Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39614283›Full record

SynthesisBMC medical informatics and decision making2024

Which criteria are important in usability evaluation of mHealth applications: an umbrella review.

Zahra Galavi, Mahdieh Montazeri, Reza Khajouei

Erratum issuedAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC medical informatics and decision making, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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  11. [Digital treatment of fibromyalgia].Zeitschrift fur Rheumatologie · 2025
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Zahra GalaviDepartment of Health Information Technology, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran.
Mahdieh MontazeriDepartment of Health Information Sciences, Faculty of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Reza KhajoueiFakher Mechatronic Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. r.khajouei@kmu.ac.ir.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionUsability plays a critical role in the design of mHealth applications. A well-designed app enhances user experience and contributes to better healthcare outcomes. However, it remains unclear which usability criteria are often neglected, leading to issues in the actual use of these applications. This study aimed to identify and categorize the usability issues of mHealth applications, mapping them to Nielsen's usability principles to determine the most critical criteria.

methodsThe PRISMA guidelines were followed to report the results. Different databases (PubMed, Scopus, WoS) were searched for systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses about usability evaluation in mHealth applications. Two reviewers independently applied predefined selection criteria, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality using the AMSTAR tool.

resultsEight studies met the inclusion criteria. The most common method used in studies to evaluate the usability of mHealth applications was the questionnaire. Researchers identified 79 usability issues from the studies. Eleven of the issues were related to the Aesthetic and minimalist design category. The category of Flexibility and efficiency of use was next (n = 10).

conclusionThis study identified the usability issues that individuals face when using mHealth applications. By mapping these issues to evaluation criteria, developers can systematically address and prevent them. Attention to these issues will lead to better design and more effective use of mHealth applications.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsTelemedicineHumansUser-Computer InterfacemHealthMobile applicationSystematic reviewUsability evaluation

Identifiers

PMID39614283
PMCPMC11606170

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.