Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42024874›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2026

Perspectives Regarding the Privacy, Security, and Confidentiality of Data Collected via mHealth Apps in Saudi Arabia: Qualitative Analysis.

Nasser Alhammad, Mohannad Alajlani, Alaa Abd-Alrazaq, Theodoros Arvanitis, Gregory Epiphaniou

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

5 authors.

Nasser AlhammadDepartment of Health Informatics, Saudi Electronic University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-6454-5375
Mohannad AlajlaniWarwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5691-7120
Alaa Abd-AlrazaqAI Center for Precision Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7695-4626
Theodoros ArvanitisSchool of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5473-135X
Gregory EpiphaniouWarwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1054-6368

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: As Saudi Arabia aims to enhance the adoption and utilization of mobile health (mHealth) apps in the health care sector, it is vital to identify the potential challenges that may be faced in the process and how to address them. Objective: This study aimed to explore patients' and stakeholders' perspectives regarding the privacy, security, and confidentiality of data collected via mHealth apps in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A qualitative research design was used by conducting an in-depth interview with 25 participants, comprising health care workers (HCWs), patients, and mHealth app developers. The interview questions focused on awareness of mHealth apps and issues relating to data security, privacy and confidentiality, benefits of mHealth apps, challenges faced, and features that may improve the utilization of such digital health technologies. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo software (version 12; QSR International). Results: Patients were relatively less informed regarding events associated with data privacy and security than HCWs. Specific factors were identified to influence patient awareness with HCWs, suggesting the need for patient education and collaboration with cybersecurity organizations. Participants posited that advanced security features, user-friendly features, online consultation for emergencies, remote monitoring features, and taking patient needs into account are important facilitators of mHealth apps. Shared experiences mainly revolved around the accessibility to information and reliability of mHealth apps, while the challenges were related to poor usability, technical difficulties, data security, and data breaches. Patient autonomy, remote monitoring, self-care management, medical adherence, and time and cost-saving summed up the perceived benefits of the mHealth app. Conclusions: These findings may assist policymakers in developing strategies to improve Saudi users' and patients' adoption of mHealth apps and address the concerns raised to benefit significantly from these advanced health care modalities.

Indexed as

Computer SecurityConfidentialityMobile ApplicationsPrivacyTelemedicineAdultDigital HealthFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchSaudi Arabiaawarenessconfidentialitydata privacyhealth caremHealthmobile appsmobile phonepatientssecurity

Identifiers

PMID42024874
PMCPMC13105432

What Socratic holds

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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.