University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
J Stroke. 2014 May;16(2):86-90. doi: 10.5853/jos.2014.16.2.86. Epub 2014 May 30.
Smartphone applications have been increasingly identified as a novel platform for dissemination of healthcare related information. However, there have been no studies done to evaluate the availability and content of stroke related apps.
This study aims to identify and analyze stroke-related applications available on the Apple iTunes and Android Google Play Store.
The Apple iTunes store and Android Google Play Store were searched for stroke-related applications on July 27, 2013 using keywords: stroke, brain attack, intracranial hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral infarction. The content of the applications was analyzed by two independent investigators.
A total of 93 relevant applications (46.2% android and 53.8% iPhone) were identified of which 47.3% were available free of cost. 92% of apps were identified as useful by users and over 60% had scientifically valid information. There is a significant participation of healthcare agencies in dissemination of stroke related information through apps with 47.3% apps being uploaded by them. Over half of all stroke related apps were aimed towards health care workers (51.6%), 75% of which could be utilized as bedside tools for patient care and remainder had information related to recent research advances. The difference in scientific validity between the apps aimed at general population versus healthcare professionals was statistically significant (P<0.01). There was no statistical association between cost of app and scientific validity or usefulness.
Smartphone apps are a significant source of information related to stroke. An increasing participation of healthcare agencies should be encouraged to promote dissemination of scientifically valid information.
智能手机应用程序已逐渐被认为是一种传播医疗保健相关信息的新平台。然而，目前还没有研究评估与中风相关的应用程序的可用性和内容。
本研究旨在识别和分析苹果 iTunes 应用商店和安卓 Google Play 商店中与中风相关的应用程序。
于 2013 年 7 月 27 日，使用“stroke（中风）”、“brain attack（脑卒）”、“intracranial hemorrhage（颅内出血）”、“subarachnoid hemorrhage（蛛网膜下腔出血）”和“cerebral infarction（脑梗死）”等关键词，在苹果 iTunes 应用商店和安卓 Google Play 商店中搜索与中风相关的应用程序。两名独立的研究者对应用程序的内容进行了分析。
共发现 93 个相关应用程序（46.2%为安卓系统，53.8%为苹果系统），其中 47.3%为免费应用程序。92%的应用程序被用户认为是有用的，超过 60%的应用程序含有科学有效的信息。医疗机构通过应用程序来传播中风相关信息的参与度显著，其中 47.3%的应用程序由他们上传。超过一半的中风相关应用程序（51.6%）是针对医疗保健工作者的，其中 75%的应用程序可以作为床边工具用于患者护理，其余应用程序则提供了与最新研究进展相关的信息。针对普通人群和医疗保健专业人员的应用程序在科学有效性方面存在显著差异（P<0.01）。应用程序的费用与其科学性或有用性之间无统计学关联。
智能手机应用程序是与中风相关的重要信息来源。应鼓励医疗机构更多地参与，以促进科学有效信息的传播。
