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Technical Factors That May Influence mHealth Adherence in Children With Chronic Pulmonary Diseases: Scoping Review
Vaia Sapouna1, Zacharias Dimitriadis, Konstantinos Douros
1Clinical Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Laboratory (Ms Sapouna and Drs Kapreli and Kortianou) and Health Assessment and Quality of Life Laboratory (Dr Dimitriadis), Physiotherapy Department, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece; Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology Unit (Dr Douros), 3rd Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens, Greece.
Insights
Mobile health (mHealth) apps can improve adherence to nonpharmacological treatments (NPhT) for children with chronic pulmonary diseases (CPDs). Key technical factors include app design, support, connectivity, cost, privacy, and cultural readiness for better patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Digital Health
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Nonpharmacological treatments (NPhT) are crucial for managing chronic pulmonary diseases (CPDs) in children.
- Mobile health (mHealth) technology offers a promising avenue to enhance patient adherence to NPhT.
- Understanding the technical factors influencing mHealth adoption is vital for effective pediatric care.
Discussion:
- Six technical themes significantly impact adherence to NPhT via mHealth: design and context, technical support/business model, connectivity, free availability, privacy and security, and cultural readiness.
- User-centered design, considering pediatric patient needs, is paramount for successful mHealth application (app) implementation.
- Addressing these technical factors can overcome barriers and promote consistent engagement with mHealth interventions.
Key Insights:
- Evidence synthesis identified six critical technical themes influencing pediatric adherence to NPhT using mHealth.
- App design tailored to pediatric users is essential for mitigating barriers and fostering adherence.
- Addressing technical aspects like connectivity, privacy, and cultural readiness is key to maximizing mHealth effectiveness.
Outlook:
- Future mHealth development should prioritize user-centered design and address identified technical barriers.
- Further research is needed to explore the long-term impact of these technical factors on pediatric CPD management.
- Integrating these insights can lead to more effective and widely adopted mHealth solutions in pediatric respiratory care.
Purpose:
To synthesize the technical factors influencing adherence to nonpharmacological treatment (NPhT) in children with chronic pulmonary diseases (CPDs), using mobile health (mHealth) technology.
Methods:
Five electronic databases were searched from inception to October 12, 2022, with terms related to pediatrics, CPDs, adherence, NPhT, and mHealth. The methodological quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool checklist.
Results:
Eleven articles were included. Six major technical themes were supported by the evidence that may influence adherence to NPhT: design and context, technical support/business model, connectivity, free availability, privacy and security, and cultural readiness.
Conclusions:
The design of mHealth applications (apps) should be done according to the needs of pediatric patients. This may mitigate any barriers and potentially foster adherence to the use of the apps.
What This Adds To The Evidence:
Six major technical themes may influence adherence to NPhT in children with chronic respiratory diseases.Video Abstract: Supplemental digital content available at http://links.lww.com/PPT/A487 .
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