Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Towards an ASQ-TRAK app: A rapid scoping review of enablers and barriers to mHealth development and implementation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
ABSTRACT
Background:
The ASQ-TRAK (Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Talking about Raising Aboriginal Kids) is the only culturally responsive developmental screening tool validated for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Digitization of the ASQ-TRAK may be an opportunity to enhance its accessibility and reach. However, limited information exists on how to develop mHealth apps in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Objective:
This scoping review identified mHealth apps developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It examined key enablers and barriers to the development and implementation of these mHealth apps.
Methods:
A structured database search was conducted (Mar 2025). Studies that described or evaluated app development or implementation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were screened against predefined eligibility criteria. Data extraction included bibliographic details, methodological characteristics, and app-specific information. Enablers and barriers were mapped to an emergent best practice framework for eHealth with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Results:
22 studies published between 2015 and 2025, describing 11 apps, were included. Key enablers included Aboriginal-led research, culturally safe co-design approaches, strong partnerships, and integration of local languages and cultural elements. Barriers encompassed research design limitations, workforce constraints, technical issues, and challenges in sustained implementation. Critical gaps emerged in reporting organizational infrastructure, app governance arrangements, privacy protections, and data management practices.
Conclusions:
This review revealed a critical gap between developing apps for research purposes and creating sustainable, community-controlled mHealth tools for real-world implementation. Future mHealth initiatives should prioritize community ownership, planning for sustainable implementation, integration with existing care and infrastructure, and transparent reporting. Clinical Trial: n/a
Citation
Request queued. Please wait while the file is being generated. It may take some time.
Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.