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Review
. 2021 Apr 20:7:32.
doi: 10.21037/mhealth-19-263. eCollection 2021.

Mobile app development in health research: pitfalls and solutions

Aaron J Siegler  1 , Justin Knox  2 , José A Bauermeister  3 , Jesse Golinkoff  3 , Lisa Hightow-Weidman  4 , Hyman Scott  5
Affiliations
Review

Mobile app development in health research: pitfalls and solutions

Aaron J Siegler et al. Mhealth. .

Abstract

Mobile app health research presents myriad opportunities to improve health, and simultaneously introduces a new set of challenges that are non-intuitive and extend beyond typical training received by researchers. Informed by our experiences with app development for health research, we discuss some of the most salient pitfalls when working with emerging technology as well as potential strategies to avoid or resolve these challenges. To address challenges at the project level, we suggest strategies that researchers can use to future-proof their research, such as using theory and involving those with app development expertise as part of a research team. At the structural level, we include a new model to characterize the relationship between technology- and research-timelines, and provide ideas regarding how to best address this challenge. Given that screen-based time now predominates our lived experiences, it is important that health researchers have the capacity and structural support to develop interventions that utilize these technologies, assess them rigorously, and ensure their timely and equitable dissemination.

Keywords: Health research; interventions; technology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/mhealth-19-263). The series “Technology-based Interventions in HIV Prevention and Care Continuum among American Youth” was commissioned by the editorial office without any funding or sponsorship. LHW served as the unpaid Guest Editor of the series. Dr. Hightow-Weidman reports grants from NICHD, during the conduct of the study. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Technology versus research cycles.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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