Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Jul 24, 2023
Date Accepted: Apr 3, 2024
Attributes, Quality, and Downloads of Dementia-Related Mobile Apps for Patients with Dementia and Their Caregivers: An App Review and Evaluation Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The adoption of mHealth apps among seniors is rapidly increasing, but has not been fully effective in supporting people with dementia and their caregivers in their daily lives, as the quality of mHealth apps is heterogeneous, highlighting the need for improved app quality in the development of dementia-related mHealth apps.
Objective:
This study aims to assess the quality and content of mobile apps for dementia management and to investigate the relationship between app quality and download numbers.
Methods:
We reviewed dementia-related mHealth apps available in the Google Play Store and Apple app store. The identified mobile apps were stratified in random sampling and evaluated by five independent reviewers using the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale. A correlation between the app quality and downloads were calculated.
Results:
Among the 17 apps that were evaluated, only one app (5.9%) was specifically designed to provide dementia-related education. The mean score for the overall app quality was 3.35 (SD 0.56), with the engagement (mean 3.04, SD 0.82) and information (mean 3.14, SD 0.88) sections received the lowest ratings. Our analyses showed the differences between the top three and bottom three-rated apps, particularly in the entertainment and interest sub-sections of the engagement category. The top three apps had a common feature in their interface, which included memory, attention, focus, calculation, and speed training games, whereas the apps that received lower ratings were found to be deficient in providing adequate information. Although there was a correlation between the number of downloads (5,000 or more) and app quality (t=4.087, p<0.001), it may not be a significant determinant of the app's perceived impact.
Conclusions:
The quality of dementia-related mHealth apps is highly variable. In particular, our results show that the top three quality apps performed well in terms of engagement and information, and they all received more than 5,000 downloads. To help people with dementia and their caregivers choose a quality mobile app, publicly available expert ratings of mobile apps could be helpful.
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