ASSESSMENT OF MOBILE APPS FOR ADULTS WITH KNEE/HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Greater access to smartphones and mobile app technology, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, has fueled a growing interest in mobile health apps. Patients with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis (OA) may benefit from mobile apps when seeking additional guidance and advice. Clinicians may leverage these apps for symptom monitoring, activity tracking, and exercise program delivery. Integrating mobile apps into patient care may empower self-management and enhance communication, therapeutic alliance, and treatment adherence. Mobile apps could also facilitate access to healthcare services and reduce costs. However, little is known about the quality of these apps. We aimed to synthesize and evaluate current available mobile apps for adults with knee/hip OA. Methods: We searched Apple App Store, Android Google Play, and Amazon App Store for mobile health apps targeting management of knee/hip OA. Inclusion criteria for appraisal available in English;containing search terms of “knee”, “knee OA”, “hip”, “hip OA”, “osteoarthritis”, “arthritis”, “physical therapy”, “rehabilitation”, and/or “rehab” in the app description;targeting knee and/or hip OA;and free to download. Exclusion criteria for appraisal apps specific for rheumatoid arthritis;unavailable for download;could not be opened due to incompatibility;requiring subscription, passwords, institutional accounts, download fees, or additional accessories (e.g. motion sensor) for usage. The search was terminated for each search term when the last 10 apps on a platform did not meet the inclusion criteria, consistent with the methodology used in prior research. Paired reviewers rated apps using the adapted Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) (score range 0-132, higher is better) that appraises apps by technical aspects, engagement, functionality, aesthetics, information, quality, and relevant information to the subject matter. Disagreements were resolved by discussion between 2 reviewers. Apps that scored ≥3/5 on overall app quality or totaled ≥80/132 were included in the final descriptive summary. Results: Among 797 identified apps, 41 met inclusion/exclusion criteria for MARS appraisal. As shown in Figure 1, 17 apps met the pre-determined score thresholds for final summary. Their key characteristics are summarized in Table 1. The median MARS score was 86 (interquartile range = 23 and ranged from 63 to 115). App features varied. Common app features were exercise recommendations, education, goal setting, and improving well-being. Many apps allowed for social media sharing and included measures to protect privacy. 11 apps demonstrated low to moderate credibility. Jointfully Osteoarthritis (Apple), My Arthritis (Apple), and Jointfully Osteoarthritis (Android) were the top three rated apps. They also were the only apps receiving an overall 5/5 quality rating. Conclusions: While many no-cost apps targeting knee/hip OA management exist, only three were rated highly. Features varied widely in our sample. Future research is needed to identify optimal app designs and functions for self-management strategies tailored to patients with knee/hip OA. Evaluating whether incorporating mobile apps in patient care improves outcome, treatment adherence, and patient satisfaction will help guide clinical practice recommendations. [Formula presented] [Formula presented]