Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34950500›Full record

ReviewDigital health

A review of the quality and content of mobile apps to support lifestyle modifications following a transient ischaemic attack or 'minor' stroke.

Seán R O'Connor, Frank Kee, David R Thompson, Margaret E Cupples, Michael Donnelly, Neil Heron

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
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.

Seán R O'ConnorSchool of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6805-8899
Frank KeeCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
David R ThompsonSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8518-6307
Margaret E CupplesCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4248-9700
Michael DonnellyCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Neil HeronCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveSecondary prevention is recommended to reduce cardiovascular risk after transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or 'minor' stroke. Mobile health interventions can provide accessible, cost-effective approaches to address modifiable risk factors, such as physical inactivity, hypertension and being overweight. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of apps for supporting lifestyle change following a TIA or 'minor' stroke.

methodsSystematic searches of Google Play and the Apple Store were carried out to identify mobile apps released between 1 November 2019 and 1 October 2021. Keywords were used including stroke, TIA, lifestyle, prevention and recovery. Quality was assessed using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). Common components were identified with the Behaviour Change Technique (BCT) Taxonomy. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the performance results for each app.

resultsSearches identified 2545 potential apps. Thirty remained after removing duplicates and screening titles and descriptions. Six were eligible after full review of their content. All apps included at least one BCT (range: 1-16 BCTs). The most frequent BCTs included 'information about health consequences' (

conclusionsThis is the first review of mobile health interventions for this population. Only a small number of apps were available. None were targeted specifically at people with a TIA or 'minor' stroke. Overall quality was low. Further work is needed to develop and test accessible, user designed, and evidence-informed digital interventions in this population.

Indexed as

mHealth‘minor’ strokeMobile appssecondary preventionsystematic reviewtransient ischaemic attack

Identifiers

PMID34950500
PMCPMC8689637

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.