Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: May 14, 2025
Date Accepted: Jan 20, 2026
Patient and Clinician Attitudes Toward Mobile Health Applications: A Qualitative Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Mobile health applications are widely available, and some have proven safe and effective for management of specific chronic conditions. However, clinician recommendation of mobile health applications to patients and patient adoption of mobile health applications remains limited.
Objective:
To identify patient and clinician attitudes about mobile health applications.
Methods:
This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with patients and clinicians to identify technical and material, social and personal, and policy and organizational factors that can influence the recommendation or adoption of mobile health applications. The interviews and data analysis were performed between September 2023 and August 2024.
Results:
Participants included 20 clinicians (60% general internists) with a mean time in practice of 17 years, and 28 patients with a mean age of 59 years. Seven themes about patients’ and clinicians’ attitudes toward mobile health applications emerged: (1) apps as tools to improve health by extending care, (2) the role of apps in enhancing the patient-clinician relationship, (3) the need for simplicity and efficiency in app design, (4) the influence of prior experience with mHealth apps, (5) comfort with technology, (6) recommendations from others, and (7) education and hands-on experience. Although similar factors were considered by patients and clinicians, their views about older adults’ interest and ability to use mobile health applications differed.
Conclusions:
Patients and clinicians share similar views about the benefits of mobile health applications. An understanding of patient and clinician views can provide critical insights for developing approaches to facilitate their use. Clinical Trial: NA
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