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Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth

Date Submitted: Mar 19, 2018
Open Peer Review Period: Mar 20, 2018 - Aug 10, 2018
Date Accepted: Aug 10, 2018
(closed for review but you can still tweet)

The final, peer-reviewed published version of this preprint can be found here:

Smartphone Apps About Crystal Methamphetamine (“Ice”): Systematic Search in App Stores and Assessment of Composition and Quality

Chapman C, Champion KE, Birrell L, Deen H, Brierley ME, Stapinski LA, Kay-Lambkin F, Newton NC, Teesson M

Smartphone Apps About Crystal Methamphetamine (“Ice”): Systematic Search in App Stores and Assessment of Composition and Quality

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2018;6(11):e10442

DOI: 10.2196/10442

PMID: 30463834

PMCID: 6282015

Smartphone Apps About Crystal Methamphetamine (“Ice”): Systematic Search in App Stores and Assessment of Composition and Quality

  • Cath Chapman; 
  • Katrina Elizabeth Champion; 
  • Louise Birrell; 
  • Hannah Deen; 
  • Mary-Ellen Brierley; 
  • Lexine A. Stapinski; 
  • Frances Kay-Lambkin; 
  • Nicola C. Newton; 
  • Maree Teesson

ABSTRACT

Background:

Amid considerable community concern about the prevalence and harms associated with the use of crystal methamphetamine (“ice”), the increased use of smartphones to access health information and a growing number of available smartphone apps related to crystal methamphetamine, no previous reviews have examined the content and quality of these apps.

Objective:

This study aims to systematically review existing apps in the iTunes and Google Play Stores to determine the existence, composition, and quality of educational smartphone apps about methamphetamines, including ice.

Methods:

The iTunes and Google Play Stores were systematically searched in April 2017 for iOS Apple and Android apps, respectively. English-language apps that provided educational content or information about methamphetamine were eligible for inclusion. Eligible apps were downloaded and independently evaluated for quality by 2 reviewers using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS).

Results:

A total of 2205 apps were initially identified, of which 18 were eligible and rated using the MARS. The mean MARS quality total score for all rated apps was 3.0 (SD 0.6), indicating poor to acceptable quality. Overall, mean scores were the highest for functionality (mean 4.0, SD 0.5) and lowest for engagement (mean 2.3, SD 0.7).

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates a shortage of high-quality educational and engaging smartphone apps specifically related to methamphetamine. The findings from this review highlight a need for further development of engaging and evidence-based apps that provide educational information about crystal methamphetamine.


 Citation

Please cite as:

Chapman C, Champion KE, Birrell L, Deen H, Brierley ME, Stapinski LA, Kay-Lambkin F, Newton NC, Teesson M

Smartphone Apps About Crystal Methamphetamine (“Ice”): Systematic Search in App Stores and Assessment of Composition and Quality

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2018;6(11):e10442

DOI: 10.2196/10442

PMID: 30463834

PMCID: 6282015

Per the author's request the PDF is not available.

© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.