ArticleJMIR mHealth and uHealth2022
Review and Analysis of German Mobile Apps for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Management Using the Mobile Application Rating Scale: Systematic Search in App Stores and Content Analysis.
Article in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluation of fatty liver disease self-care applications: a systematic review and evaluation of apps using the mobile application rating scale (MARS).BMC gastroenterology · 2026Pooled it
- Smartphone Apps for Pulmonary Hypertension: Systematic Search and Content Evaluation.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Pooled it
- Patient-reported first-use usability of the noncommercial MyTARGET mobile application among adults with inflammatory bowel disease: a cross-sectional survey.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- mHealth Use, Preferences, Barriers, and eHealth Literacy Among Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Survey Study.JMIR human factors · 2025Article
- User-needs based app for patients with inflammatory bowel disease: development and usability study.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Cognitive Training Mobile Apps for Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment: App Store Search and Quality Evaluation.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Article
- Mobile Apps Designed for Patients With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Content Analysis Using the Mobile App Rating Scale.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Acceptability, User Satisfaction, and Feasibility of an App-Based Support Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Psychiatric Outpatient Setting: Prospective Longitudinal Observational Study.JMIR formative research · 2024Observational
- Comparison of the effect of self-care education with two methods, teach-back and smartphone application, on the adherence to treatment in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.Saudi journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Saudi Gastroenterology Association · 2024Article
- Developing Mobile Health Applications for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review of Features and Technologies.Middle East journal of digestive diseases · 2024Review
- Effect of a gamified mobile-based self-management application on disease activity index, quality of life, and mental health in adults with inflammatory bowel disease: A protocol of a randomized controlled trial study.Health science reports · 2024Article
- Quality Assessment of Smartphone Medication Management Apps in France: Systematic Search.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Article
- Rating analysis and BERTopic modeling of consumer versus regulated mHealth app reviews in Germany.NPJ digital medicine · 2023Article
- Mobile Health Apps for Patient-Centered Care: Review of United States Rheumatoid Arthritis Apps for Engagement and Activation.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2022Article
- User testing to modify the MyHealthyGut digital health application for inflammatory bowel disease.Digital healthArticle
- Digital health technologies for monitoring and managing IBD-related fatigue: A scoping review.Digital healthReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPatients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently need long-term medical treatment. Mobile apps promise to complement and improve IBD management, but so far there has been no scientific analysis of their quality.
objectiveThis study evaluated the quality of German mobile apps targeting IBD patients and physicians treating IBD patients using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS).
methodsThe German Apple App Store and Google Play Store were systematically searched to identify German IBD mobile apps for patient and physician use. MARS was used by 6 physicians (3 using Android smartphones and 3 using iPhones) to independently assess app quality. Apps were randomly assigned so that the 4 apps with the most downloads were rated by all raters and the remaining apps were rated by 1 Android and 1 iOS user.
resultsIn total, we identified 1764 apps in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. After removing apps that were not related to IBD (n=1386) or not available in German (n=317), 61 apps remained. After removing duplicates (n=3) and apps for congresses (n=7), journals (n=4), and clinical studies (n=6), as well as excluding apps that were available in only 1 of the 2 app stores (n=20) and apps that could only be used with an additional device (n=7), we included a total of 14 apps. The app "CED Dokumentation und Tipps" had the highest overall median MARS score at 4.11/5. On the whole, the median MARS scores of the 14 apps ranged between 2.38/5 and 4.11/5. As there was no significant difference between iPhone and Android raters, we used the Wilcoxon comparison test to calculate P values.
conclusionsThe MARS ratings showed that the quality of German IBD apps varied. We also discovered a discrepancy between app store ratings and MARS ratings, highlighting the difficulty of assessing perceived app quality. Despite promising results from international studies, there is little evidence for the clinical benefits of German IBD apps. Clinical studies and patient inclusion in the app development process are needed to effectively implement mobile apps in routine care.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.