[Use of Mobile Health Applications in Primary Care Users]

There are more than 165,000 mobile applications (apps) related to health (mHealth) available to patients, promoting their empowerment and reducing healthcare costs; but not all are reliable , safe and quality.

To analyze the use of mHealth for patients in a Primary Care Center (CAP).

Cross-sectional study based on surveys of 274 patients, aged 16 to 65 years attending nursing consultation CAP Santa Eulalia Sud (L'Hospitalet de LLobregat) that have a mobile device with Internet.

Most respondents (68%) use my health: physical exercise (63.4%), food (41.4%) and information about health services (26.3%); discharged following recommendations from family/friends (71%), Internet (45.9%), social networks (40.3%), media (31.7%) and health professionals (12.9%). Perceived drawbacks download: suitability of the apps (61.3%), reliability of information (58.1%) and error in interpreting the information (30.1%). Users (89%) and non-users (70%) of mHealth are interested in the information provided by a health professional about it.

More and more users of mHealth and criteria in selecting their apps that cast doubt discharged reliable and quality. The difficulties expressed and desire information demonstrate the need for health professionals to guide and advise on such apps, indicating the patient the most appropriate, the most reliable, the easiest to interpret and manage to avoid mistakes, and provide them with knowledge on how to use them.