Public mHealth:
mobile applications for use in
Public Health
Sheila Snow-Croft, MA, MLIS
Public Health Coordinator
National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM)
Southeastern Atlantic Region (SE/A)
http://nnlm.gov/sea
ssnowcro@hshsl.umaryland.edu
mHealth
“mHealth” has the potential to be a
transformative force. It has the potential to
change when, where, and how healthcare is
provided; to ensure that important social,
behavioral, and environmental data are used to
understand the determinants of health; and to
improve health outcomes.
eHealth & mHealth
• eHealth: Using information and communication
technology (ICT) for health services and information.
• mHealth: Using mobile communications for health
services and information.
Information vs Action
• Information apps focus on providing facts
• Action apps help bring about change
Mobile Technologies
Revolutionizing:
• health education
• patient care and management
• point-of-care support for health workers
• diagnostics
• data and evidence collection
Mobile Statistics
Healthcare Professionals’ Mobile Use
• >4 in 5 physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician
assistants use smartphones daily
• >50% of physicians and 40% of nurse practitioners
and physician assistants use tablets daily
• 47% of US clinicians use smartphones and tablets
during the day
• Tablet and smartphone usage accounts for 40% of
clinicians’ screen time
App Evaluation
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Category/Task
Currency
Version
Size
Language
Seller
Price
Rating
App Challenges
• Privacy
• Confidentiality
• Regulatory control
• Human subjects’ protection
• Logistics
National Library of Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mobile/
Guide to NLM Mobile (App):
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mobile-app/
• PubMed for Handhelds • LactMed
• BabelMeSH
• AIDSinfo
• Health Hotlines
• Emergency Response:
• REMM
• WISER
• Reunite
NLM: PubMed for Handhelds
• Designed for iPhone & iPad
• Compatible with iPod touch
• Email feature for retrieved citations
• For iOS 6.0 or later
NLM: BabelMeSH and PICO Linguist
• Search PubMed using 13 languages
• PICO: fill in the blank and menu format
• For iOS 6.0 or later
• iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
NLM: AIDSinfo HIV/AIDS Glossary
• >850 HIV/AIDS-related term definitions
• Plain language, English and Spanish
• Audio and Randomizer features
• For Android, iOS 4.3 or later
• iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
NLM: Health Hotlines
• Directory of organizations with toll-free
phone numbers
• Descriptions of almost 9k biomedical
organizations and resources
• For iOS 4.3 or later
• Compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
NLM: LactMed
• Drugs and supplements that may affect breastfeeding
• Information on:
• levels of such substances in breast milk/infant blood
• possible adverse effects in nursing infants
• therapeutic alternatives
• Android
• iOS 4.3 or later
• iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
NLM: DIMRC
Disaster Information Management Research Center
disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov
• Psychological Health Tools: mobile websites and apps
• Hurricane, Tornado, Wildfire apps from American Red Cross
• National Weather Service & National Hurricane Center apps
NLM: REMM
Radiation Emergency Medical Management
• For healthcare providers:
• Clinical diagnosis and treatment of radiation injury
• For those without experience:
• Just-in-time, evidence-based, usable information
• Background & context to make complex issues understandable
• Downloadable Web-based information
• For iOS 4.3 or later, Android, Blackberry
NLM: WISER
Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders
• For first responders in hazardous
material incidents
• For iOS 4.3 or later, Android,
Blackberry
• Downloadable
NLM: Reunite
• Post-disaster family reunification aid
• Report to and search for missing or
found person information
• Uses PEOPLE LOCATOR site
http://pl.nlm.nih.gov
• For iOS 7.0 or later
• iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
CDC Apps (part 1)
ALS Service Locator
FluView
Blast Injury
Health-e-Cards
Can I Eat This?
Healthy Swimming
CDC Mobile
Influenza for Clinicians and
Health Care Professionals
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders (FASD)
Ladder Safety
CDC Apps (part 2)
Latent TB Infection (LTBI)
STD Treatment (Tx) Guide
MMWR, MMWR Express
US Medical Eligibility Criteria
for Contraceptive Use
Prevent Group B Strep
Preventing Chronic Disease
(PCD) Journal
PTT Advisor Support
Solve the Outbreak
Vaccine Schedules
WISQ
2011 Guidelines for Field
Triage of Injured Patients
Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
https://myds.nih.gov
My Dietary Supplements
• Keep track of vitamins, minerals, herbs usage
• Science-based, reliable supplement information
• Available in Spanish at
https://myds.nih.gov/espanol
American Heart Association
Spot a Stroke F.A.S.T.
• Stroke information and how to recognize one
• Symptoms video
• Requires iOS 7.0 or later
• Compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
• Available in Spanish
American Heart Association
Pocket First Aid & CPR
• 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC
• 34 videos, 46 illustrations
• Android version
• iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
• Requires iOS 3.1 or later
AHRQ
ePSS: Electronic Preventive Services Selector
• Helps primary care clinicians identify appropriate clinical
preventive services
• Search and browse U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
(USPSTF) recommendations
• Online and for a variety of mobile devices
HealthMap:
Outbreaks Near Me
• Real-time intelligence on a broad range
of emerging infectious diseases
• Search and browse with interactive map
• Outbreak alerts
• for iOS 4.3 or later
• iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Smokefree TXT
• QuitSTART www.teen.smokefree.gov
• Smokefree QuitGuide
• M.cancer.gov
Linking the public
to clinical services
• HRSA Find a Health Center www.hrsa.gov/about/mobile
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is
working with states to develop mobile-facing initiatives, such
as the mobile version of InsureKidsNow.gov
• SAMHSA Behavioral Health Disaster Response App
• MedlinePlus Mobile Topic page: Choosing a Doctor or
Health Care Service
Action mHealth
• Can produce continuous streams of data on an
individual's biology, psychology, behavior, and daily
environment
• Increasing data for longitudinal studies
• Can be used in real-time
• Allows targeting of particular communities with
tailored health information
Text4Baby
• Promotes maternal & child health through text messaging
• Partnership of >950 health departments, academic
institutions, health plans, businesses, and the federal
government
• Has reached over 530,000 moms since 2010 launch
Worldwide Success
• TERA (Trilogy Emergency Relief Application) helped save
many lives during Haiti crisis, is helping raise awareness of
health issues in Sierra Leone, is showing promise in slowing
down malaria worldwide
• Pregnant women in countries such as India and South Africa
who can't visit doctors regularly can register their due dates
and receive info regarding their babies' development
• In Bangladesh, parents can receive alerts telling them when
to bring their children into clinics for vaccinations
• Text messaging in Kenyan trials show a clear increase in
adherence to treatment guidelines
Emergency Preparedness
• Market monitoring
• Healthy early warning messages
• Community early warning
• Speeding up delivery
• Geo-hazard mapping
• Monitoring payments to indicate vulnerability
Mobile Messaging Tips
• Remind people of their goals
• Become a personal "health coach”
• Build healthful habits using social influence
• Show people what they could lose
• Put the message where it really counts
• Raise emotional awareness
• Reframe challenges
mHealth Summit
http://www.mhealthsummit.org
Explore, examine, and debate the ways mobile
technology is transforming health care delivery,
research, business, and policy for the 21st century
Keeping up
mHealth Training listserv
mHealth-Training@list.nih.gov
• Lectures
• training opportunities
• funding announcements
Thank You
Sheila Snow-Croft, MA, MLIS
Public Health Coordinator
National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM)
Southeastern Atlantic Region (SE/A)
http://nnlm.gov/sea
ssnowcro@hshsl.umaryland.edu
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National Network of Libraries of Medicine Southeastern Atlantic Region
Twitter: nnlmsea
Blog: http://nnlm.gov/sea/newsletter