TY - JOUR
T1 - Smartphone apps as a source of cancer information
T2 - Changing trends in health information-seeking behavior
AU - Pandey, Ambarish
AU - Hasan, Sayeedul
AU - Dubey, Divyanshu
AU - Sarangi, Sasmit
PY - 2013/3
Y1 - 2013/3
N2 - There is an increased interest in smartphone applications as a tool for delivery of health-care information. There have been no studies which evaluated the availability and content of cancer-related smartphone applications. This study aims to identify and analyze cancer-related applications available on the Apple iTunes platform. The Apple iTunes store was searched for cancer-related smartphone applications on July 29, 2011. The content of the applications was analyzed for cost, type of information, validity, and involvement of health-care agencies. A total of 77 relevant applications were identified. There were 24.6% apps uploaded by health-care agencies, and 36% of the apps were aimed at health-care workers. Among the apps, 55.8% provided scientifically validated data. The difference in scientific validity between the apps aimed at general population versus health-care professionals was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Seventy-nine percent of the apps uploaded by health-care agencies were found to be backed by scientific data. There is lack of cancer-related applications with scientifically backed data. There is a need to improve the accountability and reliability of cancer-related smartphone applications and encourage participation by health-care agencies to ensure patient safety.
AB - There is an increased interest in smartphone applications as a tool for delivery of health-care information. There have been no studies which evaluated the availability and content of cancer-related smartphone applications. This study aims to identify and analyze cancer-related applications available on the Apple iTunes platform. The Apple iTunes store was searched for cancer-related smartphone applications on July 29, 2011. The content of the applications was analyzed for cost, type of information, validity, and involvement of health-care agencies. A total of 77 relevant applications were identified. There were 24.6% apps uploaded by health-care agencies, and 36% of the apps were aimed at health-care workers. Among the apps, 55.8% provided scientifically validated data. The difference in scientific validity between the apps aimed at general population versus health-care professionals was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Seventy-nine percent of the apps uploaded by health-care agencies were found to be backed by scientific data. There is lack of cancer-related applications with scientifically backed data. There is a need to improve the accountability and reliability of cancer-related smartphone applications and encourage participation by health-care agencies to ensure patient safety.
KW - Disease information
KW - Patient education
KW - Smartphone application
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U2 - 10.1007/s13187-012-0446-9
DO - 10.1007/s13187-012-0446-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 23275239
AN - SCOPUS:84875654565
SN - 0885-8195
VL - 28
SP - 138
EP - 142
JO - Journal of Cancer Education
JF - Journal of Cancer Education
IS - 1
ER -