TY  - JOUR
AU  - Sharma, Shreya
AU  - Gergen Barnett, Katherine
AU  - Maypole, John (Jack)
AU  - Grochow Mishuris, Rebecca
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/2/11
TI  - Evaluation of mHealth Apps for Diverse, Low-Income Patient Populations: Framework Development and Application Study
JO  - JMIR Form Res
SP  - e29922
VL  - 6
IS  - 2
KW  - mobile health application
KW  - apps
KW  - mobile health
KW  - diverse
KW  - low-income
KW  - mHealth
KW  - framework
KW  - chronic disease
KW  - condition
KW  - smoking cessation
KW  - diabetes
KW  - medication adherence
KW  - safety net hospital
KW  - personal
KW  - self-management
KW  - usability test
AB  - Background: The use of mobile technology or smartphones has grown exponentially in the United States, allowing more individuals than ever internet access. This access has been especially critical to households earning less than US $30,000, the majority of whom indicate that smartphones are their main source of internet access. The increasing ubiquity of smartphones and virtual care promises to offset some of the health disparities that cut through the United States. However, disparities cannot be addressed if the medical information offered though smartphones is not accessible or reliable. Objective: This study seeks to create a framework to review the strengths and weaknesses of mobile Health (mHealth) apps for diverse, low-income populations. Methods: Focusing on smoking cessation, diabetes management, and medication adherence as models of disease management, we describe the process for selecting, evaluating, and obtaining patient feedback on mHealth apps. Results: The top 2 scoring apps in each category were QuitNow! and Smoke Free-Quit Smoking Now for smoking cessation, Glucosio and MyNetDiary for diabetes management, and Medisafe and MyMeds for medication adherence. Conclusions: We believe that this framework will prove useful for future mHealth app development, and clinicians and patient advisory groups in connecting culturally, educationally, and socioeconomically appropriate mHealth apps with low-income, diverse communities and thus work to bridge health disparities. 
SN  - 2561-326X
UR  - https://formative.jmir.org/2022/2/e29922
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/29922
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35147502
DO  - 10.2196/29922
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/29922
ER  -