Mobile-Health Technologies for a Child Neuropsychiatry Service: Development and Usability of the Assioma Digital Platform.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Fuca E
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7967477 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:BackgroundUniversal access to assessment and treatment of mental health and learning disorders remains a significant and unmet need. There are many people without access to care because of economic, geographic, and cultural barriers, as well as the limited availability of clinical experts who could help advance our understanding and treatment of mental health.ObjectiveThis study aims to create an open, configurable software platform to build clinical measures, mobile assessments, tasks, and interventions without programming expertise. Specifically, our primary requirements include an administrator interface for creating and scheduling recurring and customized questionnaires where end users receive and respond to scheduled notifications via an iOS or Android app on a mobile device. Such a platform would help relieve overwhelmed health systems and empower remote and disadvantaged subgroups in need of accurate and effective information, assessment, and care. This platform has the potential to advance scientific research by supporting the collection of data with instruments tailored to specific scientific questions from large, distributed, and diverse populations.MethodsWe searched for products that satisfy these requirements. We designed and developed a new software platform called MindLogger, which exceeds the requirements. To demonstrate the platform's configurability, we built multiple applets (collections of activities) within the MindLogger mobile app and deployed several of them, including a comprehensive set of assessments underway in a large-scale, longitudinal mental health study.ResultsOf the hundreds of products we researched, we found 10 that met our primary requirements with 4 that support end-to-end encryption, 2 that enable restricted access to individual users' data, 1 that provides open-source software, and none that satisfy all three. We compared features related to information presentation and data capture capabilities; privacy and security; and access to the product, code, and data. We successfully built MindLogger mobile and web applications, as well as web browser-based tools for building and editing new applets and for administering them to end users. MindLogger has end-to-end encryption, enables restricted access, is open source, and supports a variety of data collection features. One applet is currently collecting data from children and adolescents in our mental health study, and other applets are in different stages of testing and deployment for use in clinical and research settings.ConclusionsWe demonstrated the flexibility and applicability of the MindLogger platform through its deployment in a large-scale, longitudinal, mobile mental health study and by building a variety of other mental health-related applets. With this release, we encourage a broad range of users to apply the MindLogger platform to create and test applets to advance health care and scientific research. We hope that increasing the availability of applets designed to assess and administer interventions will facilitate access to health care in the general population.
| S-EPMC8663601 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe outbreak of COVID-19 has caused a continuing global pandemic. Hospitals are integral to the control and prevention of COVID-19; however, they are facing numerous challenges during the epidemic.ObjectiveOur study aimed to introduce the practical experience of the design and implementation of a web-based COVID-19 service platform at a tertiary hospital in China as well as the preliminary results of the implementation.MethodsThe web-based COVID-19 service platform was deployed within the health care system of the Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital and Internet Hospital; the function of the platform was to provide web-based medical services for both members of the public and lay health care workers. The focal functions of this system included automated COVID-19 screening, related symptom monitoring, web-based consultation, and psychological support; it also served as a COVID-19 knowledge hub. The design and process of each function are introduced. The usage data for the platform service were collected and are represented by three periods: the pre-epidemic period (December 22, 2019, to January 22, 2020, 32 days), the controlled period (January 23 to March 31, 2020, 69 days), and the postepidemic period (April 1 to June 30, 2020, 91 days).ResultsBy the end of June 2020, 96,642 people had used the automated COVID-19 screening and symptom monitoring systems 161,884 and 7,795,194 times, respectively. The number of general web-based consultation services per day increased from 30 visits in the pre-epidemic period to 122 visits during the controlled period, then dropped to 73 visits in the postepidemic period. The psychological counseling program served 636 clients during the epidemic period. For people who used the automated COVID-19 screening service, 160,916 (99.40%) of the total users were classified in the no risk category. 464 (0.29%) of the people were categorized as medium to high risk, and 12 people (0.01%) were recommended for further COVID-19 testing and treatment. Among the 96,642 individuals who used the COVID-19 related symptoms monitoring service, 6696 (6.93%) were symptomatic at some point during the monitoring period. Fever was the most frequently reported symptom, with 2684/6696 symptomatic people (40.1%) having had this symptom. Cough and sore throat were also relatively frequently reported by the 6696 symptomatic users (1657 people, 24.7%, and 1622 people, 24.2%, respectively).ConclusionsThe web-based COVID-19 service platform implemented at a tertiary hospital in China is exhibited to be a role model for using digital health technologies to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital solutions of automated COVID-19 screening, daily symptom monitoring, web-based care, and knowledge propagation have plausible acceptability and feasibility for complementing offline hospital services and facilitating disease control and prevention.
| S-EPMC7690252 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Digital health technologies (DHTs) have become progressively more integrated into the healthcare of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). To ensure that DHTs meet end-users' needs, it is essential to assess their usability. The objective of this study was to determine how DHTs targeting people with MS incorporate usability characteristics into their design and/or evaluation. We conducted a scoping review of DHT studies in MS published from 2010 to the present using PubMed, Web of Science, OVID Medline, CINAHL, Embase, and medRxiv. Covidence was used to facilitate the review. We included articles that focused on people with MS and/or their caregivers, studied DHTs (including mhealth, telehealth, and wearables), and employed quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods designs. Thirty-two studies that assessed usability were included, which represents a minority of studies (26%) that assessed DHTs in MS. The most common DHT was mobile applications (n = 23, 70%). Overall, studies were highly heterogeneous with respect to what usability principles were considered and how usability was assessed. These findings suggest that there is a major gap in the application of standardized usability assessments to DHTs in MS. Improvements in the standardization of usability assessments will have implications for the future of digital health care for people with MS.
| S-EPMC11199563 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Mobile health applications are complex interventions that essentially require changes to the behavior of health care professionals who will use them and changes to systems or processes in delivery of care. Our aim has been to meet the technical needs of Health Extension Workers (HEWs) and midwives for maternal health using appropriate mobile technologies tools. METHODS:We have developed and evaluated a set of appropriate smartphone health applications using open source components, including a local language adapted data collection tool, health worker and manager user-friendly dashboard analytics and maternal-newborn protocols. This is an eighteen month follow-up of an ongoing observational research study in the northern of Ethiopia involving two districts, twenty HEWs, and twelve midwives. RESULTS:Most health workers rapidly learned how to use and became comfortable with the touch screen devices so only limited technical support was needed. Unrestricted use of smartphones generated a strong sense of ownership and empowerment among the health workers. Ownership of the phones was a strong motivator for the health workers, who recognised the value and usefulness of the devices, so took care to look after them. A low level of smartphones breakage (8.3%,3 from 36) and loss (2.7%) were reported. Each health worker made an average of 160 mins of voice calls and downloaded 27Mb of data per month, however, we found very low usage of short message service (less than 3 per month). CONCLUSIONS:Although it is too early to show a direct link between mobile technologies and health outcomes, mobile technologies allow health managers to more quickly and reliably have access to data which can help identify where there issues in the service delivery. Achieving a strong sense of ownership and empowerment among health workers is a prerequisite for a successful introduction of any mobile health program.
| S-EPMC3812262 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In several nations, caries in pre-school children remain a significant oral health issue. In an outbreak period such as the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), remote contact and education aimed at the prevention of oral diseases and the preservation of children's oral health are more relevant than ever. Currently, the amount of published applications is far higher than the published scientific studies while the problems of usability remains vulnerable. The goal of this paper was to comprehensively document the phase of development and usability testing of a mobile application for diet and oral health, namely Gigiku Sihat, which was primarily intended to be used by parents and guardians of pre-school children. The mobile application was developed using the System Development Life Cycle principle. Apart from searching for the available oral health application on Android platform, the initial requirement gathering process consisted of situational analysis, concept generation, content development, and features and functional requirement determination. The mobile application design and implementation evolved at each phase before being finalised. Gigiku Sihat was successfully developed in the Bahasa Malaysia. Finalised Gigiku Sihat was installed on mobile devices to determine the usability using translated and validated System Usability Scale questionnaire namely Skala Kebolehgunaan Aplikasi Mudah Alih (SKAMA). The mean score usability with score of 68 and above was deemed to have good usability. This study found that Gigiku Sihat mean (SD) usability score was 77.0 (14.18). The results were promising as they showed that Gigiku Sihat had a good usability. Thus, the development of this mobile application focusing on diet and oral health served as a new source of oral health education and provided a necessary foundation in developing future improved mobile application development for parents in the prevention of early childhood caries.
| S-EPMC8425540 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundCOVID-19 continues to disrupt global health and well-being. In April-May 2020, we generated a digital, remote interactive tool to provide health and well-being resources and foster connectivity among community members through a text messaging platform.ObjectiveThis study aimed to prospectively investigate the ability of a health system-based digital, remote, interactive tool to provide health and well-being resources to local community participants and to foster connectivity among them during the early phases of COVID-19.MethodsWe performed descriptive and nonparametric longitudinal statistical analyses to describe and compare the participants' mood ratings over time and thematic analysis of their responses to text messages to further assess mood.ResultsFrom among 393 individuals seeking care in an urban emergency department in an academic setting, engaged in a two-way text messaging platform, we recorded 287 mood ratings and 368 qualitative responses. We observed no difference in the initial mood rating by week of enrollment [Kruskal-Wallis chi-square H(5)=1.34; P=.93], and the average mood rating did not change for participants taken together [Friedman chi-square Q(3)=0.32; P=.96]. However, of participants providing mood ratings at baseline, mood improved significantly among participants who reported a low mood rating at baseline [n=25, 14.97%; Q(3)=20.68; P<.001] but remained stable among those who reported a high mood rating at baseline [n=142, 85.03%; Q(3)=2.84; P=.42]. Positive mood elaborations most frequently included words related to sentiments of thankfulness and gratitude, mostly for a sense of connection and communication; in contrast, negative mood elaborations most frequently included words related to anxiety.ConclusionsOur findings suggest the feasibility of engaging individuals in a digital community with an emergency department facilitation. Specifically, for those who opt to engage in a text messaging platform during COVID-19, it is feasible to assess and respond to mood-related queries with vetted health and well-being resources.
| S-EPMC7919843 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMobile health interventions could have beneficial effects on health care delivery processes. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of controlled trials of mobile technology interventions to improve health care delivery processes.Methods and findingsWe searched for all controlled trials of mobile technology based health interventions using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, UK NHS HTA (Jan 1990-Sept 2010). Two authors independently extracted data on allocation concealment, allocation sequence, blinding, completeness of follow-up, and measures of effect. We calculated effect estimates and we used random effects meta-analysis to give pooled estimates. We identified 42 trials. None of the trials had low risk of bias. Seven trials of health care provider support reported 25 outcomes regarding appropriate disease management, of which 11 showed statistically significant benefits. One trial reported a statistically significant improvement in nurse/surgeon communication using mobile phones. Two trials reported statistically significant reductions in correct diagnoses using mobile technology photos compared to gold standard. The pooled effect on appointment attendance using text message (short message service or SMS) reminders versus no reminder was increased, with a relative risk (RR) of 1.06 (95% CI 1.05-1.07, I(2) = 6%). The pooled effects on the number of cancelled appointments was not significantly increased RR 1.08 (95% CI 0.89-1.30). There was no difference in attendance using SMS reminders versus other reminders (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.94-1.02, respectively). To address the limitation of the older search, we also reviewed more recent literature.ConclusionsThe results for health care provider support interventions on diagnosis and management outcomes are generally consistent with modest benefits. Trials using mobile technology-based photos reported reductions in correct diagnoses when compared to the gold standard. SMS appointment reminders have modest benefits and may be appropriate for implementation. High quality trials measuring clinical outcomes are needed. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.
| S-EPMC3566926 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC8956713 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAlmost a quarter or more than a fifth of children in the United Kingdom are overweight or obese by the time they start school. The UK Department of Health and Social Care's national policy for combating childhood obesity has critical outcomes centered on sugar and caloric consumption reduction. Health Education England has developed two digital apps for families with children up to 15 years and for their associated health care professionals to provide a digital learning resource and tool aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles to prevent obesity.ObjectiveThis feasibility study assesses the usability and acceptability of Health Education England's NoObesity app for undertaking activities to improve families' diet and physical activity. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the app's influence on self-efficacy and goal setting and to determine what can be learnt to improve its design for future studies, if there is evidence of adoption and sustainability.MethodsThe study population will include 20 to 40 families and their linked health care professionals. Considering issues related to digital access associated with socioeconomic status and the impact on information technology use, study recruitment will be regionally focused in a low socioeconomic status area. The study will last for 9 months (3-month intervention period and 6-month follow-up). The evaluations of feasibility, acceptability, and usability will be conducted using the following scales and theoretical frameworks: (1) system usability scale; (2) Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance framework; (3) Bandura model of health promotion; and (4) Nonadoption, Abandonment, and Challenges to the Scale-up, Spread, and Suitability framework. App use will be captured and quantitatively analyzed for net use patterns (eg, number of screens viewed, number of logins, cumulative minutes using the app, number of plans made, and number of times goals met) and to triangulate qualitative feedback from study participants.ResultsThis study was funded in March 2019 by Health Education England and received University of Oxford Medical Sciences Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee approval on January 31, 2020 (R62092/RE001). At manuscript submission, study recruitment is pending, and expected results will be published in 2021.ConclusionsThis study will provide evidence on the NoObesity app's influence on self-efficacy and goal-setting and determine what can be learnt to improve its design for future studies, if there is evidence of adoption and sustainability.International registered report identifier (irrid)PRR1-10.2196/18068.
| S-EPMC7407263 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe mobile health (mHealth) app trustworthiness (mHAT) checklist was created to identify end users' opinions on the characteristics of trustworthy mHealth apps and to communicate this information to app developers. To ensure that the checklist is suited for all relevant stakeholders, it is necessary to validate its contents.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of the mHAT checklist by modifying its contents according to ratings and suggestions from stakeholders familiar with the process of developing, managing, or curating mHealth apps.MethodsA 44-item online survey was administered to relevant stakeholders. The survey was largely comprised of the mHAT checklist items, which respondents rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from completely disagree (1) to completely agree (5).ResultsIn total, seven professional backgrounds were represented in the survey: administrators (n=6), health professionals (n=7), information technology personnel (n=6), managers (n=2), marketing personnel (n=3), researchers (n=5), and user experience researchers (n=8). Aside from one checklist item-"the app can inform end users about errors in measurements"-the combined positive ratings (ie, completely agree and agree) of the checklist items overwhelmingly exceeded the combined negative ratings (ie, completely disagree and disagree). Meanwhile, two additional items were included in the checklist: (1) business or funding model of the app and (2) details on app uninstallation statistics.ConclusionsOur results indicate that the mHAT checklist is a valuable resource for a broad range of stakeholders to develop trustworthy mHealth apps. Future studies should examine if the checklist works best for certain mHealth apps or in specific settings.
| S-EPMC7404005 | biostudies-literature