Use of Electronic Technologies to Promote Community and Personal Health for Individuals Unconnected to Health Care Systems

Crilly, John; Keefe, Robert H.; Volpe, Fred J.

doi:10.2105/ajph.2010.300003

Cited by 25 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Indeed, previous research has shown that mobile device interventions are most effective when they are based upon theory [3,10]. These interventions will become increasingly more available as the technology’s penetration deepens [38] and could be a powerful tool for the public health professional in broadening their influence and in reaching previously isolated segments of the community [39]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

There’s an App for That: Content Analysis of Paid Health and Fitness Apps

West¹,

Hall²,

Hanson³

et al. 2012

J Med Internet Res

292

224

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BackgroundThe introduction of Apple’s iPhone provided a platform for developers to design third-party apps, which greatly expanded the functionality and utility of mobile devices for public health.ObjectiveThis study provides an overview of the developers’ written descriptions of health and fitness apps and appraises each app’s potential for influencing behavior change.MethodsData for this study came from a content analysis of health and fitness app descriptions available on iTunes during February 2011. The Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) and the Precede-Proceed Model (PPM) were used as frameworks to guide the coding of 3336 paid apps.ResultsCompared to apps with a cost less than US $0.99, apps exceeding US $0.99 were more likely to be scored as intending to promote health or prevent disease (92.55%, 1925/3336 vs 83.59%, 1411/3336; P<.001), to be credible or trustworthy (91.11%, 1895/3336 vs 86.14%, 1454/3349; P<.001), and more likely to be used personally or recommended to a health care client (72.93%, 1517/2644 vs 66.77%, 1127/2644; P<.001). Apps related to healthy eating, physical activity, and personal health and wellness were more common than apps for substance abuse, mental and emotional health, violence prevention and safety, and sexual and reproductive health. Reinforcing apps were less common than predisposing and enabling apps. Only 1.86% (62/3336) of apps included all 3 factors (ie, predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing).ConclusionsDevelopment efforts could target public health behaviors for which few apps currently exist. Furthermore, practitioners should be cautious when promoting the use of apps as it appears most provide health-related information (predisposing) or make attempts at enabling behavior, with almost none including all theoretical factors recommended for behavior change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

There’s an App for That: Content Analysis of Paid Health and Fitness Apps

West¹,

Hall²,

Hanson³

et al. 2012

J Med Internet Res

292

224

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…109 The internet is also a way to reach families that may be geographically or socially isolated or not active users of the medical system. 110 Many websites exist where reliable vaccination information can be found and they are often sponsored by governmental, nonprofit or academic sources. 111 These websites can be used to provide information that helps families know their child's risk for a vaccine-preventable disease, that their child is in need of the vaccination, and to identify information regarding vaccine efficacy and safety.…”

Section: Addressing Vaccines In the Communitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Utilizing health information technology to improve vaccine communication and coverage

Stockwell

Fiks

2013

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics

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“…Much research on e-health is technically or provider-focussed, with an excessive focus on 'new and exciting opportunities to empower individuals' (e.g. through electronic health records) 13,14 without explaining how benefits will result. Indeed, more critical approaches find potential for increased discrimination and inequality, 15 as digital inequalities are intertwined with other inequalities, such as poverty and remoteness, and parallel the uneven distribution of chronic disease.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital technology use among disadvantaged Australians: implications for equitable consumer participation in digitally-mediated communication and information exchange with health services

Newman¹,

Biedrzycki²,

Baum³

2012

Aust. Health Review

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Objective. To present research findings on access to, and use of, digital information and communication technologies (ICTs) by Australians from lower income and disadvantaged backgrounds to determine implications for equitable consumer access to digitally-mediated health services and information.Methods. Focus groups were held in 2008-09 with 80 residents from lower income and disadvantaged backgrounds in South Australia, predominantly of working-and family-formation age (25 to 55 years). Qualitative analysis was conducted on a-priori and emergent themes to describe dominant categories.Results. Access to, and use of, computers, the Internet and mobile phones varied considerably in extent, frequency and quality within and across groups due to differences in abilities, resources and life experience. Barriers and facilitators included English literacy (including for native speakers), technological literacy, education, income, housing situation, social connection, health status, employment status, and trust. Many people gained ICT skills by trial and error or help from friends, and only a few from formal programs, resulting in varied skills.Conclusion. The considerable variation in ICT access and use within lower income and disadvantaged groups must be acknowledged and accommodated by health initiatives and services when delivering digitally-mediated consumer-provider interaction, online health information, or online self-management of health conditions. If services require consumers to participate in a digitally-mediated communication exchange, then we suggest they might support skills and technology acquisition, or provide non-ICT alternatives, in order to avoid exacerbating health inequities. What is known about the topic?Government and health provider use of digitally-mediated information and communication is rapidly increasing. However, national data show that ICT access is distributed unevenly across Australia's population. Furthermore, this distribution mirrors the health gradient. There is little qualitative data on the extent to which, and ways in which, ICTs are used within lower income and disadvantaged groups -those with greater health need. 2. What does this paper add? This paper augments the scant literature to describe ICT access and use in a range of lower income and disadvantaged groups. It indicates barriers and facilitators, and highlights the need for formal supports to level up the whole population to have the skills, confidence and resources to use and benefit from ICT-mediated communication. 3. What are the implications for practitioners? As health services and governments increase the level of digitallymediated information and communication connection with consumers/patients, it is important to understand and find ways to address differential consumer access to and use of ICTs, so that equity of access to services and information is promoted. This is particularly important as lower income and disadvantaged groups are likely to have both poorer health and lower ICT use.

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Use of Electronic Technologies to Promote Community and Personal Health for Individuals Unconnected to Health Care Systems

Cited by 25 publications

References 27 publications

There’s an App for That: Content Analysis of Paid Health and Fitness Apps

There’s an App for That: Content Analysis of Paid Health and Fitness Apps

Utilizing health information technology to improve vaccine communication and coverage

Digital technology use among disadvantaged Australians: implications for equitable consumer participation in digitally-mediated communication and information exchange with health services

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