Functional Analysis and Quality Assessment of Mobile Applications for Managing Alcohol Use Disorder

This study investigated the current mobile applications (apps) for the management of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and analyzed their functionality and quality.

A comprehensive search of the Apple App Store and Google Play Store was conducted between August 1 and October 31, 2023, based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, to identify apps specifically designed for patients with AUD. Two independent raters evaluated the apps using the Mobile App Rating Scale and the Institute for Healthcare Informatics functionality score.

This search resulted in the selection of 33 apps for assessment. The Mobile App Rating Scale quality assessment indicated that more than half of the selected apps were suitable for use, and the Institute for Healthcare Informatics functionality assessment determined that the apps had a 4.5 average for 11 possible functions. Additionally, a detailed analysis of the top three apps with the highest scores for both quality and functionality was conducted. This study highlighted the key features that apps for AUD management should incorporate and identified possible areas for improvement.

Based on these results, we recommend that apps record and store data on the number of days to abstinence and the amount of alcohol consumed and display this information using graphs. In addition, we recommend that apps allow users to customize the timing and number of reminders and alarms and connect to a support system or professional immediately in high-risk situations.