mHealth and telemedicine utility in the monitoring of allergic diseases

Abstract

This literature review discusses the use of mHealth technologies and telemedicine for monitoring various allergic diseases both in everyday life and in the context of COVID-19. Telemedicine, whose popularity, and demand has skyrocketed during the pandemic, rely on mHealth technologies, video calls and websites as a resource-saving and safe way of consulting patients. The incorporation of new mHealth technologies into telemedicine practice may not only be relevant in the context of pandemic restrictions but can also be applied in everyday medical practice as an effective method of patient counseling. The mobile healthcare applications include a wide range of mobile apps for patients' education, monitoring, and disease management. However, applications for the people with food allergies lack relevant information about allergies and, like most other applications, are developed without the contribution of healthcare specialists. During the COVID-19 pandemic, low-risk food-allergic patients were able to rely on telemedicine services where they could get the help, they needed without increasing risk of contracting COVID-19 while saving time. Meanwhile, some applications for allergic rhinitis and asthma patients are showing practical benefits in clinical trials by allowing an efficient assessment of treatment regimens and efficacy. The use of digital symptom diaries further facilitates the implementation of real-life studies. However, for respiratory allergic diseases, the often insufficient quality of pollen prediction needs to be taken into account. Even though studies have shown that asthma is better controlled with mHealth technologies, the quality of mobile apps for asthma patients varies widely, as many products provide information that has not been scientifically proven. Inhaler sensors – have been shown to improve the course of asthma and its monitoring, while push notifications prompting people to take their medication double the likelihood of treatment adherence. Teledermatology has a high level of patient satisfaction – as it is perceived as a more time-saving method of consultation. However, the diagnostic accuracy of contact consultations remains higher. mHealth technologies provide a patient's health data from his/her daily life, which enables insights into behavioral patterns. This closer look at the daily routine can have a significant impact on developing individualized treatment and care guidelines.

Mapping Factors That Affect the Uptake of Digital Therapeutics Within Health Systems: Scoping Review

“…They should also be easy and straightforward to understand and use [ 1 , 4 , 13 , 19 , 40 , 42 , 117 , 135 , 141 , 150 , 193 , 194 , 203 , 208 , 217 , 250 , 252 , 265 , 266 , 273 ], as well as have the ability to be personalized according to patient needs and preferences [ 4 , 13 , 62 , 117 , 208 , 216 , 217 , 220 , 246 ]. Finally, a key property and enabler of the reimbursement of digital therapeutics is their interaction with the target population: they should be co-designed and coimplemented with patients and health professionals to maximize the likelihood of their uptake by the relevant stakeholders, with the recognition of the fact that engagement might differ across population groups in different countries [ 4 , 13 , 19 , 40 , 47 , 56 , 57 , 89 , 129 , 166 , 174 , 189 , 190 , 200 , 214 , 215 , 220 , 230 , 250 ].…”

Advancing Dermatological Care: A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Tele-Dermatology and mHealth for Bridging Gaps and Expanding Opportunities beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The search provided 40 components [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ] in the three years since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (at the date of this study).…”

“…In detail, the components were: Two randomized controlled (clinical) trials (RCTs) [ 37 , 49 ]; Three observational studies (OS)s [ 39 , 46 , 47 ]; Nine reviews [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 36 , 38 ] and one systematic review [ 32 ]; Twenty-five papers [ 21 , 26 , 27 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 48 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ]. …”

“…The reviews covered various aspects of the integration of TD and mHealth , sometimes in the context of the COVID-19 [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 32 , 36 , 38 ].…”

The paradigm shift in allergy consultations through a digital ecosystem

“… Conduct the interview efficiently to gather key information. Although technology allows for remote physical exams and mobile health (mHealth) provides allergists with daily clinical data, our healthcare area has yet to incorporate these practices ( 7 ). Successful implementation not only necessitates possessing the required devices but also adapting them to integrate seamlessly with the in-house EMR system.…”