Health app users, care professionals both see quality of life benefits
The majority of mobile health application users and medical professionals believe those apps are beneficial to their quality of life, according to a survey by Research Now.
Researchers polled 1,000 mobile health app users and 500 medical professionals and found that 96 percent of them said that mobile health apps "improve their quality of life."
Among the app users, 60 percent use them to monitor activity/workouts, 53 percent as motivation to exercise; 49 percent to record calorie intake; and 42 percent to monitor weight loss.
The surveyed healthcare professionals indicated the following:
- 86 percent believe mobile health apps will increase their of their patients' medical conditions;
- 76 percent believe the apps will help patients with chronic disease management;
- 61 percent believe the apps will help those who are at a high risk of developing health issues;
- 55 percent believe the apps could help healthy individuals stay healthy;
- 48 percent believe the apps could help patients recently discharged from a hospital; and
- 46 percent believe the apps will improve their relationship with their patients.
Only 16 percent of healthcare professionals reported that they currently use mobile health apps but 46 percent said they plan on using such apps in the next five years.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.