By Gabe Sanders Ph.D., NSCA-CSCS
Health-based cell phone applications are designed, in a variety of ways, to help people improve physical, mental, and/or spiritual health. For example, fitness-tracking apps can help a person quantify their activity in an effort to improve daily steps or quantify exercise time and duration.
Other applications may help a person track food intake by counting calories based on a food log. Regardless of the app, the goal is to try to drive behavior change towards a healthier lifestyle.
What is the mHealth app?
A new type of app is available, the mobile health (mHealth) app. It is designed to improve self-care and positive mental health engagement for the end user. mHealth apps are digital health tools to increase access to vital health information, support, and encouragement by nurturing positive health behavior.
Recent research assessed the use of mHealth apps in nursing students to identify if students, aiming to be future healthcare providers, actually used the apps for personal use to optimize and drive positive health behaviors. Most of the research has shown that nursing students and practitioners have reported high levels of smoking, low levels of physical activity, and unhealthy diets, which is frequently overlooked because many people believe that their healthcare providers practice good health behaviors.
Healthcare providers should use the mHealth app
Based on the current findings it may be advisable for nurses and students working to become healthcare providers to use mHealth apps to drive positive health behaviors. Oftentimes, utilizing mHealth apps can create awareness about health behavior, which is a critical step when attempting behavior change.
Nurses and other healthcare providers can model positive health behavior for those in their immediate environmental circles. Regardless of the type and duration of interaction a person may have with family, coworkers, friends, or people in their lives, modeling positive health behavior is critical, especially for healthcare providers.
Article’s Sources
Sittig S, Wang J, Iyengar S, Myneni S, Franklin A. Incorporating Behavioral Trigger Messages Into a Mobile Health App for Chronic Disease Management: Randomized Clinical Feasibility Trial in Diabetes. JMIR MHealth UHealth. 2020;8(3):e15927. doi:10.2196/15927
Ng YC, Alexander S, Frith KH. Integration of Mobile Health Applications in Health Information Technology Initiatives: Expanding Opportunities for Nurse Participation in Population Health. CIN Comput Inform Nurs. 2018;36(5):209-213. doi:10.1097/CIN.0000000000000445
Wills J, Kelly M. What works to encourage student nurses to adopt healthier lifestyles? Findings from an intervention study. Nurse Educ Today. 2017;48:180-184. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2016.10.011
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