Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34787586›Full record

ArticleJMIR mHealth and uHealth2021

Identification of the Most Suitable App to Support the Self-Management of Hypertension: Systematic Selection Approach and Qualitative Study.

Tourkiah Alessa, Mark Hawley, Luc de Witte

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
3.5field-weighted citation impact, top 7% 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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Patient journey for hypertension and dyslipidemia in Saudi Arabia: highlighting the evidence gaps.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2023
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
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

3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Tourkiah AlessaBiomedical Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0002-0858-2098
Mark HawleyCentre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-2349-4491
Luc de WitteCentre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-3013-2640
University of Sheffield · GBKing Saud University · SA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSmartphone apps are increasingly being used to aid in hypertension self-management, and a large and ever-growing number of self-management apps have been commercially released. However, very few of these are potentially effective and secure, and researchers have yet to establish the suitability of specific hypertension apps to particular contexts.

objectiveThe aim of this study is to identify the most suitable hypertension app in the context of Saudi Arabia and its health system.

methodsThis study used a 2-stage approach to selecting the most suitable app for hypertension self-management. First, a systematic selection approach was followed to identify a shortlist of the most suitable apps according to the criteria of potential effectiveness, theoretical underpinning, and privacy and security. Second, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted to select the most suitable from the shortlist: 12 doctors were interviewed, and 22 patients participated in 4 focus groups. These explored participants' attitudes towards self-management apps in general, and their views towards the apps identified via the systematic selection process. The qualitative data were analyzed using framework analysis.

resultsIn the first stage, only 5 apps were found to be potentially effective while also having a theoretical underpinning and protecting users' data. In the second stage, both doctors and patients were generally interested in using hypertension apps, but most had no experience with these apps due to a lack of awareness of their availability and suitability. Patients and doctors liked apps that combine intuitive interfaces with a pleasant and clear visual design, in-depth features (eg, color-coded feedback accompanied with textual explanations), activity-specific reminders, and educational content regarding hypertension and potential complications. When the pros and cons of the 5 apps were discussed, 3 apps were identified as being more suitable, with Cora Health rated the highest by the participants.

conclusionsOnly 5 apps were deemed potentially effective and secure. Patients' and doctors' discussions of the pros and cons of these 5 apps revealed that 3 out of the 5 are clearly more suitable, with the Cora Health app being judged most suitable overall.

Indexed as

HypertensionMobile ApplicationsSelf-ManagementTelemedicineHumansQualitative Researchappblood pressurecardiologyeffectivehearthypertensionmHealthSaudi Arabiasecurityself-managementsupport

Identifiers

PMID34787586
PMCPMC8663499
OpenAlexW3214374724

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.