Perceptions of Smartphone User-Centered Mobile Health Tracking Apps Across Various Chronic Illness Populations: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Purpose: This integrative review presents a synthesis of the current qualitative research addressing the motivating factors, usability, and experiences of mobile health tracking applications (apps) across various chronic disease populations.

Design: Integrative review of the literature.

Methods: Databases used to conduct this integrative review included: PubMed Plus, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Google Scholar, Science Direct, and EBSCO megafile. The following search terms were used in all five databases: smartphone apps, apps, mHealth, eHealth, mobile health apps, health tracking apps, user-centered apps, wireless technology, engagement, qualitative, and usability.

Findings: The initial literature review yielded 689 results. Once inclusion and exclusion criteria were employed, 11 studies met the criteria set forth for this review. The reviewed studies provided insight into users' perceptions, experiences, and motivations to incorporate smartphone mobile health apps into their daily lives when living with chronic illnesses.

Conclusions: This review indicates the growing interest in user-centered mobile health tracking apps, but with little understanding of motivating factors that foster sustained app use. Mobile health tracking apps targeted to users with chronic conditions need to have a high level of usability in order to motivate users to sustain engagement with their mobile health tracking app.

Clinical relevance: User-centered mobile health tracking app technology is being used with increasing frequency to potentially provide individualized support to chronic illness populations.

Keywords: mHealth; motivation; smartphone mobile health apps; usability.