Mobile Applications for Control and Self Management of Diabetes: A Systematic Review

Mobile applications (apps) can be very useful software on smartphones for all aspects of people’s lives. Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, can be made manageable with the support of mobile apps. Applications on smartphones can also help people with diabetes to control their fitness and health. A systematic review of free apps in the English language for smartphones in three of the most popular mobile app stores: Google Play (Android), App Store (iOS) and Windows Phone Store, was performed from November to December 2015. The review of freely available mobile apps for self-management of diabetes was conducted based on the criteria for promoting diabetes self-management as defined by Goyal and Cafazzo (monitoring blood glucose level and medication, nutrition, physical exercise and body weight). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was followed. Three independent experts in the field of healthcare-related mobile apps were included in the assessment for eligibility and testing phase. We tested and evaluated 65 apps (21 from Google Play Store, 31 from App Store and 13 from Windows Phone Store). Fifty-six of these apps did not meet even minimal requirements or did not work properly. While a wide selection of mobile applications is available for self-management of diabetes, current results show that there are only nine (5 from Google Play Store, 3 from App Store and 1 from Windows Phone Store) out of 65 reviewed mobile apps that can be versatile and useful for successful self-management of diabetes based on selection criteria. The levels of inclusion of features based on selection criteria in selected mobile apps can be very different. The results of the study can be used as a basis to prvide app developers with certain recommendations. There is a need for mobile apps for self-management of diabetes with more features in order to increase the number of long-term users and thus influence better self-management of the disease.

[1]  D. Moher,et al.  Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. , 2010, International journal of surgery.

[2]  Gunnar Hartvigsen,et al.  Mobile phone-based pattern recognition and data analysis for patients with type 1 diabetes. , 2012, Diabetes technology & therapeutics.

[3]  S. Goyal,et al.  Mobile phone health apps for diabetes management: Current evidence and future developments , 2013, QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians.

[4]  Terhilda Garrido,et al.  Patient access to an electronic health record with secure messaging: impact on primary care utilization. , 2007, The American journal of managed care.

[5]  M. Davidson.  Evaluation of self monitoring of blood glucose in non-insulin-treated diabetic patients by randomized controlled trials: little bang for the buck. , 2010, Reviews on recent clinical trials.

[6]  Yolande Berbers,et al.  Mobile phones assisting with health self-care: a diabetes case study , 2008, Mobile HCI.

[7]  Ning Lu,et al.  Use of Mobile Health Applications for Health-Seeking Behavior Among US Adults , 2016, Journal of Medical Systems.

[8]  G. Hartvigsen,et al.  Performance of the First Combined Smartwatch and Smartphone Diabetes Diary Application Study , 2015, Journal of diabetes science and technology.

[9]  Kazuhiko Ohe,et al.  DialBetics: A Novel Smartphone-based Self-management Support System for Type 2 Diabetes Patients. , 2014, Journal of diabetes science and technology.

[10]  Isabel de la Torre Díez,et al.  Privacy and Security in Mobile Health Apps: A Review and Recommendations , 2014, Journal of Medical Systems.

[11]  Joyce Lee,et al.  Hype or hope for diabetes mobile health applications? , 2014, Diabetes research and clinical practice.

[12]  Jenine K. Harris,et al.  Evaluating Diabetes Mobile Applications for Health Literate Designs and Functionality, 2014 , 2015, Preventing chronic disease.

[13]  Catherine H. Yu,et al.  The Systematic Design of a Behavioural Mobile Health Application for the Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes. , 2016, Canadian journal of diabetes.

[14]  Lucy Yardley,et al.  Opportunities and Challenges for Smartphone Applications in Supporting Health Behavior Change: Qualitative Study , 2013, Journal of medical Internet research.

[15]  G. Hartvigsen,et al.  Features of Mobile Diabetes Applications: Review of the Literature and Analysis of Current Applications Compared Against Evidence-Based Guidelines , 2011, Journal of medical Internet research.

[16]  P. Stone.  Popping the (PICO) question in research and evidence-based practice. , 2002, Applied nursing research : ANR.

[17]  Julia C. M. van Weert,et al.  The effectiveness of interventions using electronic reminders to improve adherence to chronic medication: a systematic review of the literature , 2012, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..

[18]  Stanton Newman,et al.  The Impact of Mobile Monitoring Technologies on Glycosylated Hemoglobin in Diabetes: A Systematic Review , 2012, Journal of diabetes science and technology.

[19]  David R. Kaufman,et al.  iDECIDE: A Mobile Application for Insulin Dosing Using an Evidence Based Equation to Account for Patient Preferences , 2015, MedInfo.

[20]  A. Tennant,et al.  Assessing the risk of self-harm in an adult offender population: an incidence cohort study. , 2014, Health technology assessment.

[21]  S. Garg,et al.  Managing diabetes in the digital age , 2015, Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology.

[22]  Bradley C Martin,et al.  Smartphone medication adherence apps: potential benefits to patients and providers: response to Aungst. , 2013, Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA.

[23]  Cynthia R Marling,et al.  Use of Automated Bolus Calculators for Diabetes Management. , 2013, European endocrinology.

[24]  L. Bouter,et al.  Self-monitoring of blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes who are not using insulin: a systematic review. , 2005, Diabetes care.

[25]  Morwenna Kirwan,et al.  Diabetes Self-Management Smartphone Application for Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: Randomized Controlled Trial , 2013, Journal of medical Internet research.

[26]  Gunnar Hartvigsen,et al.  Mobile Health Applications to Assist Patients with Diabetes: Lessons Learned and Design Implications , 2012, Journal of diabetes science and technology.

[27]  P. Timsina,et al.  Mobile Applications for Diabetes Self-Management: Status and Potential , 2013, Journal of diabetes science and technology.

[28]  M. Wiggins,et al.  Structured, intensive education maximising engagement, motivation and long-term change for children and young people with diabetes: a cluster randomised controlled trial with integral process and economic evaluation - the CASCADE study. , 2014, Health technology assessment.

[29]  Milada Cvancarova Småstuen,et al.  A Mobile Health Intervention for Self-Management and Lifestyle Change for Persons With Type 2 Diabetes, Part 2: One-Year Results From the Norwegian Randomized Controlled Trial RENEWING HEALTH , 2014, JMIR mHealth and uHealth.

[30]  L. Whitehead,et al.  The Effectiveness of Self-Management Mobile Phone and Tablet Apps in Long-term Condition Management: A Systematic Review , 2016, Journal of medical Internet research.

[31]  Kyung Sup Kwak,et al.  Security and Privacy Issues in Wireless Sensor Networks for Healthcare Applications , 2010, Journal of Medical Systems.

[32]  C. Clar,et al.  Self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes: systematic review. , 2010, Health technology assessment.

[33]  C. Quinn,et al.  Cluster-Randomized Trial of a Mobile Phone Personalized Behavioral Intervention for Blood Glucose Control , 2011, Diabetes Care.