Vitamin D Mobile Healthcare Applications for Consumer Use - Are They Any Good?

N Tanna^{1, 2,} , G Oligbu³, M Boullier³ and M Blair³

¹Women's Services & Arthritis Unit, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, Harrow, UK

²Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK

³River Island Paediatric Academic Unit, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust & Imperial College, London, UK

Cite this paper:
N Tanna, G Oligbu, M Boullier and M Blair. Vitamin D Mobile Healthcare Applications for Consumer Use - Are They Any Good?. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 2017; 5(7):522-530. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-5-7-11

Abstract

Introduction: Members of the public interested in changing their health behaviour and comfortable with use of social media can download and purchase commercially developed lifestyle and or healthcare computer software. This is facilitated by the increase in technologically advanced, often elegantly designed, small screen portable in-built computerised systems on mobile smart-phones. Aims: With increasing awareness of use of Vitamin D for improved health outcomes, the aims for this study were to identify and evaluate any Vitamin D mobile smart-phone healthcare applications (apps) available for public or consumer use. Methods: Incorporating a multi-phase mixed study design, in phase one Vitamin D apps on mobile smart-phones were identified and categorised by consensus using the Delphi technique. In phase two a database search was undertaken to gain an understanding of research undertaken on use of healthcare apps and any evaluation of outcomes. In phase three a modified validated mobile applications rating scale (MARS) was utilised to evaluate the apps identified in phase one. Each app that provided some health information was assigned objective scores for information quality, and subjective quality and app specific rating scores. Discussion: No Vitamin D apps were identified where evaluation in research trial settings has shown significant beneficial health outcomes. However the literature search helped to identify criteria that form a potential checklist for any future development of a Vitamin D app for consumer use. Use of the modified MARS, with scores assigned for validated information quality criteria, identified two apps which were rated highly but with use restricted to medical teams, and seven apps focusing on dietary intake. Results: Nine apps were identified supporting some level of healthcare delivery and assigned MARS scores. Seven of these apps focused primarily on Vitamin D nutritional support. There were no high quality Vitamin D apps identified that could help consumers with decision on Vitamin D supplementation.

Keywords:
Vitamin D healthcare consumers social media mobile phones applications

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Speidel D, Sridharan M. Quality assurance in the age of mobile healthcare. The Journal of mHealth 2014; 1(2):42-46.
[2]	Edlin JC, Deshpande RP. Caveats of smartphone applications for the cardiothoracic trainee. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2013 Dec; 146(6): 1321-6.
[3]	De Bari B, Franco P, Niyazi M, Cornetto AP et al. The Pocketable Electronic Devices in Radiation Oncology (PEDRO) Project: How the Use of Tools in Medical Decision Making is Changing? Technol Cancer Res Treat. 2016 Apr; 15(2):365-76.
[4]	Abroms LC, Lee Westmaas J, Bontemps-Jones J, Ramani R, Mellerson J. A content analysis of popular smartphone apps for smoking cessation. Am J Prev Med. 2013 Dec; 45(6):732-6.
[5]	Workman AD, Gupta SC. A plastic surgeon's guide to applying smartphone technology in patient care. Aesthet Surg J. 2013 Feb; 33(2): 275-80.
[6]	Ryan P, Maierle D, Csuka M E, Thomson A, Szabo A. Computer based intervention to enhance self-management of calcium and vitamin D intake in women. West J Nurs Res 2013; 35(8): 986-1010.
[7]	Wearing JR, Nollen N, Befort C, Davis AM, Agemy CK. iPhone app adherence to expert-recommended guidelines for paediatric obesity prevention. Child Obes. 2014 Apr; 10(2):132-44.
[8]	Kervick AA, Hogan MJ, O'Hora D, Sarma KM. Testing a structural model of young driver willingness to uptake Smartphone Driver Support Systems. Accid Anal Pev 2015 Oct;83: 171-81.
[9]	Scientific Advisory Committee of Nutrition. Vitamin D and Health. Public Health England Crown Copyright 2016. Report available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-committee-on-nutrition (accessed 25th January, 2017).
[10]	Spector T, Levy L. Should healthy people take a Vitamin D supplement in winter months? BMJ 2016;355:i6183.
[11]	Michie C. How to reduce the risks associated with Vitamin D self-supplementation. Clinical Pharmacist 2016; 8(5). http://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/opinion/correspondence/no-guarantee-of-quality-with-unlicensed-vitamin-d-products/opinion/insight/how-to-reduce-the-risks-associated-with-vitamin-d-self-supplementation/20201085.article.
[12]	Dick, B. (2000). Delphi face to face [On line]. Resource Papers in Action Research. Available at http://www.uq.net.au/action_research/arp/delphi.html (accessed 25th January, 2017).
[13]	Stoyanov SR, Hides L, Kavanagh DJ, Zelenko O, Tjondronegoro D, Mani M. Mobile App Rating Scale: A New Tool for Assessing the Quality of Health Mobile Apps. JMIR mHealth uHealth 2015; 3(1): e27).
[14]	Pugh G, McCann L. Assessing the Quality, Feasibility, and Efficacy of Electronic Patient Platforms Designed to Support Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer: A Systematic Review Protocol. JMIR Res Protoc 2017; 6(1): e4.
[15]	Masterson Creber R M, Maurer M S, Reading M, Hiraldo G, Hickey K T, Iribarren S. Review and Analysis of Existing Mobile Phone Apps to Support Heart Failure Symptom Monitoring and Self-Care Management. Using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2016; 4(2): e74.
[16]	Multimedia Appendix 2 Mobile App Rating Scale. [PDF File (Adobe PDF File), 259KB- mhealth_v3i1e27_app2.pdf] in Stoyanov SR et al 2015. (accessed 25th January, 2017).
[17]	Dachicourt JN, Poivret D, Bonnet C, Chales G, Alliot-Launois F, Carton L, Grange L. Mobile Apps “The Bone Thief”, First Electronic Application On Ostoporosis. Ann Rheu Diseases 2015; 74: 1358-59.
[18]	Buller DB, Berwick M, Lantz K, Buller MK, Shane J, Kane I, Liu X. Evaluation of immediate and 12-week effects of a smartphone sun-safety mobile application: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatology 2015; 151: 505-512.
[19]	Buller DB, Berwick M, Lantz K, Buller MK, Shane J, Kane I, Liu X. Smartphone mobile application delivering personalized, real-time sun protection advice: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatology 2015;151:497-504.
[20]	Buller DB, Berwick M, Shane J, Kane I, Lantz K, Buller MK. User-centered development of a smart phone mobile application delivering personalized real-time advice on sun protection. Translational Behav Med 2013; 3: 326-334.
[21]	Dunstone K & Wakely L. There is an app for that! Communicating UV via the Sunsmart app. Asia-Pacific J Clin Onco 2014; 10(S9): 1-264.
[22]	Goodman S, Morrongiello B, Randall Simpson J, Meckling K. Vitamin D intake among young Canadian adults: validation of a mobile vitamin D calculator app. J Nutr Educ Behav 2015; 47: 242-7.
[23]	Lee S, Oncescu V, Mancuso M, Mehta S, Erickson D. A smart-phone platform for quantification of Vitamin D levels. Lab on a chip 2014; 14(8): 1437-144.