Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32223596›Full record

SynthesisJournal of managed care & specialty pharmacy2020

Effectiveness of Mobile Applications on Medication Adherence in Adults with Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Yihang Peng, Han Wang, Qin Fang, Liling Xie, Lingzhi Shu, Wenjing Sun, Qin Liu

Abstract readComparative StudyMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 77 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
77citing papers in PubMed, 11 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

77 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Digital health tools in the management of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025
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17 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Yihang PengFirst Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Han WangDepartment of Joint Surgery, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Qin FangDepartment of Cardiovasology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Liling XieFirst Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Lingzhi ShuFirst Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Wenjing SunFirst Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Qin LiuSchool of Public Health & Management, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMedication adherence is frequently suboptimal in adults with chronic diseases, resulting in negative consequences. Traditional interventions to improve adherence are complex and not widely effective. Mobile applications may be a scalable means to support medication adherence.

objectiveTo investigate the effect of mobile apps on medication adherence in adults with chronic diseases.

methodsMEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of any mobile application (app) intervention directed at patients with chronic disease to improve medication adherence in comparison with usual care. A random-effects model was used to pool the outcome data. Risk of bias and quality of study were assessed per Cochrane guidelines.

resultsFourteen studies were included in this systematic review involving 1,785 participants, 940 of whom were randomized to a mobile app intervention group and 845 to the usual care group. The meta-analysis showed that the use of mobile apps was associated with a significant improvement in patient adherence to medication (Cohen's d = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.27-0.52;

conclusionsCompared with conventional care, mobile apps are effective interventions to help improve medication adherence in adults with chronic diseases. Although promising, these results should be interpreted with caution given the low level of evidence and short intervention duration. Future research will not only need to identify ideal app features and the costs to providers but also need to improve the apps to make them user friendly, secure, and effective based on patient-centered theory. DISCLOSURES: Funding for this study was provided by Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau (No. cstc2017shmsA130115). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Indexed as

Medication AdherenceMobile ApplicationsReminder SystemsAdultChronic DiseaseHumansPatient-Centered Care

Identifiers

PMID32223596
PMCPMC10391210

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.