ArticlePLOS digital health2022
The use of mobile apps and fitness trackers to promote healthy behaviors during COVID-19: A cross-sectional survey.
Article in PLOS digital health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 37 citations in OpenAlex.
- Smartphone-Based Hand Function Assessment: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Engagement, Acceptability, and Effectiveness of the Self-Care and Coach-Supported Versions of the Vira Digital Behavior Change Platform Among Young Adults at Risk for Depression and Obesity: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mental health · 2024Trial
- Digitalization in Breast Cancer Care: Health App Use and Patient Needs-A Cross-Sectional Survey.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Physical activity in social contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic: a latent transition analysis.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Physical activity, sleep pattern and problematic internet use in undergraduate health-sciences students of Nepal - A cross-sectional study.PLOS digital health · 2026Article
- Within-individual changes in BMI and menstrual irregularity: a cohort study using real-world data.BMC women's health · 2026Article
- Conceptual Model for the Integration of Marketing Strategies and Biomedical Innovation in Patient-Centered Care: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR biomedical engineering · 2026Article
- Exploring usage and perceived effectiveness of fitness trackers and mobile health applications among university students in Saudi Arabia.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Encouraging General Practitioners to Refer Patients With Insomnia to a Digital Therapeutic (Sleepio): Feasibility Repeated-Measures Intervention Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Gamifying Resistance Training with Wearable Sensors.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Usage Trends and Data Sharing Practices of Healthcare Wearable Devices Among US Adults: Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Article
- Functions of Smartphone Apps and Wearable Devices Promoting Physical Activity: Six-Month Longitudinal Study on Japanese-Speaking Adults.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Article
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of patients with cardiovascular disease in Australia: mixed-methods study.BMJ open · 2024Observational
- Factors Predicting In-School and Electronic Bullying among High School Students in the United States: An Analysis of the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Attitudes, Barriers, and Motivators Toward Daily Walking and a Mobile App to Increase Walking Among Women: Web-Based Anonymous Survey.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- Review
- Exploring Disparities in Healthcare Wearable Use among Cardiovascular Patients: Findings from a National Survey.Reviews in cardiovascular medicine · 2023Article
- Improved awareness of physical activities is associated with a gain of fitness and a stable body weight in breast cancer patients during the first year of antineoplastic therapy: the BEGYN-1 study.Frontiers in oncology · 2023Article
- Digital technology and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a narrative review with a focus on depression, anxiety, stress, and trauma.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 7 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo examine i) the use of mobile apps and fitness trackers in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic to support health behaviors; ii) the use of COVID-19 apps; iii) associations between using mobile apps and fitness trackers, and health behaviors; iv) differences in usage amongst population subgroups.
methodsAn online cross-sectional survey was conducted during June-September 2020. The survey was developed and reviewed independently by co-authors to establish face validity. Associations between using mobile apps and fitness trackers and health behaviors were examined using multivariate logistic regression models. Subgroup analyses were conducted using Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Three open-ended questions were included to elicit participants' views; thematic analysis was conducted.
resultsParticipants included 552 adults (76.7% women; mean age: 38±13.6 years); 59.9% used mobile apps for health, 38.2% used fitness trackers, and 46.3% used COVID-19 apps. Users of mobile apps or fitness trackers had almost two times the odds of meeting aerobic physical activity guidelines compared to non-users (odds ratio = 1.91, 95% confidence interval 1.07 to 3.46, P = .03). More women used health apps than men (64.0% vs 46.8%, P = .004). Compared to people aged 18-44 (46.1%), more people aged 60+ (74.5%) and more people aged 45-60 (57.6%) used a COVID-19 related app (P < .001). Qualitative data suggest people viewed technologies (especially social media) as a 'double-edged sword': helping with maintaining a sense of normalcy and staying active and socially connected, but also having a negative emotional effect stemming from seeing COVID-related news. People also found that mobile apps did not adapt quickly enough to the circumstances caused by COVID-19.
conclusionsUse of mobile apps and fitness trackers during the pandemic was associated with higher levels of physical activity, in a sample of educated and likely health-conscious individuals. Future research is needed to understand whether the association between using mobile devices and physical activity is maintained in the long-term.
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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.