mHealth Use, Preferences, Barriers, and eHealth Literacy Among Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Survey Study

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Gastroenterology
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Mobile health (mHealth) offers potential for chronic disease management, yet its use and digital preferences among inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients remain underexplored.
• Understanding patient needs is crucial for developing effective mHealth strategies in IBD care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate mHealth utilization, preferences, obstacles, and eHealth literacy among IBD patients in Germany.
• To identify specific features desired in IBD-focused mHealth applications.

Main Methods:

• A paper-based survey was administered to 200 patients diagnosed with IBD (Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis) in April-May 2023.
• The survey assessed sociodemographics, health characteristics, mHealth/internet use, eHealth literacy (eHealth Literacy Scale), and communication/information preferences.

Main Results:

• High smartphone ownership (98.5%) and internet use for health information (90%) were reported, alongside a strong belief in mHealth's potential benefits (84%).
• However, actual use of medical apps, particularly IBD-specific ones, was low (12.5%), with limited awareness of available resources.
• Patients expressed willingness to share app data for research (98%) and clinical use (85.5%), preferring apps with electronic prescriptions and research newsletters, prioritizing usability and security.

Conclusions:

• IBD patients demonstrate high readiness and motivation for mHealth adoption to enhance self-management and treatment.
• Current low adoption rates highlight a gap that can be addressed by developing targeted mHealth solutions, providing implementation guidance, and enhancing patient education.