What Makes a Good Health 'App'? Identifying the Strengths and Limitations of Existing Mobile Application Evaluation Tools

Author(s)

Robin M. Dawson PhD, RN, CPNP-PC, University of South Carolina
Tisha Felder PhD, MSW, University of South CarolinaFollow
Sara B. Donevant, University of South CarolinaFollow
Karen Kane McDonnell PhD, RN, University of South CarolinaFollow
Edward B. Card
Callie Campbell King
Sue P. Heiney Ph.D., RN, FAAN, University of South CarolinaFollow

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Research using mHealth apps has the potential to positively impact health care management and outcomes. However, choosing an appropriate mHealth app may be challenging for the health researcher. The author team used existing evaluation tools, checklists, and guidelines to assess selected mHealth apps to identify strengths, challenges, and potential gaps within existing evaluation tools. They identified specific evaluation tool components, questions, and items most effective in examining app content, usability, and features, including literacy demand and cultural appropriateness; technical information; practical aspects of app functionality; and evolving capabilities of mobile medical apps. Challenges included the subjective nature of the results, time required to complete the evaluation, lack of emphasis on evidence-based content, and inadequate tool flexibility. Health researchers considering the integration of mobile apps into research will benefit from evaluation tools that assess both evidence-based content and the ability of the mobile app to securely integrate with other digital technologies involved in patient care. Next steps will include the involvement of health care providers and professionals, including nurses a wide range of expertise, to develop an mHealth evaluation tool that focuses on identifying quality, evidence-based mobile apps into patient outcomes research.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12333

Publication Info

Published in Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA, Volume 27, Issue 2, 2019.

APA Citation

Dawson, R. M., Felder, T. M., Donevant, S. B., McDonnell, K. K., Card, E. B., King, C. C., & Heiney, S. P. (2019). What makes a good health “app”? Identifying the strengths and limitations of existing mobile application evaluation tools. Nursing Inquiry, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12333

Rights

© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd