iTunes App Store Research Articles

Mobile health application (WeFit) among community-dwelling older adults: Development, validation, acceptance, and usability study.

Technology advancement along with the increase in the older adults' population leads to the creation of health applications. The combination of exercise, nutrition, and cognition should be studied carefully in improving older adults' health. The purpose of this study is to develop a health application, WeFit contains these three components and to determine its content validity, acceptability, and usability. This study is a design and development study involving three phases. The first phase is the need analysis involving a review on 16 mobile applications available in Google play and iTunes App store as well as a review of six articles for identifying the perception of older adults in using mobile applications. Second phase is mobile application development and content validity. The content validity was determined using the Content Validity Index for Individual Items (I-CVI). Phase 3 evaluated the acceptance of the WeFit mobile application among older adults and health practitioners. Phase 1 indicated that half of the applications reviewed (50.0%) had physical activity component and the other half (50.0%) had a cognitive component, and none on nutrition. No application is reported to have all three components. In Phase 2, WeFit health application containing the three components was developed where users can view exercise and food recommendations and play cognitive games. WeFit had an I-CVI value of 0.98. With respect to acceptability, majority of the study participants (93.3%) understood the WeFit's content and the graphics used were appropriate. The usability study found that the majority of the older adults were satisfied with the interface and content. All health practitioners (100%) agreed WeFit is easy to use and agreed that it can guide them in giving medical advices. WeFit mobile app has been successfully developed, validated, and tested for acceptance among the older adults and health practitioners.

Male infertility, what Mobile Health Applications "know": quality analysis and adherence to European Association of Urology Guidelines.

Male infertility (MI) is one of the most important worrying topics for the fertile age population. Nowadays, several mobile health applications (MHAs) have been developed to help and assist patients suffering from male infertility (MI), but their quality and adherence to the guidelines is not solved issue yet. On 2nd July 2022, an observational cross-sectional descriptive study of all MHAs on male infertility was conducted: a search on both the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store was performed. Our group reviewed all MHAs, evaluating the quality, using Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS), and the adherence to European Association of Urology guidelines, with a special tool created for this manuscript. In the final analysis we included 10 MHAs: 20% (n = 2) from the iTunes App Store and 80% (n = 8) from the Google Play Store. Across the sample, 80% (n = 8) of the apps provided general information on MI, 60% (n = 6) focused on diagnosis and 50% (n = 5) focused on treatment options, respectively. According to MARS tool, the mean score was 2.18 (0.78), 3.78 (0.36), 3.0 (0.53), 3.19 (0.45), 2.18 (0.54) for Engagement, Functionality, Aesthetic, Information and Subjective quality, respectively. According to EAU Adherence Score, the highest score was reported by "Infertilità" with 12/15 points while the lowest score was reported by "Fertility Diet Guide", 0/15 points. Nowadays, MHAs present in the market are not a reliable source of information on MI. An ideal MHAs should be based on scientific evidence, user friendly, respecting privacy and security laws, making patients feel capable and confident to change personal behavior or attitudes.

MHealth Apps for Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation: Systematic Search in App Stores and Content Analysis.

BackgroundThe number of mobile health (mHealth) apps released for musculoskeletal (MSK) injury treatment and self-management with home exercise programs (HEPs) has risen rapidly in recent years as digital health interventions are explored and researched in more detail. As this number grows, it is becoming increasingly difficult for users to navigate the market and select the most appropriate app for their use case. It is also unclear what features the developers of these apps are harnessing to support patient self-management and how they fit into clinical care pathways.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to scope the current market of mHealth apps for MSK rehabilitation and to report on their features, claims, evidence base, and functionalities.MethodsA cross-sectional study of apps for MSK rehabilitation was performed across the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store. Four search terms were used, namely, physiotherapy rehabilitation, physical therapy rehabilitation, rehabilitation exercise, and therapeutic exercise to identify apps, which were then cross-referenced against set selection criteria by 4 reviewers. Each reviewer, where possible, downloaded the app and accessed supplementary literature available on the product to assist in data extraction.ResultsA total of 1322 apps were identified. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria and removing duplicates, 144 apps were included in the study. Over half (n=81, 56.3%) of the included apps had been released within the past 3 years. Three quarters (n=107, 74.3%) of the apps made no reference to evidence supporting the design or efficacy of the app, with only 11.1% (n=16) providing direct citations to research. Most of the apps did utilize exercise pictures (n=138, 95.8%) or videos (n=97, 67.4%); however, comparatively few harnessed additional features to encourage engagement and support self-management, such as an adherence log (n=66, 45.8%), communication portal (n=32, 22.2%), patient-reported outcome capture (n=36, 25%), or direct feedback (n=57, 39.6%). Of note and concern, many of these apps prescribed generic exercises (n=93, 64.6%) in the absence of individualized input to the user, with few providing specific patient education (n=43, 34%) and safety advice or disclaimers (n=38, 26.4%).ConclusionsThe cohort of apps included in this study contained a large heterogeneity of features, so it is difficult for users to identify the most appropriate or effective app. Many apps are missing the opportunity to offer key features that could promote exercise adherence and encourage self-management in MSK rehabilitation. Furthermore, very few developers currently offering products on the market are providing evidence to support the design and efficacy of their technologies.

Erectile dysfunction and mobile phone applications: Quality, content and adherence to European Association guidelines on male sexual dysfunction.

Nowadays numerous mobile health applications (MHA) have been developed to assist and simplify the life of patients affected by erectile dysfunction (ED), however the scientific quality and the adherence to guidelines are not yet addressed and solved. On 17 January 2022, we conducted a search in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.We reviewed all mobile apps from iTunes App Store and Google Play Store for ED and evaluated different aspects as well as their usage in screening, prevention, management, and their adherence to EAU guidelines. A total of 18 apps were reviewed. All apps are geared towards the patient and provide information about diagnoses and treatment of ED. MHA represent an integral part of patients' lives, and apps providing services for male sexual dysfunction are constantly increasing. Despite this the overall quality is still low. Although many of these devices are useful in ED, the problems of scientific validation, content, and quality are not yet solved. Further work is needed to improve the quality of apps and developing new accessible, user designed, and high-quality apps.

Evaluation of Mobile Apps for Food Allergy

Digital technology has great potential for helping patients prevent and manage food allergies. The goal of this study is to examine the content and accuracy free food allergy apps that are available in the Apple iTunes App Store.

Analysis of Apps With a Medication List Functionality for Older Adults With Heart Failure Using the Mobile App Rating Scale and the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics Functionality Score: Evaluation Study.

BackgroundManaging the care of older adults with heart failure (HF) largely centers on medication management. Because of frequent medication or dosing changes, an app that supports these older adults in keeping an up-to-date list of medications could be advantageous. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HF outpatient consultations are taking place virtually or by telephone. An app with the capability to share a patient’s medication list with health care professionals before consultation could support clinical efficiency, for example, by reducing consultation time. However, the influence of apps on maintaining an up-to-date medication history for older adults with HF in Ireland remains largely unexplored.ObjectiveThe aims of this review are twofold: to review apps with a medication list functionality and to assess the quality of the apps included in the review using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics functionality scale.MethodsA systematic search of apps was conducted in June 2019 using the Google Play Store and iTunes App Store. The MARS was used independently by 4 researchers to assess the quality of the apps using an Android phone and an iPad. Apps were also evaluated using the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics functionality score.ResultsGoogle Play and iTunes App store searches identified 483 potential apps (292 from Google Play and 191 from iTunes App stores). A total of 6 apps (3 across both stores) met the inclusion criteria. Of the 6 apps, 4 achieved an acceptable MARS score (3/5). The Medisafe app had the highest overall MARS score (4/5), and the Medication List & Medical Records app had the lowest overall score (2.5/5). On average, the apps had 8 functions based on the IMS functionality criteria (range 5-11). A total of 2 apps achieved the maximum score for number of features (11 features) according to the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics functionality score, and 2 scored the lowest (5 features). Peer-reviewed publications were identified for 3 of the apps.ConclusionsThe quality of current apps with medication list functionality varies according to their technical aspects. Most of the apps reviewed have an acceptable MARS objective quality (ie, the overall quality of an app). However, subjective quality (ie, satisfaction with the apps) was poor. Only 3 apps are based on scientific evidence and have been tested previously. A total of 2 apps featured all the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics functionalities, and half did not provide clear instructions on how to enter medication data, did not display vital parameter data in an easy-to-understand format, and did not guide users on how or when to take their medication.

A Content Analysis of Mobile Phone Applications for the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections, and Their Compliance with European Association of Urology Guidelines on Urological Infections

BackgroundMobile phone applications (apps) for urinary tract infections (UTIs) can help in the management of UTIs. ObjectiveTo review the apps available for UTIs and check its adherence to the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines. Design, setting, and participantsWe reviewed all mobile phone apps from the iTunes App Store and Google Play for UTIs and evaluated various aspects of apps, as well as their current and potential usage in screening, prevention, or management. The inclusion criteria were English-language apps for adults with upper or lower tract UTIs. Outcome measurements and statistical analysisEach app was sorted into one of the following categories: “informative”, “tracker”, or “urinalysis”; each app was then checked for its adherence to EAU guidelines based on a 31-point checklist. One point was given for each piece of specific advice provided by the app, with a maximum score of 31. Results and limitationsA total of 34 apps were initially identified from the app download platforms, and after exclusions, 11 were evaluated. The apps had a high average user rating of 4.04 (range: 0–5). The median number of downloads was 1000 (range: <100–100 000). The average adherence to the EAU checklist was low at 31.36% (3.3–70%). The app performance for prevention of recurrent UTIs, uncomplicated cystitis, and pyelonephritis was 14.9%, 33.1%, and 41.4%, respectively. ConclusionsApps to support the management of UTIs could be improved by better adherence to European guidelines and recommendations based on up-to-date evidence, especially for the management of recurrent UTIs. Patient summaryIn this study, we look at the role of mobile phone applications (apps) in screening, prevention, and management of urinary tract infections and their adherence to European Association of Urology guidelines. We found that apps need to improve with better compliance to European guidelines, especially for the management of recurrent urinary tract infections.

Digital Health Apps in the Clinical Care of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Scoping Review.

BackgroundDigital health is poised to transform health care and redefine personalized health. As Internet and mobile phone usage increases, as technology develops new ways to collect data, and as clinical guidelines change, all areas of medicine face new challenges and opportunities. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is one of many chronic diseases that may benefit from these advances in digital health. This review intends to lay a foundation for clinicians and technologists to understand future directions and opportunities together.ObjectiveThis review covers mobile health apps that have been used in IBD, how they have fit into a clinical care framework, and the challenges that clinicians and technologists face in approaching future opportunities.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov to identify mobile apps that have been studied and were published in the literature from January 1, 2010, to April 19, 2019. The search terms were (“mobile health” OR “eHealth” OR “digital health” OR “smart phone” OR “mobile app” OR “mobile applications” OR “mHealth” OR “smartphones”) AND (“IBD” OR “Inflammatory bowel disease” OR “Crohn's Disease” (CD) OR “Ulcerative Colitis” (UC) OR “UC” OR “CD”), followed by further analysis of citations from the results. We searched the Apple iTunes app store to identify a limited selection of commercial apps to include for discussion.ResultsA total of 68 articles met the inclusion criteria. A total of 11 digital health apps were identified in the literature and 4 commercial apps were selected to be described in this review. While most apps have some educational component, the majority of apps focus on eliciting patient-reported outcomes related to disease activity, and a few are for treatment management. Significant benefits have been seen in trials relating to education, quality of life, quality of care, treatment adherence, and medication management. No studies have reported a negative impact on any of the above. There are mixed results in terms of effects on office visits and follow-up.ConclusionsWhile studies have shown that digital health can fit into, complement, and improve the standard clinical care of patients with IBD, there is a need for further validation and improvement, from both a clinical and patient perspective. Exploring new research methods, like microrandomized trials, may allow for more implementation of technology and rapid advancement of knowledge. New technologies that can objectively and seamlessly capture remote data, as well as complement the clinical shift from symptom-based to inflammation-based care, will help the clinical and health technology communities to understand the full potential of digital health in the care of IBD and other chronic illnesses.

A Framework for the Systematic Evaluation of Anatomy Education Apps

BackgroundMobile‐based applications (Apps) are one of the fastest growing trends in educational technology. A search on the iTunes App Store, for example, results in 142 Apps in response to the search term “anatomy”. However, most educational Apps are not peer‐reviewed. The quality and accuracy are suspect, and few have been evaluated in the classroom. A comprehensive resource that provides guidance as to the educational usefulness, quality, and content accuracy of Apps in the anatomical sciences is needed.Aims To triangulate existing educational technology frameworks into a framework for evaluating anatomy education Apps With a national sample of academic technology leads, faculty and students, test and validate the framework MethodsPhase 1 triangulated peer‐reviewed articles on Apps, with known educational technology frameworks from the literature (Hanrahan et al., 2014; Liu et al., 2010; Romrell et al., 2014; Ruiz et al., 2006; Van Nuland et al., 2017). Phase 2 validated the framework in two steps. Phase 2A used chain referral sampling (i.e. n = 6 with at least one educational technology lead from each of the four AAMC regions: East, West, South, and Central) to obtain feedback. In Phase 2B, participants were recruited from Anatomy Connected Open Forum and through chain referral sampling (n = 58 agreed to participate). Participants applied the revised framework to two anatomy apps (Complete Anatomy and Heart Pro III) and completed a content validity survey. All methods were approved by the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board.ResultsPhase 1 resulted in the formation of a framework that was revised in Phase 2a and is hosted here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1s5VWA1OfE‐HGNLz_LezMb3ngofPztRaOb7PFCXl_jjc/viewform?edit_requested=true. A total of 25 participants (14 faculty, 4 tech leads and 7 students) fulfilled all parts of Phase 2b to completion. Content validity was analyzed using Lawshe's content validity ratio; critical values (&gt;0.39 as determined by Wilson et al., 2012) with 0.05 significance for two‐tailed test were achieved with 11 of the 26 criteria, including usability, organization, reliability, navigation, self‐assessment, content breadth, content depth, content accuracy, multimedia accuracy, recommendation for others, and overall value.Discussion and ConclusionAnatomy Education App framework validation presents a major asset for students, faculty and administrators based on feedback from a national panel; the framework is freely available. The validation is limited by the low number of respondents, but will be enhanced as more investigators apply the framework to their research.Support or Funding InformationRymer Small Grants Program, Academy of Medical Educators, University of Colorado School of MedicineThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

A review of pregnancy iPhone apps assessing their quality, inclusion of behaviour change techniques, and nutrition information.

Smartphone apps for use in pregnancy are common and could influence lifestyle behaviours, but they have not been evaluated. This review aimed to assess the quality of iPhone pregnancy apps and whether they included behaviour change techniques (BCTs) and/or pregnancy-specific nutrition information. A keyword search of the Australian iTunes app store was conducted. For inclusion, apps had to be available at no cost, in English, intended for use by pregnant women, and contain nutrition information. App quality was assessed using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). Absence or presence of BCTs was assessed using the CALO-RE taxonomy, with type of nutrition information included also reported. The initial key word search identified 607 apps, with 51 iPhone apps included in final evaluation. Mean overall MARS quality rating score was 3.05 out of 5 (1=inadequate; 5=excellent). The functionality subscale scored highest (mean=3.32), and aesthetics scored lowest (mean=2.87). Out of a possible 40 BCTs, 11 were present across the apps with a median of three BCTs (range: 0-6) identified per app. The median number of pregnancy-specific nutrition topics per app was three (range 0 to 7). Despite the availability of a large number of iPhone pregnancy apps, few are of high quality, with only a small number of BCTs used and limited inclusion of pregnancy-specific nutrition information. It is important to be aware of limitations within current pregnancy apps before recommending usage during this key life stage.

Smartphone Applications to Support Sleep Self-Management: Review and Evaluation.

Mobile health (mHealth) tools such as smartphone applications (apps) have potential to support sleep self-management. The objective of this review was to identify the status of available consumer mHealth apps targeted toward supporting sleep self-management and assess their functionalities. We searched four mobile app stores (iTunes Appstore, Android Google Play, Amazon Appstore, and Microsoft Appstore) using the terms "sleep", "sleep management," "sleep monitoring," and "sleep tracking." Apps were evaluated using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) and the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics functionality scores. We identified 2,431 potentially relevant apps, of which 73 met inclusion criteria. Most apps were excluded because they were unrelated to sleep self-management, simply provided alarm service, or solely played relaxation sounds in an attempt to improve sleep. The median overall MARS score was 3.1 out of 5, and more than half of apps (42/73, 58%) had a minimum acceptability score of 3.0. The apps had on average 7 functions based on the IMS functionality criteria (range 2 to 11). A record function was present in all apps but only eight had the function to intervene. About half of the apps (33/73, 45%) collected data automatically using embedded sensors, 27 apps allowed the user to manually enter sleep data, and 14 apps supported both types of data recording. The findings suggest that few apps meet prespecified criteria for quality, content, and functionality for sleep self-management. Despite the rapid evolution of sleep self-management apps, lack of validation studies is a significant concern that limits the clinical value of these apps.

Toca Lab: Plants by T. Boca

Boca, Toca. Toca Lab: Plants. June 2017. Version 1.1.1. iTunes App Store, https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1225994089?mt=8&#x0D; Ages: 4-6Price: $2.99Available for Apple, Google Play, and Kindle Fire&#x0D; Toca Lab: Plants, from developer Toca Boca complements other apps in the Lab series, which aim to make science accessible through play. Toca Lab: Plants provides an open and unstructured environment to both nurture and experiment with plants. Upon opening the app, players enter a lab where a plant bobs happily in in the center, waiting to be played with; the plants are quite friendly and invite the player to interact. Five lab stations offer chances to experiment: a grow light, watering tank, nutrition station, cloning machine, and crossbreeding apparatus. In playing with these lab tools, the player can propagate plants, discover new plants, nurture others in pots, and keep track of them all in a botany chart. The plants, as characters in this app, are endearing. They respond with joy and exuberance to stimuli they like and with fear and shudders at stimuli they dislike. They even giggle and shake their leaves in response to touch.&#x0D; The lab itself is visually interesting and begs to be explored. Each station has machines to turn on, knobs to crank, faucets to open, or buttons to push. Since the play is wordless and largely without text (species are labelled with their Latin and common names at some points), the sound effects help to clarify what is happening and the materials in use, such as running water or electricity. The graphics are classic Toca Boca: beautiful bold colours, exaggerated blocky shapes, quirky plant characters, and uncluttered scenes. While all these elements – the app’s open play that supports experimentation and discovery, the beautiful visuals, and the endearing plants – make for a compelling play experience initially, the app is limited in extending play beyond these initial encounters.&#x0D; When compared with the imaginative possibilities in Toca Builders or Toca Blocks, for example, which allow users to create new spaces, scenes, structures, and worlds, Toca Lab: Plants feels limited. Players can only create so many new plants before the species begin to repeat themselves. Similarly, with the experiments, once all the plants have been moved through each experiment, the play is essentially mastered. Other than the plant chart (which is simply compiled as the player plays), there is no opportunity to construct something here, such as a garden or living structure with which to extend the world. Still, the app is beautiful and engaging, invites discovery and experimentation, and provides surprises and excitement as plants grow and change in response to the player’s actions. There is much fun to be had here in Toca Lab: Plants. &#x0D; &#x0D; Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Katherine Schock&#x0D; Katherine is a high school English teacher currently working on an MLIS at the University of Alberta. Her passion for children’s literature is kindled daily by her two small children and her much larger students.

User experience of instant blood pressure: exploring reasons for the popularity of an inaccurate mobile health app

Instant blood pressure (IBP) is a top-selling yet inaccurate blood pressure (BP)-measuring app that underreports elevated BP. Its iTunes app store user ratings and reviews were generally positive. Whether underreporting of elevated BP improves user experience is unknown. Participants enrolled at five clinics estimated their BP, measured their BP with IBP, then completed a user experience survey. Participants were grouped based on how their IBP BP measurements compared to their estimated BP (IBP Lower, IBP Similar, or IBP Higher). Logistic regressions compared odds of rating “agree” or “strongly agree” on survey questions by group. Most participants enjoyed using the app. In the adjusted model, IBP Higher had significantly lower proportions reporting enjoyment and motivation to check BP in the future than IBP Similar. All three groups were comparable in perceived accuracy of IBP and most participants perceived it to be accurate. However, user enjoyment and likelihood of future BP monitoring were negatively associated with higher-than-expected reported systolic BP. These data suggest reassuring app results from an inaccurate BP-measuring app may have improved user experience, which may have led to more positive user reviews and greater sales. Systematic underreporting of elevated BPs may have been a contributor to the app’s success. Further studies are needed to confirm whether falsely reassuring output from other mobile health apps improve user experience and drives uptake.

The Rise and Need for Mobile Apps for Maternal and Child Health Care in China: Survey Based on App Markets.

BackgroundMobile health services are thriving in the field of maternal and child health in China due to expansions in the field of electronic health and the introduction of the two-child policy. There are numerous maternal and child health apps in computer stores, but the exact number of apps, number of downloads, and features of these apps is not known.ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the use of maternal and child health apps in Android and iOS app stores and to describe the key functional features of the most popular apps, with the purpose of providing insight into further research and development of maternal and child health mobile health products.MethodsThe researchers conducted a search in the 3 most popular Android app stores (Tencent MyApp, Baidu Mobile Assistant, and 360 Mobile Assistant) and the iTunes App Store in China. All apps regarding family planning (contraception and preparing for pregnancy), pregnancy and perinatal care, neonatal care and health, and development for children under 6 years were included in the initial analysis. Maternal and child health mobile apps with predominant features of product marketing, children’s songs, animation, or games were excluded from the study. The 50 most frequently used apps in each of the Android stores as well as the iTunes store (a total of 78 deduplicated apps) were selected and downloaded for an in-depth analysis.ResultsA total of 5276 Android apps and 877 iOS apps developed for maternal and child health care were identified. Of the 78 most frequently used apps, 43 (55%) apps focused on one stage of MCH care, mainly targeting child care (25 apps) and before pregnancy care (11 apps), whereas 35 (45%) of the apps covered 2 or more stages, most of which (32 apps) included both pregnancy and child care services. The app features that were commonly adopted by the popular apps were health education, communication, health status self-monitoring, a diary, reminders, and counseling. Within the app feature of “health status self-monitoring,” the researchers found 47 specific tools supporting activities such as pregnancy preparation, fetal heart monitoring, blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring, and doctor visits. A few apps were equipped with external devices (n=3) or sensors. No app with intelligent decision-support features to support disease management for conditions such as gestational diabetes and pregnancy-induced hypertension was found. A small number of apps (n=5) had a Web connection with hospital information systems to support appointment making, payments, hospital service guidance, or checking of laboratory results.ConclusionsThere are thousands of maternal and child health apps in the Chinese market. Child care, pregnancy, and before pregnancy were the mostly covered maternal and child health stages, in that order. Various app features and tools were adopted by maternal and child health apps, but the use of internal or external sensors, intelligent decision support, and tethering with existing hospital information systems was rare and these features need more research and development.

Identifying Medication Management Smartphone App Features Suitable for Young Adults With Developmental Disabilities: Delphi Consensus Study.

BackgroundSmartphone apps can be a tool to facilitate independent medication management among persons with developmental disabilities. At present, multiple medication management apps exist in the market, but only 1 has been specifically designed for persons with developmental disabilities. Before initiating further app development targeting this population, input from stakeholders including persons with developmental disabilities, caregivers, and professionals regarding the most preferred features should be obtained.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify medication management app features that are suitable to promote independence in the medication management process by young adults with developmental disabilities using a Delphi consensus method.MethodsA compilation of medication management app features was performed by searching the iTunes App Store, United States, in February 2016, using the following terms: adherence, medication, medication management, medication list, and medication reminder. After identifying features within the retrieved apps, a final list of 42 features grouped into 4 modules (medication list, medication reminder, medication administration record, and additional features) was included in a questionnaire for expert consensus rating. A total of 52 experts in developmental disabilities, including persons with developmental disabilities, caregivers, and professionals, were invited to participate in a 3-round Delphi technique. The purpose was to obtain consensus on features that are preferred and suitable to promote independence in the medication management process among persons with developmental disabilities. Consensus for the first, second, and third rounds was defined as ≥90%, ≥80%, and ≥75% agreement, respectively.ResultsA total of 75 responses were received over the 3 Delphi rounds—30 in the first round, 24 in the second round, and 21 in the third round. At the end of the third round, cumulative consensus was achieved for 60% (12/20) items in the medication list module, 100% (3/3) in the medication reminder module, 67% (2/3) in the medication administration record module, and 63% (10/16) in the additional features module. In addition to the medication list, medication reminder, and medication administration record features, experts selected the following top 3 most important additional features: automatic refills through pharmacies; ability to share medication information from the app with providers; and ability to share medication information from the app with family, friends, and caregivers. The top 3 least important features included a link to an official drug information source, privacy settings and password protection, and prescription refill reminders.ConclusionsAlthough several mobile apps for medication management exist, few are specifically designed to support persons with developmental disabilities in the complex medication management process. Of the 42 different features assessed, 64% (27/42) achieved consensus for inclusion in a future medication management app. This study provides information on the features of a medication management app that are most important to persons with developmental disabilities, caregivers, and professionals.

Smartphone technology and the transport of the emergency neurosurgical patient

The safe management of the emergency neurosurgical patient prior to and during transfer to a neurosurgical hospital is vital. We developed the smartphone application (app) ‘NeuroT’, as a patient safety enhancement tool to aid in the reduction of secondary brain injury, by providing clear and concise information to the transferring anaesthetist. The main causes of secondary brain injury are raised intracranial pressure, hypotension, hypoxia, hypercarbia and high fever. ‘NeuroT’ provides accessible guidelines via smartphones to help anaesthetists manage these issues during patient transfer. Mobile phones with smartphone technology are commonplace among doctors. This has led to the development of numerous medical software apps, to assist doctors in their daily work. These apps provide increased access to clinical tools, which have been shown to support better clinical decision-making.1 2 Smartphone technology allows fast access to information at the point of care. In January 2011, Apple created the ‘Apps for Healthcare Professionals’ section within the medical category of the iTunes App Store. In 2013, it further divided it into subcategories such as medical education, patient monitoring, imaging, and so on.3 This has opened up the door to numerous helpful apps that …

What are we downloading for our children? Best-selling children’s apps in four European countries

The present article provides an overview of the best-selling apps for the age range of 0–8 years under various categories, including ‘Kids’, ‘Books’, ‘Educational games’, ‘Family games’ and ‘Word games’ in the two major application stores (Google Play and iTunes App Store) in four economically diverse European countries: Hungary, Turkey, Greece and the Netherlands. As tablets seem to be a substantial part of children’s leisure activities, and thus apps might play an important role in their development, we conducted a content analysis to highlight two issues: the educational value of the most popular children’s apps and the fine-tuning of apps to the local culture and language of non-English speaking countries. There is a large overlap between the best-selling apps in the four countries; in fact, half of the apps appear among the most popular lists in more than one country. Consequently, most children’s apps do not include any oral language and, if they do, they are not available in the local language. Furthermore, the results show that a substantial part of the apps supported early literacy skills. In the majority of apps teaching literacy, although advertised for the youngest, the focus of instruction was more suited for school-age children.

Development and evaluation of a speech-generating AAC mobile app for minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder in Mainland China

BackgroundMobile touchscreen devices are currently being used as speech-generating devices (SGDs) and have been shown to promote the communication skills, particularly the requesting skills of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who have limited spoken language. However, no augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) mobile app has been developed and evaluated in the Chinese language in Mainland China.MethodsWe developed an AAC mobile app, which is the first in Mainland China, to our knowledge, named Yuudee (Chinese name 小雨滴 (xiaoyudi)). Yuudee was developed using the Objective-C and Java programming languages. A five-phase training protocol for making requests using Yuudee was developed based on the Picture Exchange Communication System. We trained ten minimally verbal children with ASD to make requests using Yuudee and evaluated the effectiveness of the training.ResultsYuudee has a built-in library of over 400 pictures with corresponding spoken phrases that are divided into 39 categories ranging from making simple requests to expressing emotions. An additional important feature of Yuudee is its customization functions that allow a parent or trainer to easily select pictures and phrases to display, create new pictures and phrases, and change the layouts and orders of the pictures to fit the personal needs of each child. Yuudee is freely available in an iOS version from the iTunes App Store (https://itunes.apple.com/cn/app/xiao-yu-di/id794832934?mt=8) and in an Android version from Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.supersuperstar.yuudee.vue) and domestic Chinese Android App stores. Three consecutive unprompted successful responses, which were defined as an initial training success, were achieved in at least three of the five phases for all ten of the evaluated children. The accuracy rate of a given phase was calculated for each child who achieved three consecutive unprompted successful responses in the phase. Seven children achieved at least 50% accuracy in at least two of the five phases. The other three children achieved at least 50% accuracy in only one phase. Two children achieved at least 50% accuracy in all of the phases in which they were trained.ConclusionsOur data suggest that Yuudee is a useful tool for helping minimally verbal children with ASD make requests.

Financial services Apps: What makes the difference between a great and a ghastly review?

Internet as we know it, has entered a spiral of decline while mobile Apps are gradually taking over and are steadily changing the way we go about our individual daily lives. This study examines the fact that certain financial services Apps are far more successful than others, specifically by looking at what makes a user think that an App may be great, and give it a favorable review, or that it is rather ghastly, and give it an unfavorable review. Next, we describe a study of six of the most popular financial services Apps on the iTunes App Store, for which reviews were analyzed using DICTION software. Employing Diction variables, ambivalence and temporal terms were prevalent in negative reviews while accomplishment, motion, optimism and certainty, were predominantly expressed in positive reviews. Human interest, on the other hand, seemed to be uniformly distributed between both types of reviews.

App Helps Users Find Ear-Friendly Places

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderApp-titude1 Jun 2017App Helps Users Find Ear-Friendly PlacesUsers of the iHEARu app help one another locate quieter spaces and hearing technology access through sound ratings and reviews. Kelly TremblayPhD, CCC-A Kelly Tremblay Google Scholar More articles by this author , PhD, CCC-A https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.APP.22062017.np SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In The statistics on Americans’ concerns about noise exposure are telling: 41 percent of adults age 18 and older in a recent ASHA-commissioned survey were concerned that past noise exposure in loud leisure settings might have harmed their hearing. Just over 50 percent expressed concern that future exposure could be harmful. A newly launched app, iHEARu, addresses and seeks to alleviate such concern by helping people in the United States and across the globe find ear-friendly places to hear and be heard. The app, available for free at the iTunes App Store and at Google Play, allows people to report sound levels and share them with others. Through crowdsourcing, people can choose to avoid the noisiest times at restaurants and other places. Protection and access Those who simply want a quiet eatery, bar or café can turn to the app’s GPS for guidance. Users note which places are ear-friendly—if, for example, the business offers customers the option of sitting in a quieter area or is open to turning down the volume on music. And those who like it loud can use iHEARu to see whether a venue’s noise levels warrant the use of hearing protection. iHEARu is also an accessibility tool. People can use it to let others know if hearing assistive technology is available onsite in a particular public or commercial spaces. The app then guides users to those sites. iHEARu can also provide useful guidance to clinicians. Audiologists, for example, can tell their patients about quiet places as well as where they can find hearing-looped venues. They can also tell their patients to look for the iHEARu signs in the windows of participating restaurants and establishments. The app’s origins As a university professor, audiologist and hearing advocate working to enhance social and communication opportunities for over 30 years, I originally developed the app as a passion project. It is entirely self-funded, with support from volunteers. My father had multiple sclerosis, so during my childhood my family always had to identify places that were wheelchair-accessible. Developing this app was a way for me to combine my passion for accessibility and hearing protection with the power of mobile technology. To help get it started, iHEARu recently launched the San Diego Sound Project, through which San Diego State University and California State University San Marcos students volunteered to record sound levels at public establishments around San Diego’s lively Gaslamp Quarter and other tourist areas. These and other efforts to increase the number of user-generated reviews on the iHEARu app will help everyone make sound decisions about where to meet others so they can hear and be heard. To join these efforts, you can use the app and write hearing-friendliness reviews about the places near you. Author Notes Kelly Tremblay, PhD, CCC-A, is a professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington. She serves on the Boards of the American Auditory Society and the Hearing Loss Association of America. [email protected] Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 22Issue 6June 2017 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: Jun 1, 2017 Metrics Current downloads: 142 Topicsleader_do_tagasha-article-typesleader-topicsCopyright & Permissions© 2017 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...