Oudbier Susan J, Perillo Matteo, Smeulers Marian, Nurmohamed S Azam, Meij Hans J, Smets Ellen M A
Outpatient Division (VIII), Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Sep 24;25(1):3069. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-24227-5.
Despite the growing availability of health apps, adoption rates remains limited. The motivations behind their use and their impact on patient's empowerment and patient-Healthcare Professional (HCP) relationships remain unclear, yet understanding these factors is crucial for improving adoption, implementation, and sustained use. This study explores these motivations and user experiences, with a focus on empowerment and interactions with HCPs.
An online survey among patient panel members of Amsterdam University Medical Center was conducted. Logistic regression adjusted for socio-demographic variables was used to investigate the motivations potentially influencing health app usage. Patient's empowerment and patient-HCP interaction were addressed through descriptive statistics.
Among 133 patients (39.8% female; average age 67.2 ± 9.8 years), 46% used health apps. Movement and Sport (63.9% of users), Vital Functions (47.5%), and Sleep (36.1%) were the most commonly used types. Users considered access to health data more important (OR = 2.7, p = 0.02), and were more certain about the usefulness of health apps (OR = 0.26, p = 0.01). Non-users were motivated for adoption if the app provides health information (43.1%), access to health data (36.1%), and symptom tracking (27.8%). 60% of the users discussed app-related outcomes with HCPs. Health apps enhanced patients' empowerment by allowing them to maintain an overview of health and supporting active participation in treatment decisions. They also helped gather information before consultations and improved understanding during visits with their HCPs.
Health apps usage appears to be positively associated with the perceived importance of health data and confidence in usefulness of health apps. Non-users are more likely to adopt health apps if they provide insights into their health, enable earlier access to personal health data, and help in symptom tracking. HCPs should actively engage individuals who do not use health apps in conversations that emphasize the relevance of such tools to patient care outcomes. Future research should support HCPS in developing implementation strategies, to engage non-users and to encourage health app integration in healthcare practice.
尽管健康应用程序的可用性日益提高，但其采用率仍然有限。使用这些应用程序的动机以及它们对患者赋权和患者与医疗保健专业人员（HCP）关系的影响仍不明确，然而了解这些因素对于提高采用率、实施率和持续使用率至关重要。本研究探讨了这些动机和用户体验，重点关注赋权以及与HCP的互动。
对阿姆斯特丹大学医学中心患者小组的成员进行了一项在线调查。使用针对社会人口统计学变量进行调整的逻辑回归来调查可能影响健康应用程序使用的动机。通过描述性统计来探讨患者的赋权和患者与HCP的互动情况。
在133名患者中（女性占39.8%；平均年龄67.2±9.8岁），46%的患者使用健康应用程序。运动与体育类（占用户的63.9%）、生命体征类（47.5%）和睡眠类（36.1%）是最常用的类型。用户认为获取健康数据更为重要（OR = 2.7，p = 0.02），并且对健康应用程序的有用性更有把握（OR = 0.26，p = 0.01）。如果应用程序能提供健康信息（43.1%）、获取健康数据（36.1%）和症状跟踪功能（27.8%），非用户会有采用的动机。60%的用户与HCP讨论过与应用程序相关的结果。健康应用程序通过让患者能够全面了解健康状况并支持他们积极参与治疗决策，增强了患者的赋权。它们还有助于在咨询前收集信息，并在与HCP就诊期间增进理解。
健康应用程序的使用似乎与对健康数据重要性的认知以及对健康应用程序有用性的信心呈正相关。如果非用户能够通过健康应用程序了解自身健康状况、更早获取个人健康数据并有助于症状跟踪，他们更有可能采用这些应用程序。HCP应积极与不使用健康应用程序的个人进行交流，强调此类工具与患者护理结果的相关性。未来的研究应支持HCP制定实施策略，以吸引非用户并鼓励在医疗实践中整合健康应用程序。
