Mobile Applications to Support Multiple Sclerosis Communities: The Post-COVID-19 Scenario

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Digital Health
• Mobile Health (mHealth)

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of mobile applications across various populations, including individuals with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and healthcare providers (HCPs).
• Mobile apps have become crucial for accessing health information, monitoring symptoms, and fostering social connections within patient communities.
• The study investigates the current landscape of mobile applications for multiple sclerosis (MS) communities in the context of this digital revolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and categorize existing mobile applications relevant to multiple sclerosis (MS) available on Italian app stores.
• To assess the focus and target audience of identified MS-specific applications.
• To explore the potential of non-MS-specific apps in addressing unmet needs within the MS community.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of the Italian Google Play Store and Apple App Store was conducted for MS-specific applications in English or Italian.
• Applications were categorized based on their primary focus (e.g., PwMS-oriented, HCPs-oriented) and features.
• The Google Search tool was utilized to identify non-MS-specific applications for complementary health domains.

Main Results:

• Fifty-four MS-specific apps were identified, predominantly targeting people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) (83%), free of charge (94%), and in English (76%).
• PwMS-oriented apps focused on increasing MS knowledge (71%), symptom tracking (33%), and peer/HCP networking (38%).
• HCPs-oriented tools concentrated on MS education (62%), disease management (54%), and research (15%), with 24 additional non-MS-specific apps identified for unmet needs.

Conclusions:

• The digital revolution has yielded customized m-health and social networking apps for PwMS, but gaps persist in apps for specific MS-related domains, HCPs, and caregivers.
• A lack of data on the usability and quality of MS apps hinders reliable conclusions about their benefits.
• Enhanced dialogue between MS communities and the digital industry is crucial to address current limitations and improve digital health solutions for multiple sclerosis.