Effectiveness of Mobile Health Intervention in Medication Adherence: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Health Informatics
• Patient Adherence Research

Background:

• Low medication adherence is a major risk factor for poor treatment outcomes in chronic diseases.
• Mobile applications (apps) are emerging as effective tools to support patient adherence to prescriptions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on mobile app interventions for medication adherence in chronic disease patients.
• To identify effective intervention features and assess their impact on adherence and dropout rates.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 RCTs (5,174 participants) published between 2013-2023, identified through searches of eight databases.
• Meta-analysis used Comprehensive Meta-analysis software to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) and standardized mean differences (SMDs).
• Subgroup analyses examined the effectiveness of specific app features, and risk of bias/publication bias were assessed.

Main Results:

• Mobile app interventions demonstrated a significant positive impact on improving medication adherence (OR=2.371, SMD=0.279).
• Interventions utilizing interactive strategies, advanced reminders, data-sharing functionalities, and pill dispensers showed enhanced effectiveness.
• Subgroup analysis highlighted the critical role of stakeholder engagement and developer understanding of patient needs.

Conclusions:

• Mobile interventions are effective in enhancing medication adherence among patients with chronic diseases.
• Specific features like interactivity and data sharing are key drivers of success.
• Future research should focus on user-centered design and advanced technologies to maximize app acceptability and impact.