Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27694279›Full record

SynthesisJournal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA2017

The use of mobile applications to support self-management for people with asthma: a systematic review of controlled studies to identify features associated with clinical effectiveness and adherence.

Chi Yan Hui, Robert Walton, Brian McKinstry, Tracy Jackson, Richard Parker, Hilary Pinnock

Open access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 85 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
85citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
10.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

85 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 215 citations in OpenAlex.

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  20. Informing the Design of Individualized Self-Management Regimens from the Human, Data, and Machine Learning Perspectives.ACM transactions on computer-human interaction : a publication of the Association for Computing Machinery · 2025
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25 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Chi Yan HuiAsthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Robert WaltonCentre for Primary Care and Public Health, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
Brian McKinstryPrimary Care eHealth, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Tracy JacksonAsthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Richard ParkerHealth Services Research Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Hilary PinnockAsthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Asthma UK · GBUniversity of Edinburgh · GBQueen Mary University of London · GB

Funding

Chief Scientist Office ARPG/07/03Chief Scientist Office AUKCAR/14/01Department of Health RP-DG-1213-10008Department of Health RP-PG-0609-10181
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTelehealth is promoted as a strategy to support self-management of long-term conditions. The aim of this systematic review is to identify which information and communication technology features implemented in mobile apps to support asthma self-management are associated with adoption, adherence to usage, and clinical effectiveness.

methodsWe systematically searched 9 databases, scanned reference lists, and undertook manual searches (January 2000 to April 2016). We include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasiexperimental studies with adults. All eligible papers were assessed for quality, and we extracted data on the features included, health-related outcomes (asthma control, exacerbation rate), process/intermediate outcomes (adherence to monitoring or treatment, self-efficacy), and level of adoption of and adherence to use of technology. Meta-analysis and narrative synthesis were used.

resultsWe included 12 RCTs employing a range of technologies. A meta-analysis (n = 3) showed improved asthma control (mean difference -0.25 [95% CI, -0.37 to -0.12]). Included studies incorporated 10 features grouped into 7 categories (education, monitoring/electronic diary, action plans, medication reminders/prompts, facilitating professional support, raising patient awareness of asthma control, and decision support for professionals). The most successful interventions included multiple features, but effects on health-related outcomes were inconsistent. No studies explicitly reported adoption of and adherence to the technology system.

conclusionMeta-analysis of data from 3 trials showed improved asthma control, though overall the clinical effectiveness of apps, typically incorporating multiple features, varied. Further studies are needed to identify the features that are associated with adoption of and adherence to use of the mobile app and those that improve health outcomes.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsSelf-ManagementAsthmaDatabases as TopicHumansSelf CareTelemedicineasthmamedical informaticsmobile applicationself-managementtelemedicine

Identifiers

PMID27694279
PMCPMC7651908
OpenAlexW2528730065

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.