JMIR mHealth and uHealth

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and their prevention is a major public health priority. Detecting health issues early and assessing risk levels can significantly improve the chances of reducing mortality. Mobile applications (apps) can help estimate and manage CVD risks by providing users with personalized feedback, education, and motivation. Incorporating visual analysis into apps is an effective method for educating society. However, the usability evaluation and inclusion of visualization of these apps are often unclear and variable.

Older adults with a history of fall often encounter challenges in participating in group exercise programs. Recent technological advances, such as activity trackers, can potentially enhance home-based exercise programs by providing continuous physical activity monitoring and feedback.

Encouraging physical activity improves mental health and is recommended in workplace mental health guidelines. Although mHealth interventions are promising for physical activity promotion, their impact on mental health outcomes is inconsistent. Furthermore, poor user retention rates of mHealth apps pose a major challenge.

Obesity represents a major public health crisis in the United States, imposing substantial health risks and economic costs. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is an evidence-based treatment where a registered dietitian provides personalized nutrition and lifestyle guidance to patients. MNT has been demonstrated to be effective for weight loss and managing chronic diseases in patients with obesity. With the rise of telehealth, MNT has gained popularity as an accessible alternative to traditional in-person care. While a nationwide program integrating MNT with a companion mobile app offers a comprehensive weight management solution, data supporting its clinical effectiveness is limited.

Cervical cancer is currently the leading female cancer in Uganda. Most women are diagnosed with late-stage disease. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is the single most important primary preventive measure. While research regarding text message vaccine reminder use is strong in the U.S., their use has not yet been demonstrated in a pre-teen and adolescent population in Sub-Saharan Africa or other low- and middle-income countries.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a major cause of mortality, necessitating immediate and high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for improved survival rates. High-quality CPR is defined by chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 per minute and a depth of 50-60 mm. Monitoring and maintaining these parameters in real time during emergencies remain a challenge.

The digital education platform Doctorvice (iKooB Inc.) offers face-to-face physician-patient education during outpatient clinic visits, remote glucose monitoring, and the delivery of educational messages, and is expected to be effective for personalized diabetes care.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major challenge of the twenty-first century. Digital technologies are now an increasingly effective means of supporting optimal healthcare delivery and public health.

Considering the high prevalence of mental health conditions among young people and the technological advancements of artificial intelligence (AI)–based approaches in health services, mobile health (mHealth) apps for mental health are a promising way for low-threshold and large-scale mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention strategies, especially for young people. However, insufficient evidence on health-promoting effects and deficient user-centric designs emphasize the necessity for participatory methods in the interventions’ development processes.

Recruitment of demographically diverse samples in clinical research is often challenging and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic when traditional, in-person recruitment methods could not be implemented. Social media platforms offer an alternative approach for recruiting diverse samples of participants for clinical trials, including those testing digital health interventions. This approach allowed for a quicker recruitment process without the physical constraints associated with traditional, in-person methods.

Utilising digital health technologies to aid individuals in managing chronic diseases offers a promising solution to overcome health service barriers such as access and affordability. However, their effectiveness depends on adoption and sustained use, influenced by user preferences.

The adoption of protective behaviors represents a crucial measure to counter the spread of infectious diseases. The development of effective behavior change techniques therefore emerged as a public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic, but randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing such interventions during the pandemic were scarce. We conducted a Multiphase Optimization Strategy to develop, optimize, and evaluate a smartphone app, Soapp+, to promote hand hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic.