Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: Jan 24, 2022
Open Peer Review Period: Jan 24, 2022 - Mar 21, 2022
Date Accepted: May 25, 2022
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Assessment of smartphone applications for common neurologic conditions: Headache, insomnia, and pain: Cross-sectional study
ABSTRACT
Background:
There are countless apps for individuals struggling with headache, insomnia, and pain, but it is difficult to establish which of these apps are best suited for patients’ specific needs.
Objective:
If clinicians were to have access to a platform that would allow them to make an informed decision on the efficacy and feasibility of smartphone applications for patient care, they may feel confident in prescribing specific applications.
Methods:
For this study, we utilized the Mobile Health Index and Navigation (MIND) database (mindapps.org) and expanded upon the current database’s supported conditions by adding 177 new app entries. We focused on apps for common, disabling neurologic conditions: headache, pain, and insomnia. We then rated each app for consistency with the American Psychological Association’s (APA) app evaluation model. This model includes 105 objective questions based on the five major classes of consideration: 1) Accessibility, 2) Privacy & Security, 3) Clinical Foundation, 4) Engagement Style, and 5) Interoperability. These characteristics were evaluated to gain a broader understanding of the significant features of each app category in comparison against a control group.
Results:
We found that the apps had similar limitations. The main overlaps were limited privacy, accessibility, and crisis management resources. We also found that the apps offered mostly self-help tools with little tailoring. Regarding the features offered, tracking and mindfulness-related features were most prevalent.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that there are many opportunities for the improvement of apps centered on headache, insomnia, and pain. Clinical Trial: Not applicable.
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