Age-related smartphone use patterns among individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury.
Dat Truong, Tri Pham, Linda S Hynan and 6 others
PMID 38117178WHAT IT FOUND
Most respondents with moderate-to-severe TBI owned a smartphone, but those aged 45 and older used fewer functions beyond calls and fewer apps.
Therapists should check what clients actually use before recommending phone-based reminders.
Key findings
0195% of respondents owned a smartphone, and most used it for calling and texting.
02People aged 45 and older were less likely to use functions beyond calls and used fewer apps, including after adjustment for education, work, and driving.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The survey was sent by email or text, so people without internet access, without a smartphone, unable to use a smartphone, or unwilling to use technology were not well represented. Because responses depended on basic technology access, the study may have overestimated smartphone use in people with moderate-to-severe TBI. The analysis did not include time since injury, living location, rural or urban status, time spent on phones, or types of apps used. Smartphone use was a proxy for technology skill, not a direct measure of the skills needed to use mHealth effectively. Participants had to be English-speaking and able to complete the survey independently, which limits generalization.
Declared interests
The paper is labelled as supported by NIH extramural research. The supplied text does not include a conflict-of-interest declaration or a statement about the sponsor's role in the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this survey as proof that mHealth improves care for people with TBI. It reports smartphone use patterns and age differences, not a tested intervention or patient outcomes.