JMIR mHealth and uHealth

Directly observed therapy (DOT) is the standard method for monitoring adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment. However, implementing DOT poses challenges for both patients and providers due to limited financial and human resources. Increasing evidence suggests that emerging digital adherence technologies, such as video directly observed therapy (VDOT), can serve as viable alternatives.

Nondaily smoking is a widespread and increasingly prevalent pattern of use. To date, no effective treatment approach for nondaily smoking has been identified.

Gratitude interventions are used to cultivate a sense of gratitude for life and others. There have been mixed results of the efficacy of gratitude interventions’ effect on psychological well-being with a variety of populations and methodologies.

Depression and chronic pain are commonly comorbid, mutually reinforcing, and debilitating. Emerging approaches to mobile behavioral healthcare (mHealth) promise to improve outcomes for patients with comorbid depression and chronic pain by integrating with existing care models to bolster support and continuity between clinical visits; however, the evidence base supporting the use of mHealth to augment care for this patient population is limited.

Wrist-worn photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors allows continuous heart rate (HR) measurement without inconveniences of wearing a chest belt. While green light PPG technology reduces HR measurement motion artifacts, only a limited number of studies investigated the reliability and accuracy of wearables in non-laboratory controlled conditions with actual specific and various physical activity movements.

Mobile phone SMS text message reminders have shown moderate effects in improving participation rates in ongoing colorectal cancer screening programs.

The use of mobile technology to meet health needs, widely referred to as mobile health (mHealth), has played a critical role in providing self-management support for chronic health conditions. However, despite its potential benefits, mHealth technologies such as self-management support apps for spinal cord injury (SCI) have received little research attention, and an understanding of their public availability is lacking. Therefore, an overview of these apps is needed to complement findings from the literature for a complete understanding of mHealth self-management support tools for SCI to support the selection and improvement of existing apps and the development of new ones.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the third most prevalent mental health disorder in Singapore, with a high degree of burden and large treatment gaps. Self-guided programs on mobile apps are accessible and affordable interventions, with the potential to address subclinical OCD before symptoms escalate.

Mobile Health (mHealth) interventions have the potential to improve health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) by aiding health workers to strengthen service delivery, and patients and communities to manage and prevent diseases. It is crucial to understand how best to implement mHealth within already burdened health services to maximally improve health outcomes and sustain the intervention in LMIC.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective strategy to reduce the risk of HIV infection. However, the efficacy of PrEP is highly dependent on adherence. Meanwhile, adherence changes over time, making it difficult to manage effectively.

Smartphone apps and wearable activity trackers are increasingly recognized for their potential to promote physical activity (PA). While studies suggest that the use of commercial mobile health tools is associated with higher PA levels, most existing evidence is cross-sectional, leaving a gap in longitudinal data.

Adolescence is a period characterized by an increased susceptibility to developing risky alcohol consumption habits. This susceptibility can be influenced by social and situational factors encountered in daily life, which, in conjunction with emotions and thoughts, contribute to behavioral patterns related to alcohol use even in the early stages of alcohol experimentation, when initial experiences with alcohol are formed, and regular consumption is still evolving.