A study by the association Le Lab e-Santé reveals that 2 out of 10 chronically ill patients have already downloaded a mobile application linked to their pathology to monitor their health.
Mobile and connected health is often presented as an opportunity for the health system and the care of chronically ill people. The association Le Lab e-Santé (a multidisciplinary think tank interested in health issues) looked at the reality of the experiences of people affected by diabetes, an inflammatory rheumatic disease, scleroderma, psoriasis or even hypertension.
In a self-administered internet survey of 2,226 people, from February 20 to March 20, the association revealed that more than 70% of chronically ill patients have a Smartphone and that 2 out of 10 have already downloaded a mobile health application. (mApps) to monitor theirs.
6 out of 10 diabetics have already downloaded a mApps
For Catherine Cerisey, vice-president of Lab e-Santé for the patients college, “this study, unprecedented by its focus on people affected by a chronic disease, sheds very concrete light on today’s practices. Thus, diabetics are the ambassadors of mHealth. They are very widely equipped and use mobile health applications.
While nearly 6 in 10 people with diabetes have already downloaded a mApp, they are only 15% when they are affected by a chronic disease other than diabetes. It is therefore necessary to develop an adapted mobile and connected health offer in order to best support the management of these diseases ”.
Among the five mobile health applications (mApps) the most downloaded by patients, the survey reveals that “logbook” type applications come first. Followed by applications of information on the disease which are used by nearly 40% of chronically ill and 60% of diabetics, who are however only one in two to actually use them. The mApps concerning news related to the pathology are downloaded by 3 out of 10 patients.
Those related to connected health objects and drug databases arrive respectively in 4th and 5th position, with a quarter of downloads each and less usage
Strengthen the development of mApps
The results of this survey show that 60% of chronic patients use user mApps because they help them better manage their pathology and 44% of them because they are useful for their health. They have even become essential for 4 chronically ill patients in 10 and for 1 diabetic person in 2. In addition, the feeling of confidence is shared by 70% of chronically ill patients who have downloaded mApps.
Tatiana de Francqueville, vice-president of Lab-Santé for the college of scientific content editors, explains that “this confidence of chronically ill users of mApps is a crucial point. It is necessary to reinforce it by developing mApps which are always more adapted to the expectations of patients and fully in line with medical practices.
Confidence is difficult to create and is quickly lost. Gadgeting in mobile and connected health is a major risk for its development but also and above all for the health of users, ”she underlines.
For Dr Didier Mennecier, member of the college of health professionals at Lab e-Santé, “chronically ill patients download mobile health applications and use them especially if they help them manage their disease. Doctors are still cautious, but it is the use of mobile applications by patients that will probably make it possible from now on to create a relationship of trust between these three players, ”concludes the doctor.
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