National Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation.
Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2022 Jan 10;10(1):e31058. doi: 10.2196/31058.
Personalized prevention tools such as mobile apps designed to reduce alcohol consumption are widespread in mobile app stores accessible in Russia. However, the quality and content of these mobile apps have not been systematically evaluated.
This study aimed to identify Russian-language mobile apps for reducing alcohol use and to evaluate their quality and potential to change alcohol-related health behavior. It further aimed to identify apps that could facilitate screening and brief interventions in primary health care in Russia.
A systematic search for mobile apps available in Russia was carried out between April 1 and 15, 2020, December 1 and 15, 2020, and in March 2021 in the iPhone App Store, Google Play Store, and the 4PDA forum. App quality was assessed using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), and structured searches in electronic libraries and bibliographic databases were used to evaluate the apps' evidence base. The number of features facilitating changes in lifestyle behavior was assessed using the App Behavior Change Scale (ABACUS).
We identified 63 mobile apps for reducing alcohol use. The mean MARS quality ratings were high for the subscales of functionality (3.92 out of 5, SD 0.58) and aesthetics (2.96, SD 0.76) and low for engagement (2.42, SD 0.76) and information (1.65, SD 0.60). Additional searches in electronic libraries and bibliographic databases (eLibrary, CyberLeninka, Google Scholar) yielded no studies involving the identified apps. ABACUS scores ranged from 1 to 15 out of 25, with a mean of 5 (SD 3.24). Two of the identified apps might be useful for screening and brief interventions in Russian primary health care after improvements in content and scientific testing.
Russian-language mobile apps for reducing alcohol use are accessible in the app stores. Many of them are aesthetically pleasing, functional, and easy to use. However, information about their scientific trialing or testing is lacking. Most apps contain a low number of features that facilitate changes in lifestyle behavior. Further research should examine the context of Russian-language mobile apps for reducing alcohol use. Our findings underline the need to develop evidence-based apps to mitigate alcohol consumption in Russia and elsewhere.
PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42020167458; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=167458.
个性化预防工具，如旨在减少饮酒的移动应用程序，在俄罗斯的移动应用商店中广泛存在。然而，这些移动应用程序的质量和内容尚未得到系统评估。
本研究旨在确定俄语版的减少饮酒量的移动应用程序，并评估其质量和改变与酒精相关的健康行为的潜力。它还旨在确定有助于在俄罗斯初级保健中进行筛查和简短干预的应用程序。
于 2020 年 4 月 1 日至 15 日、12 月 1 日至 15 日和 2021 年 3 月在 iPhone 应用商店、Google Play 商店和 4PDA 论坛对俄罗斯可用的移动应用程序进行了系统搜索。使用移动应用程序评级量表（MARS）评估应用程序的质量，并且在电子图书馆和文献数据库中进行了结构化搜索以评估应用程序的证据基础。使用应用程序行为改变量表（ABACUS）评估促进生活方式行为改变的功能数量。
我们确定了 63 个用于减少饮酒量的移动应用程序。在功能（3.92 分，标准差 0.58）和美学（2.96 分，标准差 0.76）方面，子量表的 MARS 质量评分较高，而在参与度（2.42 分，标准差 0.76）和信息（1.65 分，标准差 0.60）方面得分较低。在电子图书馆和文献数据库（eLibrary、CyberLeninka、Google Scholar）中的进一步搜索没有发现涉及所确定的应用程序的研究。ABACUS 评分范围为 25 分中的 1 分至 15 分，平均为 5 分（标准差 3.24）。在改进内容和科学测试后，识别出的两个应用程序可能对俄罗斯初级保健中的筛查和简短干预有用。
在应用商店中可以找到俄语版的用于减少饮酒量的移动应用程序。其中许多应用程序美观、功能齐全且易于使用。但是，缺乏有关其科学试验或测试的信息。大多数应用程序包含的促进生活方式行为改变的功能数量较少。需要进一步研究俄罗斯语移动应用程序在减少酒精使用方面的使用情况。我们的研究结果强调了需要开发基于证据的应用程序，以减轻俄罗斯和其他地区的酒精消费。
PROSPERO 国际前瞻性系统评价注册中心 CRD42020167458；https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=167458。
