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Application of Mobile Health Technologies Aimed at Salt Reduction: Systematic Review
- Source :
- JMIR mHealth and uHealth, Vol 7, Iss 4, p e13250 (2019), JMIR mHealth and uHealth
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- JMIR Publications, 2019.
-
Abstract
- BackgroundHigh salt consumption has contributed to the rise of noncommunicable diseases around the world. The application of mobile health (mHealth) technologies has witnessed rapid growth in recent years. However, evidence to support mHealth interventions to confront the challenge of salt reduction has not yet been critically reviewed. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify, characterize, and evaluate mHealth interventions aimed at salt reduction across the world. MethodsA systematic search of studies in English or Chinese language published from January 1, 1992 to July 31, 2017 was conducted using 4 English databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, Global Health, and Cochrane) and 3 Chinese databases (Wanfang, China Science and Technology Journal, and China National Knowledge of Infrastructure). All studies directly using mobile technologies in health care with a primary or secondary objective of reducing dietary salt consumption were included. ResultsA total of 1609 articles were found using the search strategy, with 11 full articles (8 English and 3 Chinese) being included for data extraction, including 11 interventional studies. Overall, few high-quality interventions were identified. Most interventions were limited by small study population sample sizes, lack of control groups, and short follow-up times, all of which were obstacles in generating long-term scalable approaches. Most interventions employed short message service as a platform for mHealth interventions, whereas some innovative mHealth technologies were also explored. Most interventions had a primary focus of improving awareness of dietary salt consumption. The outcome variables used to measure intervention effectiveness included 24-hour urinary sodium excretion, spot urine sampling, dietary records, and indirect behavior or knowledge indicators targeting salt consumption. Although most interventions displayed positive outcome results, none of them provided reliable evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of salt reduction. ConclusionsSalt reduction in mHealth initiatives remains relatively unexplored; however, studies that did intervene on salt-reduction show the potential of mHealth as an effective intervention method. We provide 3 recommendations for future mHealth interventions in salt reduction—(1) increased use of new, innovative, and interactive mHealth technologies; (2) development of mHealth interventions with primary prevention measures and goals of salt reduction; and (3) large-scale, rigorously designed, and object-targeted clinical trials of mHealth interventions with appropriate quantitative outcome variables, in particular 24-hour urine sodium.
- Subjects :
- 020205 medical informatics
MEDLINE
Psychological intervention
Health Informatics
Review
02 engineering and technology
Information technology
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Harm Reduction
systematic review
Environmental health
Health care
0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
Global health
Humans
Medicine
Mobile technology
030212 general & internal medicine
Sodium Chloride, Dietary
mobile health
sodium
mHealth
business.industry
Health technology
Feeding Behavior
T58.5-58.64
Mobile Applications
cardiovascular diseases
Clinical trial
Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
diet
business
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 22915222
- Volume :
- 7
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- JMIR mHealth and uHealth
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....3e7c598e7808eb2c23ed41e4f91653b6