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Mobile Technology-Based Interventions in Healthcare
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Mobile Technology-Based Interventions in Healthcare

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "TeleHealth and Digital Healthcare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 10263

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ponrathi Athilingam

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Nursing, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
Interests: chronic diseases; heart failure; technology-based interventions; mobile health; hospital admissions; clinical outcomes; improved self-care

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Globally, approximately one in three adults suffers from multiple chronic conditions, varying from 16% to 58%, which increases healthcare expenditure. Certain conditions cluster together more frequently, such as chronic heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, cancer, and depression.

Teaching patients how to address symptoms of chronic diseases and make informed decisions about their chronic condition improves quality of life and reduces instances of hospitalization. Self-management education (SME) programs have helped patients learn and manage their symptoms, improve their eating and sleeping habits, reduce stress, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Innovative technology affords a low-cost, flexible means to supplement formal healthcare education and is central to reshaping chronic care at home. If designed and implemented carefully, technological interventions are a powerful means to improve healthcare provider practice and help patients live more successfully with chronic disease, with patient-centered care to manage chronic diseases and improve patient-related outcomes.

Dr. Ponrathi Athilingam
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • chronic diseases
  • self-care
  • clinical outcomes
  • technology-based interventions
  • mobile apps

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1637 KiB  
Article
User-Centred Design and Development of a Smartphone Application (OverSight) for Digital Phenotyping in Ophthalmology
by Kishan Devraj, Lee Jones, Bethany Higgins, Peter B. M. Thomas and Mariya Moosajee
Healthcare 2024, 12(24), 2550; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12242550 - 18 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1269
Abstract
Background: Visual impairment can significantly impact an individual’s daily activities. Patients require regular monitoring, typically occurring within hospital eye services. Capacity constraints have necessitated innovative solutions to improve patient care. Existing digital solutions rely on task-based digital home monitoring such as visual acuity [...] Read more.
Background: Visual impairment can significantly impact an individual’s daily activities. Patients require regular monitoring, typically occurring within hospital eye services. Capacity constraints have necessitated innovative solutions to improve patient care. Existing digital solutions rely on task-based digital home monitoring such as visual acuity testing. These require active involvement from patients and do not typically offer an indication of quality of life. Digital phenotyping refers to the use of personal digital devices to quantify passive behaviour for detecting clinically significant changes in vision and act as biomarkers for disease. Its uniqueness lies in the ability to detect changes passively. The objective was to co-design an accessible smartphone app (OverSight) for the purposes of digital phenotyping in people with sight impairment. Methods: Development of OverSight included stakeholder consultations following principles of user-centred design. Apple iOS software frameworks (HealthKit, ResearchKit, and SensorKit) and a SwiftUI developer toolkit were used to enable the collection of active and passive data streams. Accessibility and usability were assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and feedback following a 3-month pilot study. Consultations with patients informed the design of OverSight, including preferred survey scheduling and the relevancy of patient support resources. Results: Twenty visually impaired participants (mean age 42 ± 19 years) were recruited to the pilot study. The average score on the SUS was 76.8 (±8.9), indicating good usability. There was a statistically significant moderate negative correlation between SUS scores and visual acuity in both the better (r = −0.494; p ≤ 0.001) and worse eye (r = −0.421; p ≤ 0.001). Conclusions: OverSight offers promising potential for collecting patient-generated health data for the purposes of digital phenotyping in patients with eye disease. Through further testing and validation, this novel approach to patient care may ultimately provide opportunities for remote monitoring in ophthalmology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mobile Technology-Based Interventions in Healthcare)
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12 pages, 1557 KiB  
Article
Real-Time Vibration Feedback from a Smartphone Application Reduces Sedentary Time but Does Not Increase Physical Activity Among Medical Students
by Ahmed M. Wafi, Mohammed A. Zaeri, Abdullah A. Khudier, Abdullah N. Abushara, Muath M. Adawi, Luay A. Zakri, Mohammed H. Madkhali, Abdullah S. Al Othaymeen, Wasan M. Qawfashi, Raghad M. Alnami and Anas E. Ahmed
Healthcare 2024, 12(21), 2133; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12212133 - 26 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1133
Abstract
Background: Sedentary behavior is associated with various adverse health outcomes. Medical students often experience high academic demands, leading to increased sedentary time. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile app providing real-time feedback in reducing total sedentary time and prolonged [...] Read more.
Background: Sedentary behavior is associated with various adverse health outcomes. Medical students often experience high academic demands, leading to increased sedentary time. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile app providing real-time feedback in reducing total sedentary time and prolonged sedentary bouts and in promoting physical activity among medical students. Methods: Seventy-seven medical students from Jazan University (mean age: 21.4 years; range: 20–25 years) participated in this study. Participants were assigned to either the control group (n = 40) or the intervention group (n = 37). The intervention group received real-time vibration feedback via a mobile app, prompting movement every 30 min of sedentary time, while the control group received no intervention. Sedentary behavior and physical activity levels were assessed using the Activities Completed Over Time in 24 h. Paired t-tests were conducted to examine within-group changes, and a two-way ANOVA was used to assess the interaction effect of time and group on sedentary time and physical activity. Results: After six weeks, the intervention group showed significant within-group reductions in their total sedentary time of 1.82 h (p = 0.01) and prolonged sedentary bouts of 1.91 h (p = 0.001), while the control group had no significant changes. Physical activity levels did not significantly change within either group. The two-way ANOVA revealed that there was no significant change over time between the two groups in their total sedentary time F (1, 75) = 1.590, p = 0.21, prolonged sedentary bouts F (1, 75) = 3.499, p = 0.06, or physical activity F (1, 75) = 0.565, p = 0.45. Conclusions: Real-time feedback from mobile apps resulted in significant within-group reductions in total and prolonged sedentary time among medical students in the intervention group. Low-cost mobile apps providing real-time feedback may be an effective intervention for reducing sedentary behavior among medical students, potentially improving their health and well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mobile Technology-Based Interventions in Healthcare)
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15 pages, 4623 KiB  
Article
A Mobile Application for Enhancing Caregiver Support and Resource Management for Long-Term Dependent Individuals in Rural Areas
by Niruwan Turnbull, Chanaphol Sriruecha, Ruchakron Kongmant, Le Ke Nghiep and Kukiat Tudpor
Healthcare 2024, 12(15), 1473; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12151473 - 24 Jul 2024
Viewed by 2217
Abstract
The “SmartCaregivers” 1.0 mobile application is a beacon of hope for caregivers (CG) in rural areas, often facing limited access to facilities and support. This study, conducted from February to August 2021, aimed to comprehensively analyze the need for developing a [...] Read more.
The “SmartCaregivers” 1.0 mobile application is a beacon of hope for caregivers (CG) in rural areas, often facing limited access to facilities and support. This study, conducted from February to August 2021, aimed to comprehensively analyze the need for developing a database system and a mobile application tailored to enhance caregiver support and resource management for long-term dependent individuals in the rural areas of Maha Sarakham province, Thailand. The research followed a rigorous research and development (R & D) approach, specifically the ADDIE model (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation). Data were collected from 402 caregivers and 10 key informants through surveys and interviews, as well as from 402 caregivers during the implementation and evaluation phases. The application’s impact was assessed using a quasi-experimental design with a one-group pre–post-test, and its acceptance was evaluated through the technology acceptance model (TAM). The application significantly improved caregivers’ knowledge scores, with a mean increase from 10.49 ± 2.53 to 12.18 ± 2.76 post-intervention. High scores for perceived usefulness (4.36 ± 0.62) and ease of use (4.31 ± 0.59) reassure the audience about the application’s effectiveness in providing rapid access to health information, aiding decision-making, and improving care coordination. The system quality was also highly rated, with users appreciating the variety of functions and structural design. This potential for transformation and improvement instills hope and optimism for the future of caregiving in rural areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mobile Technology-Based Interventions in Healthcare)
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14 pages, 1834 KiB  
Article
Effectiveness of a Mobile Health Application for Educating Outpatients about Bowel Preparation
by Hui-Yu Chen, Ming-Hsiang Tu and Miao-Yen Chen
Healthcare 2024, 12(14), 1374; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12141374 - 10 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1832
Abstract
Colonoscopy is an essential method for diagnosing and treating colorectal cancer, relying on effective bowel preparation to thoroughly examine the large intestinal mucosa. Traditional education involves printed instructions and verbal explanations but does not guarantee clear patient understanding. Poor bowel preparation can obscure [...] Read more.
Colonoscopy is an essential method for diagnosing and treating colorectal cancer, relying on effective bowel preparation to thoroughly examine the large intestinal mucosa. Traditional education involves printed instructions and verbal explanations but does not guarantee clear patient understanding. Poor bowel preparation can obscure mucosal visibility, delaying cancer diagnosis and treatment. A mobile medical model using Android devices for bowel preparation education was tested in a single-blind, randomized trial. This trial enrolled outpatients undergoing colonoscopy at the Endoscopy Center for Diagnostic and Treatment between 27 October 2021 and 31 December 2022. This study introduced the ColonClean app alongside traditional methods. After examination, endoscopists rated the preparation quality using the Aronchick scale. A data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.0 to determine if there was a significant improvement in bowel preparation quality between the control group (traditional method) and the experimental group (traditional method plus the ColonClean app). Forty patients were recruited in each group. In the experimental group, all ratings were “fair”, with 75% receiving an “excellent” or “good” rating, showing statistical significance (p = 0.016). The ColonClean app improves bowel preparation quality more effectively than traditional care instructions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mobile Technology-Based Interventions in Healthcare)
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18 pages, 2117 KiB  
Article
Using Digital Health Technologies to Monitor Pain, Medication Adherence and Physical Activity in Young People with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Feasibility Study
by Sonia Butler, Dean Sculley, Derek Santos, Xavier Girones, Davinder Singh-Grewal and Andrea Coda
Healthcare 2024, 12(3), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12030392 - 2 Feb 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2968
Abstract
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis can be influenced by pain, medication adherence, and physical activity. A new digital health intervention, InteractiveClinics, aims to monitor these modifiable risk factors. Twelve children, aged 10 to 18 years, received daily notifications on a smartwatch to record their pain [...] Read more.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis can be influenced by pain, medication adherence, and physical activity. A new digital health intervention, InteractiveClinics, aims to monitor these modifiable risk factors. Twelve children, aged 10 to 18 years, received daily notifications on a smartwatch to record their pain levels and take their medications, using a customised mobile app synchronised to a secure web-based platform. Daily physical activity levels were automatically recorded by wearing a smartwatch. Using a quantitative descriptive research design, feasibility and user adoption were evaluated. The web-based data revealed the following: Pain: mean app usage: 68% (SD 30, range: 28.6% to 100%); pain score: 2.9 out of 10 (SD 1.8, range: 0.3 to 6.2 out of 10). Medication adherence: mean app usage: 20.7% (SD, range: 0% to 71.4%), recording 39% (71/182) of the expected daily and 37.5% (3/8) of the weekly medications. Pro-re-nata (PRN) medication monitoring: 33.3% (4/12), one to six additional medications (mean 3.5, SD 2.4) for 2–6 days. Physical activity: watch wearing behaviour: 69.7% (439/630), recording low levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (mean: 11.8, SD: 13.5 min, range: 0–47 min). To conclude, remote monitoring of real-time data is feasible. However, further research is needed to increase adoption rates among children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mobile Technology-Based Interventions in Healthcare)
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