TY  - JOUR
AU  - Hartch, Christa E
AU  - Dietrich, Mary S
AU  - Stolldorf, Deonni P
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/12/11
TI  - Effect of a Medication Adherence Mobile Phone App on Medically Underserved Patients with Chronic Illness: Preliminary Efficacy Study
JO  - JMIR Form Res
SP  - e50579
VL  - 7
KW  - medication adherence
KW  - medication self-efficacy
KW  - mobile phone applications
KW  - medically underserved populations
KW  - mHealth
KW  - mobile health
KW  - app
KW  - apps
KW  - applications
KW  - underserved
KW  - adherence
KW  - survey
KW  - surveys
KW  - chronic illness
AB  - Background: Medication adherence is vital in the treatment of patients with chronic illness who require long-term medication therapies to maintain optimal health. Medication adherence, a complex and widespread problem, has been difficult to solve. Additionally, lower-income, medically underserved communities have been found to have higher rates of inadequate adherence to oral medications. Even so, this population has been underrepresented in studies using mobile medication adherence app interventions. Federally qualified health centers provide care for medically underserved populations, defined as communities and populations where there is a demonstrable unmet need for health services. These centers have been reporting an increase in a more complex chronic disease population. Including medically underserved individuals in mobile health studies provides opportunities to support this disproportionately affected group, work toward reducing health disparities in access to health care, and understand barriers to mobile health uptake. Objective: The aim of this preliminary efficacy study was to evaluate the effects and feasibility of a commercially available medication adherence app, Medisafe, in a medically underserved adult population with various chronic illnesses seeking care in a federally qualified health center. Methods: Participants in this single-arm pre-post intervention preliminary efficacy study (N=10) completed a baseline survey, used the app for 2 weeks, and completed an end-of-study survey. The primary outcome measures were medication adherence and medication self-efficacy. Feedback on the use of the app was also gathered. Results: A statistically significant median increase of 8 points on the self-efficacy for adherence to medications scale was observed (P=.03, Cohen d=0.69). Though not significant, the adherence to refills and medications scale demonstrated a median change of 2.5 points in the direction of increased medication adherence (P=.21, Cohen d=0.41). Feedback about the app was positive. Conclusions: Use of the Medisafe app is a viable option to improve medication self-efficacy and medication adherence in medically underserved patients in an outpatient setting with a variety of chronic illnesses. 
SN  - 2561-326X
UR  - https://formative.jmir.org/2023/1/e50579
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/50579
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38079192
DO  - 10.2196/50579
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/50579
ER  -