SynthesisJMIR mHealth and uHealth2024
Functionality and Quality of Asthma mHealth Apps and Their Consistency With International Guidelines: Structured Search and Evaluation.
Synthesis in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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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.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Evaluating the Effectiveness of Nonpharmacological Self-Management Interventions for Persistent Pain: Protocol for Single-Case Experimental Designs.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Selection of Behavior Change Techniques for Asthma Medication Adherence Apps: Evidence-Based Design Study.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Article
- Quality and Privacy Policy Compliance of Mental Health Care Apps in China: Cross-Sectional Evaluation Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Mobile Apps Designed for Patients With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Content Analysis Using the Mobile App Rating Scale.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- A scoping review of the reporting quality of reviews of commercially and publicly available mobile health apps.JAMIA open · 2025Review
- Digital interventions in medication adherence: a narrative review of current evidence and challenges.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Medication adherence in allergic diseases and asthma: a literature review.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAsthma is a chronic respiratory disorder requiring long-term pharmacotherapy and judicious patient self-management. Few studies have systematically evaluated asthma mobile health (mHealth) apps for quality and functionality; however, none have systematically assessed these apps for their content alignment with international best practice guidelines.
objectiveThis review aims to conduct a systematic search and evaluation of current mHealth apps in the Australian marketplace for their functionality, quality, and consistency with best practice guidelines.
methodsThe most recent Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines were reviewed to identify key recommendations that could be feasibly incorporated into an mHealth app. We developed a checklist based on these recommendations and a modified version of a previously developed framework. App stores were reviewed to identify potential mHealth apps based on predefined criteria. Evaluation of suitable apps included the assessment of technical information, an app quality assessment using the validated Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) framework, and an app functionality assessment using the Intercontinental Medical Statistics Institute for Health Informatics (IMS) Functionality Scoring System. Finally, the mHealth apps were assessed for their content alignment with the GINA guidelines using the checklist we developed.
resultsOf the 422 apps initially identified, 53 were suitable for further analysis based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mean number of behavioral change techniques for a single app was 3.26 (SD 2.27). The mean MARS score for all the reviewed apps was 3.05 (SD 0.54). Of 53 apps, 27 (51%) achieved a total MARS score of ≥3. On average, the reviewed apps achieved 5.1 (SD 2.79) functionalities on the 11-point IMS functionality scale. The median number of functionalities identified was 5 (IQR 2-7). Overall, 10 (22%) of the 45 apps with reviewer consensus in this domain provided general knowledge regarding asthma. Of 53 apps, skill training in peak flow meters, inhaler devices, recognizing or responding to exacerbations, and nonpharmacological asthma management were identified in 8 (17%), 12 (25%), 11 (28%), and 14 (31%) apps, respectively; 19 (37%) apps could track or record "asthma symptoms," which was the most commonly recorded metric. The most frequently identified prompt was for taking preventive medications, available in 9 (20%) apps. Five (10%) apps provided an area for patients to store or enter their asthma action plan.
conclusionsThis study used a unique checklist developed based on the GINA guidelines to evaluate the content alignment of asthma apps. Good-quality asthma apps aligned with international best practice asthma guidelines are lacking. Future app development should target the currently lacking key features identified in this study, including the use of asthma action plans and the deployment of behavioral change techniques to engage and re-engage with users. This study has implications for clinicians navigating the ever-expanding mHealth app market for chronic diseases.
trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42021269894; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=269894. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/33103.
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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.