JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

All over the world development and usage of mobile health (mHealth) apps is increasing. While apps offer numerous opportunities to improve health care, there are associated problems which differ significantly from those of traditional health care services. Further investigations on the quality of mHealth apps are needed to address these problems.

Objective:

This study aims to identify and map research on quality assessment and quality assurance of mHealth apps and their transferability to continuous quality assurance of mHealth apps.

Methods:

The scoping review will follow published methodological frameworks for scoping studies as well as PRISMA-Scr criteria. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO), reference lists of relevant articles and websites of relevant institutions will be searched. Two reviewers will independently assess eligibility of articles. Therefore, a two stage (title/abstract and full-text) screening process was conducted. Quality management systems and quality assessment tools will be analyzed and included in our review. Particular focus is placed on quality dimensions.

Results:

This scoping review provides an overview of the available evidence and identifies research gaps regarding continuous quality assessment of mHealth apps. Results are planned to be submitted to an indexed, peer-reviewed journal in the first half of 2022.

Conclusions:

This is the first review in the context of continuous quality assurance of mHealth apps. Found results will be used within the research project QuaSiApps ("Continuous quality assurance of Digital Health Applications") funded by the German Federal Joint Committee.