Browsing by Subject "Smartphones"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    ‘Back-burner relationships’ are more common than you’d think
    (The Conversation US, Inc., 2018-02-09) Dibble, Jayson; Drouin, Michelle; Psychology, School of Science
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    Consumer Perspectives on Maternal and Infant Health Apps: Qualitative Content Analysis
    (JMIR Publications, 2021-09) Biviji, Rizwana; Williams, Karmen S.; Vest, Joshua R.; Dixon, Brian E.; Cullen, Theresa; Harle, Christopher A.; Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health
    Background: Despite the popularity of maternal and infant health mobile apps, ongoing consumer engagement and sustained app use remain barriers. Few studies have examined user experiences or perceived benefits of maternal and infant health app use from consumer perspectives. Objective: This study aims to assess users' self-reported experiences with maternal and infant health apps, perceived benefits, and general feedback by analyzing publicly available user reviews on two popular app stores-Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Methods: We conducted a qualitative assessment of publicly available user reviews (N=2422) sampled from 75 maternal and infant health apps designed to provide health education or decision-making support to pregnant women or parents and caregivers of infants. The reviews were coded and analyzed using a general inductive qualitative content analysis approach. Results: The three major themes included the following: app functionality, where users discussed app features and functions; technical aspects, where users talked about technology-based aspects of an app; and app content, where users specifically focused on the app content and the information it provides. The six minor themes included the following: patterns of use, where users highlighted the frequency and type of use; social support, where users talked about receiving social support from friends, family and community of other users; app cost, where users talked about the cost of an app within the context of being cost-effective or a potential waste of money; app comparisons, where users compared one app with others available in app stores; assistance in health care, where users specifically highlighted the role of an app in offering clinical assistance; and customer care support, where users specifically talked about their interaction with the app customer care support team. Conclusions: Users generally tend to value apps that are of low cost and preferably free, with high-quality content, superior features, enhanced technical aspects, and user-friendly interfaces. Users also find app developer responsiveness to be integral, as it offers them an opportunity to engage in the app development and delivery process. These findings may be beneficial for app developers in designing better apps, as no best practice guidelines currently exist for the app environment.
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    Could the SARS-CoV-2 infection be acquired from Smartphones?
    (College of Health Science of Jimma University, 2020-09-01) Law, Siukan; Alnasser, Ali Hassan A.; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Based on the provided information, smartphone devices can be a mediator in the transmission of infectious diseases, including SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare centers and the community. It is known that smartphones are no longer only for phone calls, but their use is necessary for communication, health information, e-learning, and medical consultations. Strategies should go beyond the imposition of behavioral controls for individuals with a commitment to regularly disinfect smartphones, portable electronic medical record devices, etc. Besides, finding alternative ways to use these devices in a clinical setting is paramount importance.
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    Patient-centered mobile health technology intervention to improve self-care in patients with chronic heart failure: Protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial
    (Elsevier, 2021) Kitsiou, Spyros; Gerber, Ben S.; Kansal, Mayank M.; Buchholz, Susan W.; Chen, Jinsong; Ruppar, Todd; Arrington, Jasmine; Owoyemi, Ayomide; Leigh, Jonathan; Pressler, Susan J.; School of Nursing
    This randomized controlled trial aims to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a patient-centered, mobile health technology intervention (iCardia4HF) in patients with chronic Heart Failure (HF). Participants (n = 92) are recruited and randomized 1:1 to the intervention or control group. The intervention group receives a commercial HF self-care app (Heart Failure Storylines), three connected health devices that interface with the app (Withings weight scale and blood pressure monitor, and Fitbit activity tracker), and a program of individually tailored text-messages targeting health beliefs, self-care self-efficacy, HF-knowledge, and physical activity. The control group receives the same connected health devices, but without the HF self-care app and text messages. Follow-up assessments occur at 30 days and 12 weeks. The main outcome of interest is adherence to HF self-care assessed objectively through time-stamped data from the electronic devices and also via patient self-reports. Primary measures of HF self-care include medication adherence and adherence to daily weight monitoring. Secondary measures of HF self-care include adherence to daily self-monitoring of HF symptoms and blood pressure, adherence to low-sodium diet, and engagement in physical activity. Self-reported HF self-care and health-related quality of life are assessed with the Self-care Heart Failure Index and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, respectively. Hospitalizations and emergency room visits are tracked in both groups over 12 weeks as part of our safety protocol. This study represents an important step in testing a scalable mHealth solution that has the potential to bring about a new paradigm in self-management of HF.
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    Perceptions and Knowledge of Privacy Risks in Mobile Apps
    (2016-04) Hinrichs, Rachel J.
    Consumers often have little knowledge about the extent of privacy risks taken when using mobile applications (apps) on their smartphones, and are unlikely to be informed by federal regulations or privacy certifications. A survey was distributed to smartphone users to determine their perceptions and knowledge of privacy risks in mobile apps, and if these perceptions vary in different contexts (i.e., a health app vs. flashlight app). This study found that people appear to see privacy in mobile apps as contingent and context-dependent. While smartphone users were found to have a good understanding of privacy risks, they considered user rating and price to be more important factors to consider than privacy when selecting a mobile app. Presentation, clarity, and context all influence people’s decisions to install and use mobile apps. This study has important implications for how privacy permissions and ratings can be presented to best inform consumer decisions.
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    Positive Technology: Using Mobile Phones for Psychosocial Interventions
    (2015) Konrath, Sara H.
    This chapter reviews the use of mobile phones in psychosocial interventions. Specifically, it reviews research studies that have used text messages (SMS) or smartphone applications (apps) to improve people’s mental health, psychological well-being, or social relationships. Psychosocial interventions are emerging from the larger and more established mobile health (mHealth) literature of physical health interventions. The scientific knowledge of psychosocial interventions is currently quite limited, with only a few published large randomized control trials. Most of those are limited to North American or European participant samples. The advantages and disadvantages of mobile interventions are discussed, along with recommendations for best practices. The success of future research is dependent upon more researcher-friendly tools to implement interventions.
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    "Technoference" and Implications for Mothers' and Fathers' Couple and Coparenting Relationship Quality
    (Elsevier, 2018-03) McDaniel, Brandon T.; Galovan, Adam M.; Cravens, Jaclyn D.; Drouin, Michelle; Psychology, School of Science
    Technology devices are widely used today, creating opportunities to connect and communicate with distant others while also potentially disrupting communication and interactions between those who are physically present (i.e., technoference or phubbing). These disruptions in couple and coparenting relationships have the potential to negatively impact relationship outcomes. In this two-part study of 182 married/cohabiting couples from the Daily Family Life Project and 239 couples from the Couple Well-Being Project, we examined the role of technoference in couple and coparenting relationship quality and potential gender differences utilizing dyadic data. We found that greater technoference related to greater conflict over technology use, and greater conflict predicted lower relationship satisfaction and poorer perceptions of coparenting quality (Study 1). Using a more diverse sample (Study 2), we again found support for the main pathways tested in our first study, suggesting that results found in Study 1 and in previous work are not artifacts of sampling. As satisfaction, support, and agreement among relationship partners and parents are often critical to relationship health and family cohesion, it is important for couples and families to evaluate, monitor, and be willing to adapt their technology usage patterns so that these patterns do not cause conflict and possibly relationship deterioration over time