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BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
Published in: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Bronchial Asthma | Research article

Constructing an assessment framework for the quality of asthma smartphone applications

Authors: Zhifang Guan, Liu Sun, Qian Xiao, Yanling Wang

Published in: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

Enhancing the self-management capability of asthma patients can improve their level of asthma control. Although the use of mobile health technology among asthmatics to facilitate self-management has become a growing area of research, studies of mobile health applications (apps), especially for evaluating indicators of asthma apps, are deficient in scope. This study aimed to develop a reliable framework to assess asthma apps (i.e., content and behavior change strategies) using the Delphi survey technique.

Methods

An initial list of quality rating criteria for asthma apps was derived from reviewing the literature and experts in the fields of respiratory disease and nursing informatics rated the items on the list in three rounds. The weights of items were determined employing an analytic hierarchy process (AHP).

Results

Sixty-two items were retained within 10 domains. Consensus was reached on 32 items concerning asthma self-management education, 25 items concerning behavioral change strategies, and five items concerning principles for app design. There was moderate agreement among participants across all items in round three. The weights of the dimensions, sub-dimensions, and items ranged from 0.049 to 0.203, 0.138 to 1.000, and 0.064 to 1.000, respectively. All random consistency ratio values were less than 0.1.

Conclusions

Asthma self-management education and strategies are essential parts to support self-management for patients. This analysis provides evidence of evaluating criteria for apps targeting chronic and common diseases.
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Metadata
Title
Constructing an assessment framework for the quality of asthma smartphone applications
Authors
Zhifang Guan
Liu Sun
Qian Xiao
Yanling Wang
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6947
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-019-0923-8

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