Interactive digital tools to support empowerment of people with cancer: a systematic literature review.

Purpose: To identify and synthesise interactive digital tools used to support the empowerment of people with cancer and the outcomes of these tools.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane, Eric, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases in May 2023. Inclusion criteria were patient empowerment as an outcome supported by interactive digital tools expressed in study goal, methods or results, peer-reviewed studies published since 2010 in cancer care.

Evaluating the World Health Organization's SkinNTDs App as a Training Tool for Skin Neglected Tropical Diseases in Ghana and Kenya: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect over 1.5 billion people worldwide, primarily impoverished populations in low- and middle-income countries. Skin NTDs, a significant subgroup, manifest primarily as skin lesions and require extensive diagnosis and treatment resources, including trained personnel and financial backing.

Digital skills of health care professionals in cancer care: A systematic review.

Background: The digital transformation of healthcare enables new ways of working in cancer care directing attention on the digital skills of healthcare professionals. This systematic review aims to identify existing evidence about digital skills among health care professionals in cancer care to identify the needs for future education and research.

Methods: Database searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane and ERIC to identify studies until March 2023.

Methodological challenges in systematic reviews of mHealth interventions: Survey and consensus-based recommendations.

Objective: Mobile Health (mHealth) refers to using mobile devices to support health. This study aimed to identify specific methodological challenges in systematic reviews (SRs) of mHealth interventions and to develop guidance for addressing selected challenges.

Study Design And Setting: Two-phase participatory research project.

eHealth in the Management of Depressive Episodes in Catalonia's Primary Care From 2017 to 2022: Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: The reasons for mental health consultations are becoming increasingly relevant in primary care. The Catalan health care system is undergoing a process of digital transformation, where eHealth is becoming increasingly relevant in routine clinical practice.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the approach to depressive episodes and the role of eHealth in the Catalan health care system from 2017 to 2022.

Dissemination Strategies for mHealth Apps: Systematic Review.

Background: Among the millions of mobile apps in existence, thousands fall under the category of mobile health (mHealth). Although the utility of mHealth apps has been demonstrated for disease diagnosis, treatment data management, and health promotion strategies, to be effective they must reach and be used by their target audience. An appropriate marketing strategy can ensure that apps reach potential users and potentially convert them to actual users.

Mobile applications to prescribe physical exercise in frail older adults: review of the available tools in app stores.

Introduction: Different remote interventions, such as applications (apps), have been used to continue promoting healthy ageing and preventing disability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The growing trend of apps in health is exponential and may facilitate scaling up physical activity prescription. Numerous tools are available, but little is known regarding their appropriateness, validation and recommendation, especially for frail older adults.

Efficacy, Safety, and Evaluation Criteria of mHealth Interventions for Depression: Systematic Review.

Background: Depression is a significant public health issue that can lead to considerable disability and reduced quality of life. With the rise of technology, mobile health (mHealth) interventions, particularly smartphone apps, are emerging as a promising approach for addressing depression. However, the lack of standardized evaluation tools and evidence-based principles for these interventions remains a concern.

The relationship between patient empowerment and related constructs, affective symptoms and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The aim of this systematic review is to assess the relationship between patient empowerment and other empowerment-related constructs, and affective symptoms and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted, according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies addressing adult patients with type 2 diabetes and reporting the association between empowerment-related constructs and subjective measures of anxiety, depression and distress, as well as self-reported quality of life were included.

Correction: Evaluation Criteria for Weight Management Apps: Validation Using a Modified Delphi Process.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/16899.].

Correction: Assessment of the Efficacy, Safety, and Effectiveness of Weight Control and Obesity Management Mobile Health Interventions: Systematic Review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/12612.].

APPRAISE-RS: Automated, updated, participatory, and personalized treatment recommender systems based on GRADE methodology.

Purpose: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have become fundamental tools for evidence-based medicine (EBM). However, CPG suffer from several limitations, including obsolescence, lack of applicability to many patients, and limited patient participation. This paper presents APPRAISE-RS, which is a methodology that we developed to overcome these limitations by automating, extending, and iterating the methodology that is most commonly used for building CPGs: the GRADE methodology.

Assessing the Quality of the World Health Organization's Skin NTDs App as a Training Tool in Ghana and Kenya: Protocol for a Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect over 1.5 billion people worldwide, the majority of them belonging to impoverished populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Skin NTDs are a subgroup of NTDs that manifest primarily as skin lesions.

Factors associated with patient empowerment in Spanish adults with type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional analysis.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to identify factors associated with patient empowerment in people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the Canary Islands (Spain).

Methods: Secondary cross-sectional analysis was carried out of data obtained in the INDICA study: A 24-month cluster randomized-controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of educational interventions supported by new technology decision tools for T2DM patients. Sociodemographic variables, clinical data (years since diagnosis, glycated haemoglobin level, creatine, triglycerides, waist hip index, body mass index and number of comorbidities), diabetes knowledge (DIATEK), affective outcomes (Beck Depression Inventory-II, the State subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and The Diabetes Distress Scale) and diabetes-related quality of life (The Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of life) were assessed as potential correlates of patient empowerment, assessed using the Diabetes Empowerment Scale-Short Form.

Developing an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data-based mobile phone app to provide adolescents with sexual reproductive health information: a human-centered design approach.

Background: Adolescent pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections continue to impact 15 - 19-year-olds across the globe. The lack of sexual reproductive health information (SRH) in resource-limited settings due to cultural and societal attitudes towards adolescent SRH could be contributing to the negative outcomes. Innovative approaches, including mobile phone technologies, are needed to address the need for reliable adolescent SRH information.

Codesign and Feasibility Testing of a Tool to Evaluate Overweight and Obesity Apps.

Background: Digital health interventions and mobile technologies can help to reduce the rates of obesity and overweight conditions. Although weight management apps are widely used, they usually lack professional content and evaluation, so the quality of these apps cannot be guaranteed. The EVALAPPS project aims to design and validate a tool to assess the safety and effectiveness of health-related apps whose main goal is to manage and prevent obesity and overweight conditions.

Increased Patient Empowerment Is Associated with Improvement in Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Findings from the INDICA Study.

Introduction. In cross-sectional analyses, higher levels of patient empowerment have been related to lower symptoms of anxiety and depression. The aims of this study are: (1) to assess if patient empowerment predicts anxiety and depression symptoms after 12 and 24 months among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and (2) to analyze whether a change in patient empowerment is associated with a change in anxiety and depression level.

An Unstructured Supplementary Service Data-Based mHealth App Providing On-Demand Sexual Reproductive Health Information for Adolescents in Kibra, Kenya: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Adolescents transitioning from childhood to adulthood need to be equipped with sexual reproductive health (SRH) knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that empower them. Accessible, reliable, appropriate, and friendly information can be provided through mobile phone-based health interventions.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effectiveness and impact of an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)-based app in increasing adolescents' knowledge about contraceptives, gender-based stereotypes, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), abstinence, and perceived vulnerability, and helping adolescents make informed decisions about their SRH.

Mobile Applications in Mood Disorders and Mental Health: Systematic Search in Apple App Store and Google Play Store and Review of the Literature.

Objectives: The main objective of this work was to explore and characterize the current landscape of mobile applications available to treat mood disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and dysthymia.

Methods: We developed a tool that makes both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store searchable using keywords and that facilitates the extraction of basic app information of the search results. All app results were filtered using various inclusion and exclusion criteria.

An Exploratory Study of Current Sources of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Information in Kenya and Their Limitations: Are Mobile Phone Technologies the Answer?

Purpose The prevalence of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among adolescents in low and middle-income countries leads us to believe that sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information needs are still unmet. This paper investigates current sources and their limitations and then explores the role technology could play. In an exploratory qualitative study themes identified; (1) preferred sources of SRH information; (2) their limitations; (3) the role of technology in meeting their needs.

Mobile Health Strategies to Tackle Skin Neglected Tropical Diseases With Recommendations From Innovative Experiences: Systematic Review.

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) represent a diverse group of 20 communicable diseases that occur in tropical and subtropical areas in 149 countries, affecting over 1 billion people and costing developing economies billions of dollars every year. Within these diseases, those that present lesions on the skin surface are classified as skin NTDs (sNTDs). Mobile health interventions are currently being used worldwide to manage skin diseases and can be a good strategy in the epidemiological and clinical management of sNTDs.

Evaluation Criteria for Weight Management Apps: Validation Using a Modified Delphi Process.

Background: The use of apps for weight management has increased over recent years; however, there is a lack of evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of these apps. The EVALAPPS project will develop and validate an assessment instrument to specifically assess the safety and efficacy of weight management apps.

Objective: The aim of this study was to reach a consensus among stakeholders on a comprehensive set of criteria to guide development of the EVALAPPS assessment instrument.

A Mobile Phone Intervention to Improve Obesity-Related Health Behaviors of Adolescents Across Europe: Iterative Co-Design and Feasibility Study.

Background: Promotion of physical activity, healthy eating, adequate sleep, and reduced sedentary behavior in adolescents is a major priority globally given the current increase in population health challenges of noncommunicable diseases and risk factors such as obesity. Adolescents are highly engaged with mobile technology, but the challenge is to engage them with mobile health (mHealth) technology. Recent innovations in mobile technology provide opportunities to promote a healthy lifestyle in adolescents.

Assessment of the Efficacy, Safety, and Effectiveness of Weight Control and Obesity Management Mobile Health Interventions: Systematic Review.

Background: The use of apps to tackle overweight and obesity by tracking physical and dietary patterns and providing recommendations and motivation strategies to achieve personalized goals has increased over recent years. However, evidence of the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of these apps is severely lacking.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify efficacy, safety, and effectiveness criteria used to assess weight control, overweight, and obesity management in mobile health (mHealth) interventions through a systematic review.