Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37773133›Full record

SynthesisBMC women's health2023

A systematic review of menopause apps with an emphasis on osteoporosis.

Deborah Paripoorani, Norina Gasteiger, Helen Hawley-Hague, Dawn Dowding

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC women's health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
4.8field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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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

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Deborah ParipooraniEMERGING Research Team, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK. Deborah.Paripoorani@mft.nhs.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-3179-2548
Norina GasteigerNational Institute for Health and Care Research, Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7801-7417
Helen Hawley-HagueNational Institute for Health and Care Research, Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2451-4482
Dawn DowdingNational Institute for Health and Care Research, Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5672-8605
University of Manchester · GBManchester Academic Health Science Centre · GBManchester Royal Infirmary · GB

Funding

Department of Health
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMenopause can significantly hasten bone loss. Mobile phones provide an efficient way to manage, track and understand menopause using apps. A previous review of menopause apps found numerous apps designed to help women manage menopause. However, it did not use validated measures to assess the quality of the apps and did not focus on content related to osteoporosis.

methodsThis app review aligns with the updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The keywords used to search for the apps were "menopause" and "menopausal". Apps were included if they were in English, for individuals or groups and had a lifestyle focus. Apps that looked at other aspects of women's health, required external devices, cost to download, or were symptom-tracking were excluded. The quality and functionality were assessed using the Mobile App Rating Scale and IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics Functionality score. Data were synthesised descriptively.

resultsTwenty-eight apps were selected and reviewed from the 236 apps screened from the Apple store and Google play store. Only 57% of the apps reviewed (n = 16) had content on osteoporosis which was educational in purpose. The readability of the apps was complex and best understood by university graduates. The average functionality score of the apps reviewed was 4.57 out of 11 and that of quality is 3.1 out of 5, both of which need improvement.

conclusionsExisting menopause apps need more input from experts to improve the quality and functionality, using simple language. More emphasis on specific health problems during menopause, including osteoporosis, is required.

trial registrationNot relevant.

Indexed as

Cell PhoneMobile ApplicationsOsteoporosisFemaleHumansMenopauseWomen's HealthMenopauseMenopause appMobile healthOsteoporosisReviewSmartphoneWomen’s health

Identifiers

PMID37773133
PMCPMC10542256
OpenAlexW4387187855

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.