TY - JOUR
T1 - Systematic Review of Colorectal Cancer Screening-Related Apps
AU - Jiang, Zhiye
AU - Hussain, Anum
AU - Grell, Jewel
AU - Sly, Jamilia R.
AU - Miller, Sarah J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute On Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R34AG059705 and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers K07CA190726 and K01CA204456. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2023, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2023.
PY - 2023/1/1
Y1 - 2023/1/1
N2 - Background: In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women combined. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that average risk adults have regular CRC screening to detect and prevent CRC. Despite published CRC screening guidelines, national CRC screening rates remain suboptimal. With the exponential increase in technology use and device ownership, many mobile health applications (apps) have been developed to improve health outcomes. There is great potential for smartphone or tablet apps to help improve CRC screening uptake, with the ultimate goal of reducing CRC morbidity and mortality. To date, there are no systematic reviews that have examined the publicly available, free apps that are related to CRC screening, and therefore, the quality and the content of these apps remain unknown. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to systematically review smartphone and tablet apps that could be used to improve CRC screening uptake. Methods: Apps available on the Google Play and Apple App stores that were compatible with smartphones and tablets were reviewed. Of the 2,790 apps reviewed, 20 met inclusion criteria. Results: Of the 20 apps that met inclusion criteria, most were informational in nature. Approximately half of the apps focused on colonoscopies and did not discuss other CRC screening options. Furthermore, more than half of the apps did not include video/audio content and the majority of the apps did not provide navigation support (e.g., reminders, instructions, maps). Conclusions: There are multiple free, publicly available apps that may encourage CRC screening uptake. Despite their promise, there is a paucity of empirical evidence evaluating the efficacy and usability of these apps. Future research efforts can evaluate the content, usability, accessibility, and potential impact of these apps.
AB - Background: In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women combined. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that average risk adults have regular CRC screening to detect and prevent CRC. Despite published CRC screening guidelines, national CRC screening rates remain suboptimal. With the exponential increase in technology use and device ownership, many mobile health applications (apps) have been developed to improve health outcomes. There is great potential for smartphone or tablet apps to help improve CRC screening uptake, with the ultimate goal of reducing CRC morbidity and mortality. To date, there are no systematic reviews that have examined the publicly available, free apps that are related to CRC screening, and therefore, the quality and the content of these apps remain unknown. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to systematically review smartphone and tablet apps that could be used to improve CRC screening uptake. Methods: Apps available on the Google Play and Apple App stores that were compatible with smartphones and tablets were reviewed. Of the 2,790 apps reviewed, 20 met inclusion criteria. Results: Of the 20 apps that met inclusion criteria, most were informational in nature. Approximately half of the apps focused on colonoscopies and did not discuss other CRC screening options. Furthermore, more than half of the apps did not include video/audio content and the majority of the apps did not provide navigation support (e.g., reminders, instructions, maps). Conclusions: There are multiple free, publicly available apps that may encourage CRC screening uptake. Despite their promise, there is a paucity of empirical evidence evaluating the efficacy and usability of these apps. Future research efforts can evaluate the content, usability, accessibility, and potential impact of these apps.
KW - behavioral health
KW - cancer screening
KW - colorectal cancer
KW - e-health
KW - telemedicine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85145977230&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/tmj.2021.0337
DO - 10.1089/tmj.2021.0337
M3 - Article
C2 - 35612435
AN - SCOPUS:85145977230
SN - 1530-5627
VL - 29
SP - 87
EP - 92
JO - Telemedicine Journal and e-Health
JF - Telemedicine Journal and e-Health
IS - 1
ER -