Objectives: Limited data are available on the correlation of mHealth features and statistically significant outcomes. We sought to identify and analyze: types and categories of features; frequency and number of features; and relationship of statistically significant outcomes by type, frequency, and number of features.Materials and Methods: This search included primary articles focused on app-based interventions in managing chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and hypertension. The initial search yielded 3622 studies with 70 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. We used thematic analysis to identify 9 features within the studies.Results: Employing existing terminology, we classified the 9 features as passive or interactive. Passive features included: 1) one-way communication; 2) mobile diary; 3) Bluetooth technology; and 4) reminders. Interactive features included: 1) interactive prompts; 2) upload of biometric measurements; 3) action treatment plan/personalized health goals; 4) 2-way communication; and 5) clinical decision support system.Discussion: Each feature was included in only one-third of the studies with a mean of 2.6 mHealth features per study. Studies with statistically significant outcomes used a higher combination of passive and interactive features (69%). In contrast, studies without statistically significant outcomes exclusively used a higher frequency of passive features (46%). Inclusion of behavior change features (ie, plan/goals and mobile diary) were correlated with a higher incident of statistically significant outcomes (100%, 77%).Conclusion: This exploration is the first step in identifying how types and categories of features impact outcomes. While the findings are inconclusive due to lack of homogeneity, this provides a foundation for future feature analysis.

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) apps are dramatically changing how patients and providers manage and monitor chronic health conditions, especially in the area of self-monitoring. African Americans have higher mortality rates from heart failure than other racial groups in the United States. Therefore, self-management of heart failure may improve health outcomes for African American patients.Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the feasibility of using an mHealth app, and explore the outcomes of quality of life, including self-care maintenance, management, and confidence, among African American patients managing their condition after discharge with a diagnosis of heart failure.Methods: Prior to development of the app, we conducted qualitative interviews with 7 African American patients diagnosed with heart failure, 3 African American patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, and 6 health care providers (cardiologists, nurse practitioners, and a geriatrician) who worked with heart failure patients. In addition, we asked 6 hospital chaplains to provide positive spiritual messages for the patients, since spirituality is an important coping method for many African Americans. These formative data were then used for creating a prototype of the app, named Healthy Heart. Specifically, the Healthy Heart app incorporated the following evidence-based features to promote self-management: one-way messages, journaling (ie, weight and symptoms), graphical display of data, and customized feedback (ie, clinical decision support) based on daily or weekly weight. The educational messages about heart failure self-management were derived from the teaching materials provided to the patients diagnosed with heart failure, and included information on diet, sleep, stress, and medication adherence. The information was condensed and simplified to be appropriate for text messages and to meet health literacy standards. Other messages were derived from interviews conducted during the formative stage of app development, including interviews with African American chaplains. Usability testing was conducted over a series of meetings between nurses, social workers, and computer engineers. A pilot one-group pretest-posttest design was employed with participants using the mHealth app for 4 weeks. Descriptive statistics were computed for each of the demographic variables, overall and subscales for Health Related Quality of Life Scale 14 (HQOL14) and subscales for the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) Version 6 using frequencies for categorical measures and means with standard deviations for continuous measures. Baseline and postintervention comparisons were computed using the Fisher exact test for overall health and paired t tests for HQOL14 and SCHFI questionnaire subscales.Results: A total of 12 African American participants (7 men, 5 women; aged 51-69 years) diagnosed with heart failure were recruited for the study. There was no significant increase in quality of life (P=.15), but clinically relevant changes in self-care maintenance, management, and confidence were observed.Conclusions: An mHealth app to assist with the self-management of heart failure is feasible in patients with low literacy, low health literacy, and limited smartphone experience. Based on the clinically relevant changes observed in this feasibility study of the Healthy Heart app, further research should explore effectiveness in this vulnerable population.

Introduction: The global nursing workforce is predominantly female, with a large proportion working in the 45–55 age group. Menopause is a transition for all women, and; therefore needs recognition as it can impact work performance and consequently staff turnover.Background: Women will go through the menopause, but not all women are affected. The menopause transition presents a range of signs and symptoms both physical and psychological which can impact the quality of life and individuals' work/life balance. The nursing workforce is predominantly women that will work through the menopause transition.Objectives: The study explored perspectives on digital health interventions as strategies to support menopausal women and to understand the requirements for designing health interventions for support in the workplace.Design: A qualitative explorative design.Settings: Nurses working in a range of clinical settings in England, Finland, Denmark, New Zealand, Australia and USA.Methods: Nurses (n = 48) participated in focus groups from six different countries from February 2020–June 2022 during the pandemic from a range of acute, primary care and education settings. Nurses were invited to participate to share their experiences. Thematic analysis was used.Results: All participants were able to describe the physical symptoms of menopause, with some cultural and possible hemisphere differences; more noticeable was the psychological burden of menopause and fatigue that is not always recognized. Four themes were identified: Managing symptoms in the workplace; Recognition in the workplace; Menopause interventions; and Expectation versus the invisible reality. These themes revealed information that can be translated for implementation into digital health interventions.Conclusions: Managers of nursing female staff in the menopausal age range need greater awareness, and menopause education should involve everyone. Finally, our results demonstrate design attributes suitable for inclusion in digital health strategies that are aligned with likely alleviation of some of the discomforts of menopause.Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution.

Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought numerous challenges for conducting the human subjects research needed to advance science and improve health. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to discuss how a college of nursing at a large public university in the southeast United States has responded to the challenges of conducting research during the novel COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Seven faculty researchers at the University of South Carolina College of Nursing share their experiences in overcoming the unique challenges of conducting research because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19 are presented within the context of the research process, career implications, communication, and maintaining morale. Results: Fears of COVID-19 and social distancing measures have hindered participant recruitment, enrollment, and involvement in ongoing studies. Increasing virtual technology use and enhancing safety precautions have assisted researchers to overcome barriers. Scholarly writing has increased for some faculty members whose studies have been stalled by the pandemic, yet others have seen a decline because of additional personal responsibilities. The careers of faculty members across all ranks have been uniquely affected by the pandemic. With most faculty working remotely, enhanced communication strategies at the university and college have supported the research enterprise. Morale has been adversely affected, but a variety of personal and collegial efforts have helped faculty cope and preserve a sense of normalcy during this devastating pandemic. Discussion: Faculty and their ability to conduct the research needed to inform clinical and public health practice have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of conducting research during this unprecedented crisis, faculty and institutions are taking novel steps to ensure the continuity of scientific progress for improving the health and well-being of patients and populations.