Mhealth in Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) self-care: A systematic review of advantages and challenges
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2021
Abstract
Introduction: Mobile phone applications have been used as part of the self-monitoring of patients in Malaysia with Cardiovascular disease (CVD). As part of a patient-centric system, mobile phone use could help resolve issues in Malaysia’s provider-centric healthcare system due to the growth in CVD causing a hike in healthcare costs, and the low ratio of medical professionals to patients and resultant increase in medical professionals’ workloads and the long waiting time for treatment at various stages due to overcrowded public hospitals. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the evidence for the strengths and challenges of mHealth for CVD self-care monitoring in facilitating health-related behavioural changes. Methods: The databases were manually searched for references and gray literature published between 2016 and 2020. We have applied Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic-Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method for this systematic review. Overall, the methodological quality of the trials varied, and 19 articles were selected. Results: Findings were analysed from the variables – clinical biomarkers, mHealth acceptance, self-care, psychology or cognitive and clinical outcome or study end points. The types of mHealth integrated in self-care were mobile application or website in touch screen devices, text messages or phone calls, and wearable trackers. Among the advantages of mHealth are useful, easy to be used, positive improvement of secondary prevention control, positive psychological condition, minimize utilisation of healthcare facility, good quality of life (QoL), and applicability across age and technology literacy. The challenges of mHealth are data accuracy, privacy concern, technical issues, inconsistent engagement. Research and practical implications suggest a minimum 12-month duration of mHealth engagement for more significant results, disregard mortality rate as an outcome measurement, and an inclusion of technical and moral support to encourage continuous users’ engagement with mHealth. Conclusion: mHealth interventions result in various short- and long-term advantages, with precautious of challenges to be resolved towards achieving optimum health from self-care. © 2021 UPM Press. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Behaviour, Cardiovascular diseases, Digital healthcare, MHealth, Self-care, Systematic review
Divisions
MediaStudies
Funders
PSIF,UCSI University [Grant No.: Proj-2019-In-FOSSLA-012]
Publication Title
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences
Volume
17
Publisher
Universiti Putra Malaysia Press