A Systematic Review of Mobile Health Applications in Rehabilitation

Publication date: Available online 29 August 2018

Source: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Author(s): Ryan Nussbaum, Christopher Kelly, Eleanor Quinby, Ami Mac, Bambang Parmanto, Brad E. Dicianno

Abstract

Objective

To conduct systematic review to better define how medical mobile applications (apps) have been utilized in environments relevant to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Data Sources

PUBMED, IEEE, ACM Digital Library, SCOPUS, INSPEC, and EMBASE

Study Selection

A 10-year date limit was utilized, spanning publication dates from June 1, 2006 to June 30, 2016. Terms related to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as mobile apps were used in ten individual search strategies.

Data Extraction

Two investigators screened abstracts and applied inclusion and exclusion criteria. Full-length articles were retrieved. Duplicate articles were removed. If a study met all criteria, the manuscript was reviewed in full.

Data Synthesis

Specific variables of interest were extracted and added to summary tables. Summary tables were used to categorize studies according themes, and a list of app features was generated.

Conclusions

The search yielded abstracts from 8,116 studies, and 102 studies were included in the systematic review. Approximately one-third of the studies evaluated apps as interventions while the remaining two-third of the studies assessed functioning of the app or participant interaction with the app. Some apps may have positive benefits when used to deliver exercise or gait training interventions, as self-management systems, or as measurement tools.

Registration

The protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) network (no. CRD42016046672).

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