1. Mindfulness-Based Symptom and Stress Management Apps for Adults With Chronic Lung Disease: Systematic Search in App Stores
- Author
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David G. Gallerani, Ligia I. Reyes, Karen Kane McDonnell, Otis L. Owens, Amanda R Myhren-Bennett, and Jenay M. Beer
- Subjects
Gerontology ,Stress management ,Mindfulness ,mindfulness ,Health Informatics ,Information technology ,Review ,lung neoplasms ,Affect (psychology) ,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Quality of life (healthcare) ,medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Lung cancer ,mobile apps ,COPD ,business.industry ,Usability ,T58.5-58.64 ,medicine.disease ,Readability ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 ,business - Abstract
BackgroundUp to 70% of lung cancer survivors are affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common, debilitating, comorbid disease. Lung cancer and COPD are both characterized by symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and psychological distress. These distressing chronic symptoms are exacerbated by stress and detract from an individual’s quality of life. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify and evaluate evidence-based, commercially available apps for promoting mindfulness-based strategies among adults with a COPD or lung cancer history (ie, chronic lung disease). MethodsFor this review, an interdisciplinary research team used 19 keyword combinations in the search engines of Google and iOS app stores in May 2017. Evaluations were conducted on the apps’ (1) content, (2) usability heuristics, (3) grade-level readability, and (4) cultural sensitivity. ResultsThe search resulted in 768 apps (508 in iOS and 260 in Google stores). A total of 9 apps met the inclusion criteria and received further evaluation. Only 1 app had below an eighth-grade reading level; the ninth one did not have enough text to calculate a readability score. None of the 9 apps met the cultural sensitivity evaluation criteria. ConclusionsThis systematic review identified critical design flaws that may affect the ease of using the apps in this study. Few mobile apps promote mindfulness-based strategies among adults with chronic lung disease (ie, COPD or lung cancer or both), but those that exist, overall, do not meet the latest scientific evidence. Recommendations include more stringent regulation of health-related apps, use of evidence-based frameworks and participatory design processes, following evidence-based usability practices, use of culturally sensitive language and images, and ensuring that content is written in plain language.
- Published
- 2018