Improved readability and functions needed for mHealth apps targeting patients with heart failure: An app store review.
Karen Dunn Lopez, Sena Chae, Girgis Michele and 4 others
PMID 33107056WHAT IT FOUND
Only one of 10 English heart failure self-care apps met the recommended 6th-grade reading level, and only three linked to trustworthy evidence sources.
The most common functions were tracking, clinical data feedback, and reminders.
Key findings
01The search yielded 339 unique mHealth apps, and 10 met the review criteria.
02The average readability grade level was 9.39, and only one app was at or below the recommended 6th-grade level.
03Only three apps included a clear link to a trustworthy source of evidence, while tracking, clinical data feedback, and non-data-based reminders/alerts were the most common functions.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included only apps that met English-language, heart failure-specific, education/self-care, and adult criteria, so it may not represent all available apps. Readability was assessed from sampled informational paragraphs, not every screen or lesson, and the Flesch-Kincaid formula ignores formatting such as chunking. Some apps may have used evidence-based content without stating the source. App availability and stores can vary by country.
Declared interests
The supplied publication types list Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural. No conflicts-of-interest statement is included in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that heart failure apps improve self-care or outcomes. This paper reviewed app text and features, not patients, adherence, or clinical results.