Health apps: a cross-sectional study exploring patient motivations and usage implications

Despite the growing availability of health apps, adoption rates remains limited. The motivations behind their use and their impact on patient's empowerment and patient-Healthcare Professional (HCP) relationships remain unclear, yet understanding these factors is crucial for improving adoption, implementation, and sustained use. This study explores these motivations and user experiences, with a focus on empowerment and interactions with HCPs.

An online survey among patient panel members of Amsterdam University Medical Center was conducted. Logistic regression adjusted for socio-demographic variables was used to investigate the motivations potentially influencing health app usage. Patient's empowerment and patient-HCP interaction were addressed through descriptive statistics.

Among 133 patients (39.8% female; average age 67.2 ± 9.8 years), 46% used health apps. Movement and Sport (63.9% of users), Vital Functions (47.5%), and Sleep (36.1%) were the most commonly used types. Users considered access to health data more important (OR = 2.7, p = 0.02), and were more certain about the usefulness of health apps (OR = 0.26, p = 0.01). Non-users were motivated for adoption if the app provides health information (43.1%), access to health data (36.1%), and symptom tracking (27.8%). 60% of the users discussed app-related outcomes with HCPs. Health apps enhanced patients' empowerment by allowing them to maintain an overview of health and supporting active participation in treatment decisions. They also helped gather information before consultations and improved understanding during visits with their HCPs.

Health apps usage appears to be positively associated with the perceived importance of health data and confidence in usefulness of health apps. Non-users are more likely to adopt health apps if they provide insights into their health, enable earlier access to personal health data, and help in symptom tracking. HCPs should actively engage individuals who do not use health apps in conversations that emphasize the relevance of such tools to patient care outcomes. Future research should support HCPS in developing implementation strategies, to engage non-users and to encourage health app integration in healthcare practice.