Description of apps targeting stroke patients: A review of apps store

BACKGROUND: As a principal cause of mortality and disability worldwide, stroke imposes considerable burdens on society and effects on the lives of patients, families, and communities. Owing to their growing global popularity, health-related applications (apps) offer a promising approach to stroke management but show a knowledge gap regarding mobile apps for stroke survivors.

METHODS: This review was conducted across the Android and iOS app stores in September-December 2022 to identify and describe all apps targeting stroke survivors. Apps were included if they were designed for stroke management and contained at least one of the following components: medication taking, risk management, blood pressure management, and stroke rehabilitation. Apps were excluded if they were unrelated to health, not in Chinese or English, or the targeted users were healthcare professionals. The included apps were downloaded, and their functionalities were investigated.

RESULTS: The initial search yielded 402 apps, with 115 eligible after title and description screening. Some apps were later excluded due to duplicates, registration problems, or installation failures. In total, 83 apps were included for full review and evaluated by three independent reviewers. Educational information was the most common function (36.1%), followed by rehabilitation guidance (34.9%), communication with healthcare providers (HCPs), and others (28.9%). The majority of these apps (50.6%) had only one functionality. A minority had contributions from an HCP or patients.

CONCLUSION: With the widespread accessibility and availability of smartphone apps across the mHealth landscape, an increasing number of apps targeting stroke survivors are being released. One of the most important findings is that the majority of the apps were not specifically geared toward older adults. Many of the currently available apps lack healthcare professionals' and patients' involvement in their development, and most offer limited functionality, thus requiring further attention to the development of customized apps.