Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: Sep 16, 2018
Date Accepted: Dec 9, 2018
Mobile phone ownership, health apps, and tablet use in U.S. adults with a self-reported history of hypertension: cross-sectional findings from the 2017 Health Information National Trends Survey
ABSTRACT
Background:
Mobile phone and tablet ownership have increased in the U.S. over the last decade, contributing to growing use of mobile health (mHealth) interventions to help patients manage chronic health conditions like diabetes. However, few studies have characterized mobile device ownership and the presence of health-related applications (apps) on mobile devices in people with a self-reported history of hypertension (HTN).
Objective:
(1) To describe the prevalence of smartphone, tablet, and basic cell phone ownership and presence of health apps by sociodemographic factors and HTN status (i.e., no history of HTN vs. history of HTN) in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, and (2) describe whether mobile devices are associated with health goal achievement, medical decision making, and patient-provider communication.
Methods:
Data from 3,285 respondents from the 2017 Health Information National Trends Survey were analyzed. Participants were asked if they owned a smartphone, tablet, or basic cell phone and if they had health apps on a smartphone or tablet. Participants were also asked if their smartphones or tablets helped them to: (a) achieve a health-related goal like losing weight, (b) make a decision about how to treat an illness, or (c) talk with their health care providers. Chi-square analyses were conducted to test for differences in mobile device ownership, health app presense, and app helpfulness by patient characteristics.
Results:
Approximately 1460 (37.6% weighted prevalence) participants reported a history of HTN. Tablet and smartphone ownership were lower in participants with a history of HTN compared to those without a history of HTN (55% vs. 66%, P=.001, and 86% vs. 68%, P<.001, respectively). Participants with a history of HTN were more likely to own a basic cell phone only compared to those without a history of HTN (16% vs. 9%, P<.001). Among those with a history of HTN exclusively, basic cell phone, smartphone, and tablet ownership were associated with age and education, but not race or sex. Older adults were more likely to report having a basic cell phone only, whereas those with higher education were more likely to report owning a tablet or smartphone. Compared to those without a history of HTN, participants with a HTN history were less likely to have health-related apps on their smartphones or tablets (45% vs. 30%, P<0.001), and less likely to report that mobile devices helped them achieve a health-related goal (72% vs. 63%, P=.01).
Conclusions:
Despite increasing use of smartphones, tablets, and health-related apps, these tools are less used among people with a self-reported history of HTN. To reach the widest cross-section of patients, a mix of novel mHealth interventions and traditional health communication strategies (e.g., print, web-based, in-person) are needed to support the diverse needs of people with a history of HTN.
Citation
