. What is already known on the subject Speech language pathologist (SLPs) implement mobile apps for clients with diverse therapy needs, and their app adoption and use are influenced by multifaceted factors. Although prior studies have reported SLPs' mobile app use, additional information is still needed. For example, the research literature does not include how specific technology is used during therapy practice, or specific details about challenges and needs in implementing and utilising the technology. Additional research also needs to include influential factors (e.g., financial, sociocultural, political, ethical) that are considered when selecting, implementing, assessing and designing an app. The lack of research in these areas directly affects the understanding of clinical mobile technology practices and further hinders clinicians' abilities to advocate for better clinical and design decisions towards identifying and implementing effective mobile apps that facilitate children's communication. What this study adds to existing knowledge This qualitative study is the first known empirical research that interviewed pediatric speech-language pathologists who have used and designed mobile apps for children who receive speech-language therapy across different clinical settings. By investigating experiences from clinician stakeholders to illustrate a holistic overview of app design and development to deployment, this study reported finding on (1) how clinicians use mobile apps to help children to participate in different therapy activities, and (2) a list of recommended design and development guidelines that informs the design and use of mobile apps that best support and motivate children to engage in therapy. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This study disseminates clinician-reported practices of app design and use with pediatric clients across different speech-language disorders, and identifies gaps and needs for clinicians and researchers who are interested in understanding the role of mobile technology in relationship to human communication and interaction. Additionally, the paper demonstrates that SLPs have instrumental roles rather than passive users in influencing the design and implementation of different genres of mobile apps through evidence-based clinical practice, and call for partnerships across clinicians, special educators and technologists to support children's communication development.

BackgroundRising criticism about the risks associated with the use of mobile health apps necessitates a critical perspective to assess the use of these apps. A cost-benefit approach involving several moderating factors can be used to detect technology effects and individual-level push and pull factors related to health attitudes, lifestyle, and health management behaviors.ObjectiveWe introduce a cost-benefit perspective to examine how health attitudes related to mobile health apps and health situational factors (health crises, health changes, and hospitalization) affect the likelihood of adopting lifestyle and health management behaviors among app users.MethodsThe analysis is based on individuals’ reported use of mobile health apps. The sample included 1495 US adults aged over 18 years who were contacted by landline or cellphone. A total of 50.96% (762/1495) of the participants were women. A set of logistic regression models was used to predict lifestyle and health management behaviors among users considering variations in the extent of use, health attitudes, health situation, and socioeconomic characteristics.ResultsThe findings indicate that the proposed models were reasonably adequate. In all, 88.76% (1327/1495) of the cases were correctly classified regarding lifestyle behaviors, but only 71.97% (1076/1495) of the cases were correctly classified regarding health management behaviors. Although a large percentage of individuals changed their attitudes following the use of mobile health apps, only a small proportion adopted health management behaviors. The use of mobile health apps affected up to 67.95% (1016/1495) of the users for consultation and 71.97% (1076/1495) of the users for decision making. The model was effective for 88.76% (1327/1495) of the cases regarding lifestyle behaviors but only 71.97% (1076/1495) regarding health management behaviors. The moderating effect of regular use of mobile health apps significantly affects lifestyle (Wald=61.795; B=2.099; P<.005) but not health management behaviors (Wald=12.532; B=0.513; P=.01). These results collectively indicate that the use of mobile health apps for health management is partially effective.ConclusionsThe use of mobile health apps is a main route to instigate the process of health empowerment and shape health attitudes. However, an accurate assessment of the effectiveness of mobile health apps necessitates distinguishing between lifestyle and health management behaviors and adopting a cost-benefit approach because individuals facing health concerns, such as a chronic disease, health emergency, health crisis, or health change, consider their affordances and situational effects. These moderators generate a push and pull framework in the decision-making process that balances the costs and benefits of use.

Globally, governments and public health authorities are integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques in mobile apps to improve public health. For example, during the COVID-19 outbreak, AI-driven chatbots were deployed to provide immediate health information and advice. AI-based mobile apps are also used to support mental health or for preventive healthcare, such as personalized dietary recommendations. Moreover, the use of generative AI for public health purposes is rapidly increasing. In 2024, the WHO launched S.A.R.A.H - a generative AI chatbot designed to provide information on major health topics such as healthy lifestyles and mental health. By integrating AI, public institutions could potentially achieve better health outcomes, improve efficiency, and enhance access to healthcare. However, the rapid adoption of AI public health apps also raises significant ethical, legal, and regulatory challenges. The large amounts of sensitive personal data collected and processed by such apps may create issues for privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity. At the same time, the tendency of AI to exhibit biases may deepen existing health inequities. The new EU ‘digital’ legal framework does not directly address these challenges. This workshop aims to convene leading experts working on AI in health to address these issues. We bring together scholars from different disciplines (health law, health policy, bioethics, biosciences). The workshop objectives are twofold: (1) to critically assess the current landscape of AI in public health apps from a legal, ethical, and regulatory point of view, and (2) to lay the groundwork for policy recommendations on how to ensure the deployment of AI apps for public health in compliance with ethical principles and fundamental rights. First, the panel explores the differences in the data protection regulation of AI public health apps in the EU and the US (speaker: James Hazel). Second, it discusses how these apps are regulated under the new EU Artificial Intelligence Act (speaker: Hannah van Kolfschooten). Third, it investigates the consequences of the European Health Data Space regulation on how health data can be processed through public health apps (speaker: Mahsa Shabani). Finally, as the cross-border use of apps complicates regulatory efforts, it discusses the need for international cooperation in establishing and enforcing guidelines (speaker: Vasiliki Rahimzadeh). The workshop will be conducted as a round table discussion with 4 short presentations of 5 minutes each. Speakers first present a key challenge posed by AI in mobile health apps, and then suggest a potential regulatory solution. This will be followed by a dialogue between panelists and the audience to share best practices on how to regulate AI in mobile public health apps from a legal, ethical, and regulatory perspective. The input will be used to develop a submission for the Call for papers of BMC Bioinformatics. Key messages • As public institutions are increasingly integrating AI technologies into their mobile public health solutions, it is crucial to evaluate the ethical, legal, and regulatory implications. • In light of current gaps in the EU legal framework, we convene scholars from different disciplines and legal systems to design guidelines on the ethical use of AI mobile apps for public health. Speakers/Panelists James Hazel University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands Mahsa Shabani University of Amsterdam, Ghent University, Amsterdam, Netherlands Hannah van Kolfschooten University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands Vasiliki Rahimzadeh Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA Pramiti Parwani University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a list of various travel-themed mobile apps that librarians might recommend as a supplement to other print/digital resources. Summer is a time when many people take the chance to escape on a much-needed vacation. As a librarian, whether you work in a public or academic institution, chances are you will be asked at one point or another where the travel books in your library are located. Design/methodology/approach There is always the possibility that the travel books in need may already be checked out or that the patron will not have time to wait for an interlibrary loan request to arrive. Findings Planning a trip, from deciding where to go, where to stay and what to do, can be a simultaneously stressing and thrilling decision-making process. Research limitations/implications Whether someone is planning a trip to a familiar location or to a place they never imagined visiting, there are numerous mobile apps that can aid the most nascent to the most experienced traveler. Originality/value In addition to including up-to-date travel guide books in library collections, librarians can also further assist their patrons with travel needs by recommending mobile travel apps.

Recent years have seen a rapidly increasing trend towards the delivery of health technology through mobile devices. Smartphones and tablet devices are thus becoming increasingly popular for accessing information and a wide range of services, including health care services. Modern mobile apps can be used for a variety of reasons, ranging from education for the patients and assistance to clinicians to delivery of interventions. Mobile phone apps have also been established to benefit patients in a scope of interventions across numerous medical specialties and treatment modalities. Medical apps have their advantages and disadvantages. It is important that clinicians have access to knowledge to make decisions regarding the use of medical apps on the basis of risk-benefit ratio. Mobile apps that deliver psycho social interventions offer unique challenges and opportunities. A number of reviews have highlighted the potential use of such apps. There is a need to describe, report and study their side effects too. The adverse effects associated with these apps can broadly be divided into: (1) those resulting from the security and safety concerns; (2) those arising from the use of a particular psycho social intervention; and (3) those due to the interaction with digital technology. There is a need to refine and reconsider the safety and adverse effects in this area. The safety profile of a mobile PSI app should describe its safety profile in: (1) privacy and security; (2) adverse effects of psychotherapy; and (3) adverse effects unique to the use of apps and the internet. This is, however, a very new area and further research and reporting is required to inform clinical decision making.

BackgroundDisasters are becoming more frequent due to the impact of extreme weather events attributed to climate change, causing loss of lives, property, and psychological trauma. Mental health response to disasters emphasizes prevention and mitigation, and mobile health (mHealth) apps have been used for mental health promotion and treatment. However, little is known about their use in the mental health components of disaster management.ObjectiveThis scoping review was conducted to explore the use of mobile phone apps for mental health responses to natural disasters and to identify gaps in the literature.MethodsWe identified relevant keywords and subject headings and conducted comprehensive searches in 6 electronic databases. Studies in which participants were exposed to a man-made disaster were included if the sample also included some participants exposed to a natural hazard. Only full-text studies published in English were included. The initial titles and abstracts of the unique papers were screened by 2 independent review authors. Full texts of the selected papers that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed by the 2 independent reviewers. Data were extracted from each selected full-text paper and synthesized using a narrative approach based on the outcome measures, duration, frequency of use of the mobile phone apps, and the outcomes. This scoping review was reported according to the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews).ResultsOf the 1398 papers retrieved, 5 were included in this review. A total of 3 studies were conducted on participants exposed to psychological stress following a disaster while 2 were for disaster relief workers. The mobile phone apps for the interventions included Training for Life Skills, Sonoma Rises, Headspace, Psychological First Aid, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Behavioural Health Disaster Response Apps. The different studies assessed the effectiveness or efficacy of the mobile app, feasibility, acceptability, and characteristics of app use or predictors of use. Different measures were used to assess the effectiveness of the apps’ use as either the primary or secondary outcome.ConclusionsA limited number of studies are exploring the use of mobile phone apps for mental health responses to disasters. The 5 studies included in this review showed promising results. Mobile apps have the potential to provide effective mental health support before, during, and after disasters. However, further research is needed to explore the potential of mobile phone apps in mental health responses to all hazards.

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article ProfessionalFull AccessAPA’s App Panel Offers Guidance on Digital ToolsNathan Tatro, M.A.Nathan TatroSearch for more papers by this author, M.A.Published Online:21 Apr 2021https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2021.5.37AbstractA new series of articles will provide information from APA experts on the use of apps in psychiatry. Your questions are welcome!“Ask an App Advisor” is a new feature of Psychiatric News in which members of APA’s App Advisor Expert Panel discuss the general use of mental health apps and answer APA members’ questions. This group is composed of APA members and other subject matter experts in mental health from related professions (for example, social work, psychology, nurse practitioners, informaticists) and patients with lived experience. The purpose of this panel is to maintain APA’s App Evaluation Model and to provide resources for professionals and patients to give them tools they can use when deciding what app is appropriate. The articles will also explore clinical, research, and policy interests of the panelists around mHealth (mobile health).This month’s panelist is Julia Tartaglia, M.D. She began working with APA’s panel as its first medical student representative while attending Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, where she earned her M.D. with distinction in medical innovation and entrepreneurship. She is now a psychiatry resident at Zucker Hillside Hospital at Northwell Health.Q. Did you use apps in medical school? If so, how were you introduced to them?A. At the time, I wasn’t introduced to them as a part of the curriculum. While my medical school was very forward thinking and introduced a new elective on telemedicine, we did not have any formal or informal exposure to mobile apps for patient care. In clinical practice I did not see any mental health mobile apps being used by physicians or patients. As medical students, there are barriers to introducing new technologies in practice as well. As we are under direct supervision of attendings, I didn’t feel comfortable making recommendations about mobile app usage, especially without any experience or training in doing so, but there is definitely a need for medical school curricula to address the use of apps in clinical care. Personally, I did make use of medical education apps and mobile app tools for medicine, such as flashcard and question bank apps, anatomy apps, medication apps, and calculators.Q. Do you have an interest in a specific type of app?A. In general, I’m very interested in mobile apps that can be used for remote symptom monitoring and for eCBT (digitally based cognitive-behavioral therapy). One of my interests has been burnout and mental illness in the medical community. In medical school, I started working on developing an app for medical students. Burnout and mental illness are occurring at high rates among medical students, with 1 in 3 students meeting the criteria for clinical depression. Yet, medical students are less likely to seek help for emotional and mental health issues than peers in other professions. Further, many schools report that mental health resources are limited and cannot keep up with demand, with students often having to wait a month or more to schedule appointments with school mental health counselors.In response to this, I’m developing a wellness app for medical students that addresses mental health through self-guided eCBT modules and virtual counseling by connecting students to mental health counselors. Our app format will increase access to mental health resources. It will provide a point-of-care solution for students combatting anxiety/depression who may hesitate to seek help via traditional models that schools provide, such as in-person counseling. Further, unlike existing depression/anxiety apps that offer generic advice and solutions, our eCBT modules will be custom designed to address common medical school stressors and cognitive biases, such as imposter syndrome and stress related to board exams and clinical rotations.Check out future issues of Psychiatric News for more conversations with members of APA’s App Advisor Expert Panel. You can also review APA’s sample app evaluations and learn more about our App Evaluation Model. If you have a question for the panel, send an email to [email protected]. ■APA’s App Advisor page can be accessed here.Also, APA has launched a series of webinars during which APA members can ask questions of APA’s App Advisor Panel. Register here.Nathan Tatro, M.A., is deputy director of digital health in APA’s Department of Practice Management and Delivery Systems Policy. ISSUES NewArchived

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore undergraduate students’ use of mobile apps to search library catalogs and analyze the problems students encountered. Student opinions and suggestions regarding mobile library apps were also examined.Design/methodology/approachA total of 16 undergraduates were observed and subjected to semi-structured interviews. Four tasks were assigned, and the participants used mobile apps and laptops to search library catalogs. Follow-up in-depth interviews were conducted to gather participants’ opinions regarding the mobile library app.FindingsAmong the 64 total searches conducted by the 16 participants, 45 (70.31 percent) were completed when using the mobile app, and 51 (79.69 percent) were completed using the laptop. Participants spent less time completing the tasks when they used the mobile app. Mobile apps are thus an effective tool for searching library catalogs. However, the interviews revealed that none of the participants had used mobile library apps prior to the interviews conducted in this study, and half of the participants expressed that they would not install library apps on their smartphones in the future.Originality/valueThe study findings may help university libraries improve their understanding about undergraduates’ search behavior and opinions about mobile library apps.

INTRODUCTIONContact hours for anatomy instruction to medical students continues to decrease. Simultaneously, medical schools are transitioning from individual discipline‐based courses to integrated curricula. To counteract this decrease in time spent with the students, medical educators are creating numerous electronic learning (e‐learning) and mobile learning (m‐learning) resources. The rapid expansion of mobile technology in higher education has provided students the opportunity to take the content provided from their schools with them, making it accessible at anytime, any place. The powerful hardware and software within mobile devices allows developers to create intuitive, interactive and effective mobile applications (apps). Neither medical educators nor medical students have yet to take advantage of the mobile technology available to create and test the viability of integrated anatomy resources to supplement evolving integrated medical school curricula. Therefore, to better understand factors that lead to the adoption and usage of educational mobile apps by medical students, the aim of this study was to identify and measure the constructs that influenced the student's intention to use an integrated mobile app.METHODSThe 4natomy mobile app was developed to run on the Apple iPad based on responses gathered from a series of group interviews conducted with second year medical students at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, between July and October 2014. The mobile app focused on spinal cord anatomy and was available for all first year medical students to download and use during the associated curricular block. Following the curricular block's final exam, a 26‐question survey based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) was distributed to measure students’ acceptance of the new technology. The determinate relationship between students’ perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, personal innovativeness and behavioral intention towards using the 4natomy mobile app were analyzed through structural equation modeling.RESULTSOf the 195 first year medical students, 106 students downloaded and used the app at least one time. Of these 106, 80 students (75.5%) completed the survey. Survey responses indicated that student perception of the ease of app use was a significant determinant on perceived enjoyment of the app (p&lt; .001), perceived usefulness of the app (p&lt; .001) and student intention to use the mobile app in the future (p= .039). Student self‐perception of being personally innovative had a significant effect on perceived usefulness of the app (p= .005) and intention to adopt the mobile app in the future (p= .03). Student perceived usefulness of the mobile app was the strongest determinant of intention to adopt the mobile app in the future (p&lt; .001).CONCLUSIONSStudy results show a strong positive relationship between students’ feelings of the app's ease of use and its usefulness to their learning and their behavioral intention to use this resource in the future. This study highlights constructs that influence use of mobile technology in anatomy education. The results provide insight into the importance of developing mobile resources that students perceive to be easy to use and useful in the context of the evolving medical school curriculum.Support or Funding InformationThe Ohio State University Department of Anatomy

BackgroundInstrumental activities of daily living (iADLs) are crucial for older adults to live independently. Health care and technological advancements will increase the older adult population and life expectancy globally. Difficulties with iADLs impact older adults’ quality of life. Mobile apps can assist older adults, but many require help due to limited awareness. Lack of awareness is a barrier to app use. Existing literature mainly covers health care and app design, needing more focus on iADL apps for older adults.ObjectiveThe study objectives encompass 2 main aspects: first, to evaluate the awareness, use, and factors influencing the use of apps among older adults for iADLs; and second, to create and assess the effectiveness of a gerontechnology empowerment program (GEP) for older adults on the awareness and use of apps for iADLs.MethodsThis research uses a quantitative approach divided into 2 distinct phases. In phase 1, we conduct a descriptive survey to assess the level of awareness and use of mobile apps for iADLs and identify the factors that influence the use of such apps among older adults. To ensure clarity and comprehension among participants, we provide them with a subject information sheet in both Kannada and English. The data collected during this phase enable us to gain insights into awareness levels, use patterns, and factors that shape older adults’ use of apps for iADLs. The results serve as the foundation for designing the GEP. In phase 2, a cluster randomization method will be used to select older adults aged 60 to 75 years in Udupi district, Karnataka, India, who are active smartphone users. These participants will be divided into 2 groups: the experimental and the control groups. The experimental group will join the GEP. The sample size for phase 1 is 554, and phase 2 is 50. To assess the effectiveness of this program, we will measure the outcomes before and after its implementation using the same assessment tools used in phase 1.ResultsThis study is funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (Adhoc/193/2022/SBHSR on November 18, 2022). Phase 1 data collection is expected to be completed by November 2023, and phase 2 is scheduled to commence in the upcoming months. Phase 1 and 2 findings will be analyzed and discussed in the main paper, which we intend to submit to a high-quality peer-reviewed journal for publication. The research protocol, informed consent forms, and associated documentation received approval from institutional ethics committees (214/2020).ConclusionsUpon the successful testing of the GEP, it can be recommended that welfare departments encourage older adults to use mobile apps for iADLs and establish training programs to provide support to older adults in using these apps.Trial RegistrationClinical Trials Registry - India CTRI/2020/09/027977; https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?EncHid=NDUxMzM=&Enc=&userName=027977International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/53587

Purpose Despite the widespread download of mobile apps and the significant revenue potential they offer to app firms, existing research has largely overlooked differences in usage among various types of mobile apps as well as antecedents related to the ubiquity of mobile internet that influence app usage. Thus, this study explores how geographical mobility impacts mobile app usage behavior, with a particular focus on comparing game apps with reading apps. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected over four weeks from users of a large Chinese mobile communication company. The study employed two-stage least squares panel instrumental variable (IV-2SLS) regression and propensity score matching (PSM) methods to analyze the data. An experiment was conducted to validate the mechanism. Findings Geographical mobility increases game app usage – but not reading app usage – and this effect is mediated by self-regulatory depletion. Additionally, greater self-regulation ability weakens the positive impact of mobility on game app usage. Practical implications This study provides practical implications for mobile communication firms, app providers, and policymakers. Mobile firms can use users’ mobility patterns to design personalized service plans and improve customer segmentation. App providers may incorporate mobility and cognitive states into content recommendation and interface design. Policymakers can promote digital service innovation by considering mobility-related needs in standards and public health policies. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature on mobile app usage by explaining geographical mobility as the antecedent for differences in usage across app categories, providing a new perspective on the usage of mobile apps.