ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2023
Problems and Barriers Related to the Use of Digital Health Applications: Scoping Review.
Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 146 papers, 6 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
146 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Digital Inequalities in the Use of eHealth Services in European Public Health Care Systems: Systematic Review of Observational Studies.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Acceptance of Digital Technology Among Nursing Staff in Geriatric Long-Term Care: Systematic Review.JMIR nursing · 2026Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Mobile Health-Based Self-Management Programs on Health-Related Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Pooled it
- Endometriosis Support and Development of Digital Technology-Based Interventions: Systematic Review.JMIR human factors · 2025Pooled it
- Quality Assessment of Digital Health Apps: Umbrella Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Evaluation of Patient-Facing Mobile Apps to Support Physiotherapy Care: Systematic Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Pooled it
- Using a digital health tool to strengthen community engagement in arboviral disease prevention: an implementation study in Colombia.BMC public health · 2026Trial
- Impact of personalized coaching on the use of digital health interventions for movement therapy in rheumatology: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Acceptability, Feasibility, and Outcome Responsiveness of the Joint Effort Mobile App for Promoting Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Among Young Adults: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Trial
- Effectiveness of a Hybrid Community-Based Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Intervention: Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial Integrating mHealth and Motivational Interviewing.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Trial
- A randomized, unblinded, controlled clinical study to assess the mobile digital health application INKA in the management of therapy refractory overactive bladder and mixed incontinence.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Trial
- Effectiveness of an mHealth Intervention With Short Text Messages to Promote Treatment Adherence Among HIV-Positive Mexican Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Trial
- Smartphone-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: A preliminary randomized controlled trial.Internet interventions · 2026Article
- Web-Based Physiotherapy Resources for Bronchiectasis: Evaluation of Content, Quality, and Implementation Evidence.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026Article
- Advancing foundational models in digital health technology adoption: A systematic literature review of multidisciplinary factors.PLOS digital health · 2026Article
- The balancing act of app creation: Navigating the user-centred design of an industry-developed app for adolescents with menstrual pain.Internet interventions · 2026Article
- Digital Health Adoption Among Patients with Diabetes inQassim Unaizah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Implementation of an Emergency Medical Service-Integrated Teleconsultation Follow-Up Unit for Home-Based Patients With Suspected COVID-19 During Epidemiological Uncertainty in an Island Territory: Retrospective Descriptive Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- [Evaluation of Multimodal Perioperative Care Pathway Supported by a Patient-facing Mobile App in Colorectal Surgery - First Clinical Experience and Patient Satisfaction].Zentralblatt fur Chirurgie · 2026Observational
- Needs and Concerns Regarding a Pediatric Palliative Telehealth App for Use in Palliative Home Care for Adults Among Providers in Germany: Embedded Mixed Methods Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
86 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe digitization of health care led to a steady increase in the adoption and use of mobile health (mHealth) apps. Germany is the first country in the world to cover the costs of mHealth apps through statutory health insurance. Although the benefits of mHealth apps are discussed in detail, aspects of problems and barriers are rarely studied.
objectiveThis scoping review aimed to map and categorize the evidence on problems and barriers related to the use of mHealth apps.
methodsSystematic searches were conducted in the MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO databases. Additional searches were conducted on JMIR Publications and on websites of relevant international organizations. The inclusion criteria were publications dealing with apps similar to those approved in the German health care system, publications addressing problems and barriers related to the use of mHealth apps, and articles published between January 1, 2015, and June 8, 2021. Study selection was performed by 2 reviewers. The manuscript was drafted according to the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist. The analysis of the included publications and categorization of problems and hurdles were performed using MAXQDA (VERBI Software GmbH).
resultsThe database search identified 1479 publications. Of the 1479 publications, 21 (1.42%) met the inclusion criteria. A further 8 publications were included from citation searching and searching in JMIR Publications. The identified publications were analyzed for problems and barriers. Problems and barriers were classified into 10 categories ("validity," "usability," "technology," "use and adherence," "data privacy and security," "patient-physician relationship," "knowledge and skills," "individuality," "implementation," and "costs"). The most frequently mentioned categories were use and adherence (eg, incorporating the app into daily life or dropouts from use; n=22) and usability (eg, ease of use and design; n=19).
conclusionsThe search identified various problems and barriers in the context of mHealth apps. Although problems at the app level (such as usability) are studied frequently, problems at the system level are addressed rather vaguely. To ensure optimal use of and care with mHealth apps, it is essential to consider all types of problems and barriers. Therefore, researchers and policy makers should have a special focus on this issue to identify the needs for quality assurance. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/32702.
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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.