Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: Jan 31, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Jan 31, 2025 - Mar 28, 2025
Date Accepted: Oct 20, 2025
Date Submitted to PubMed: Oct 20, 2025
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Mobile Apps for HIV and STI Prevention in Canada, Mexico, and the United States: An Environmental Scan.
ABSTRACT
Background:
Canada, Mexico, and the United States are primary transit destinations for migrants in the Western Hemisphere. Migrants face barriers to accessing health services, including HIV/AIDS and STI prevention. Mobile apps may enhance public health access for these populations.
Objective:
This study systematically identifies and evaluates mobile apps supporting HIV and STI prevention in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Methods:
An environmental scan of 357 apps from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store was conducted, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Six apps met the criteria and were evaluated using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) with a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability of 0.90.
Results:
All six apps were available in Canada, Mexico, and the United States: 33.33% from Google Play, 16.67% from Apple, and 50% from both platforms. MARS evaluation revealed high app quality ratings for Engagement (100%), Functionality (88.9%), Aesthetics (83.3%), and Interaction (83%). High subjective quality (83.3%) and app-specific quality (88.9%) were also noted. Life4Me+ was the highest-rated app (4.63/5), while HIV-TEST received the lowest rating (3.47/5).
Conclusions:
These six apps demonstrate high functionality, engagement, and accessibility, suggesting they are effective tools for disseminating HIV and STI prevention education among migrant populations.
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