Mobile health applications for chronic diseases: A systematic review of features for lifestyle improvement

Abstract

Aims: To identify mobile health applications with features for improving the lifestyle of patients with chronic diseases.

Methods: We performed a systematic literature review between November 2017 and May 2018 on the Virtual Health Library's interface. A total of 816 records were identified. In the selection process, 24 studies met inclusion criteria for analysis. Study characteristics were extracted and synthesized.

Results: We identified applications with similar functionalities, such as the use of reminders and medical monitoring. Most of them addressed the treatment of conditions related to an already diagnosed chronic disease, including Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Cardiovascular Diseases, Asthma, Neoplasms, and chronic conditions in general. The main lifestyle changes were the reduction of body weight, promotion of healthy eating, and adherence to the regular practice of physical exercises.

Conclusions: Technology can facilitate health care with simple messages and alerts that aid in adherence to treatment. Changes in lifestyle with the use of applications are remarkable. Benefits may be even greater if more applications address the importance of prevention and not just treatment.

Keywords: Chronic diseases; Lifestyle; Mobile applications; m-Health.