Evaluating the Dietary and Nutritional Apps in the Google Play Store / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the features of diet and nutrition apps available in the Google Play Store. METHODS: A search was conducted in August 2017 using the Google Play Store database to identify apps related to diet and nutrition. Terms entered into the app search engine included ‘diet apps’ and ‘nutrition apps’. The first 50 apps resulting from each search term was assessed. Duplicates were removed, and a comparative analysis was performed on the remaining diet and nutrition apps. RESULTS: A total of 86 diet and nutrition apps were identified. One hundred percent (n = 86) of the apps retrieved were freely available. More than half of the apps were applicable to a target user group of all ages (94%, n = 81). Stratified analysis across unique diet and nutrition apps (total, n = 72) showed a higher average rating for the diet apps (4.4) in comparison to that for the nutrition apps (4.3). Diet apps were more likely to be recently updated than the nutrition apps (72% vs. 66%), and diet apps were more likely to feature app purchase than nutrition apps (36% vs. 19%). The average rating was slightly higher for diet apps not featuring in-app purchases, but ratings were similar for the nutrition apps. CONCLUSIONS: A centralized resource is needed that can provide information on health-related apps to allow for systematic evaluation of their effectiveness. Further research needs to examine improved methods of designing app-store platforms and presenting the available apps to properly guide users in app selection.

Blogs as Channels for Disseminating Health Technology Innovations / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to describe the features of health informatics blogs on the Internet. METHODS: A search was conducted in August, 2016 using the search engine, Google, and key words: ‘mobile health blog,’‘telehealth/telemedicine blog,’‘Electronic Health Record blog,’‘personalized health record blog,’‘population health decision support system blog,’ and ‘public/population health dashboard blog.’ The first 24 blogs resulting from each key word search were recorded, generating 144 blogs. A total of 109 unique blogs resulted after removing duplicates and non-functional sites. RESULTS: Blogs with ‘.com’ extensions were most prevalent (72%, n = 79). More than half of the blogs (79%, n = 86) were created by industries. Mobile health (88%, n = 96), telehealth (82%, n = 89), and health IT (78%, n = 85) were the predominant topics covered. Health providers (44%, n = 48), industries (33%, n = 36), patients/consumers (25%, n = 27) and payers/insurance providers (19%, n = 21) constituted the most common target audience. Blogs catering to payers commonly used ‘.org’ extension (n = 10 out of 21), compared to ‘.com’ (n = 7) or ‘.gov’ (n = 2) (p < 0.0001). Significant differences were also observed by topics covered health IT (p = 0.007), subscription (p = 0.048) and LinkedIn social media (p = 0.019) across the website extensions. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is needed to examine the use of blogs as channels of communication of best evidence in health informatics research among diverse stakeholders. The role of blogs as policy informatics tools need to be evaluated in order for stakeholders to collaborate, coordinate and share opportunities and challenges of various public health programs and policies.

A Case of Amelanotic Malignant Melanoma of the Maxillary Sinus Presented with Intraoral Extension

Melanoma of the sinonasal cavity has a high incidence of amelanotic presentation. Its diagnosis is difficult for clinicians and pathologists because of its hidden location and lack of pigmentation at the microscopic level. We reported a case of amelanotic melanoma of the maxillary sinus that showed aggressive extension to the oral cavity after extraction of the maxillary tooth. Histologically, the lesion resembled a plasmacytoid tumour. Diagnosis was made through the positive immunohistochemical staining for S100 and HMB-45.