Abstract

Background and Aim: Mobile Health have a huge potential for improving access for self-management education and boosting cost-effective interventions. The aim of this study is to clarify the current self-management strategies of Mobile Health for asthma by analyzing the performance and functionality for self-management education of iOS and Android mobile apps. Methods: By using the search term asthma in the Apple?s App Store (UK and Japan) and Google Play Store (accessible from Japan), all English-language downloadable apps in addition to Japanese were analyzed. Results: Sixty-five apps met inclusion criteria ?self-management education for adult asthmatics? (iOS 55 (ENG/JPN: 48/7, free/paid 46/9), Android 10 (ENG/JPN: 7/3, free/paid 10/0, respectively). Five apps were released in both stores. Nine (15%) apps were equipped with educational contents and self-monitoring tools such as e-diary. Regarding interventions for behavioral changes, avatar based1(1.6%) and interactive based 5(8.3%) for app usage, and reminder 21(35%) and praise (8.3%) for treatment were used, respectively. Six (10%) apps provided action plan if necessary. There were no apps for telemonitoring and one app equipped with AI. From update history, 41.7% was not updated regularly. Only 11.7% of apps were developed or audited by academics of medical field. Conclusions: To achieve ?application support? of self-management education, key strategies should be introduce regularly updatable apps developed by inter-professional work equipped with interactivity, tailored approach, and behavioral modification intervention in addition to building skills for self-monitoring and use of asthma inhalers.