ArticleCephalalgia : an international journal of headache2022
A systematic evaluation of primary headache management apps leveraging behavior change techniques.
Article in Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluation of temporomandibular disorder self-management apps in Australia: a systematic review to inform clinical use.International journal for quality in health care : journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Engagement and predictors of use of a smartphone app for migraine self-management: A secondary analysis of the EMMA trial.Headache · 2026Trial
- The Therapeutic Home Environment for Chronic Diseases: A Transdisciplinary Ecosystem for Achieving Migraine Freedom and Managing Comorbid Anxiety, Insomnia, and Chronic Pain.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Review
- The biopsychosocial perspective on designing mobile health apps for self-management of chronic headaches.Health systems (Basingstoke, England) · 2025Article
- Use of Behavior Change Techniques and Quality of Commercially Available Inflammatory Bowel Disease Apps.Digestive diseases and sciences · 2023Article
- Headache providers' perspectives of headache diaries in the era of increasing technology use: a qualitative study.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Article
- Behavioral Health, Telemedicine, and Opportunities for Improving Access.Current pain and headache reports · 2022Review
- Healthy Dwelling: Design of Biophilic Interior Environments Fostering Self-Care Practices for People Living with Migraines, Chronic Pain, and Depression.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMobile health apps have the potential to promote adherence to headache management through the use of evidence-based behavior change techniques (e.g., self-monitoring). While many headache management apps exist, the extent to which these apps include behavior change techniques remains unknown. Thus, the present study systematically evaluated the content and quality of commercially available headache management apps.
methodsHeadache apps were identified using a systematic search in the Apple App and Google Play stores. A total of 55 apps were evaluated using the taxonomy of behavior change techniques and app quality using the Mobile App Rating Scale.
resultsHeadache management apps included 0-14 behavior change techniques (Mean [M] = 5.89) and 0-8 headache management behavior change techniques (M = 4.29). App quality ranged from 2.84-4.67 (M = 3.73) out of 5.00. Three apps, Migraine Trainer, Easeday: Headache & Migraine, and PainScale, included the highest number of overall and headache management behavior change techniques along with good quality scores.
conclusionsWhile randomized controlled trials are necessary to determine the efficacy of individual headache apps, most existing apps include evidence-based headache management behavior change techniques. Headache apps often focus on either self-monitoring or stress management via relaxation training, suggesting that patients' needs should be used to inform app selection.
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