Tag: Health Technology

Many Health Apps Don’t Get the Job Done by Laura Nathan-Garner

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How to Choose a Better Health App

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From helping you wake up rested to getting couch potatoes ready for a 5K, there really is an app for everything.

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But when it comes to health apps, many don’t get the job done. That’s true of apps for smartphones, iPads, computers and even TVs.

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“Many companies are in such a hurry to sell their app that they don’t conduct a study to see if users will adopt real, lasting change,” says Alexander V. Prokhorov, M.D., Ph.D., director of
MD Anderson’s e-Health Technology Program and professor in the Department of Behavioral Science.

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“And, app stores don’t have medical reviewers who make sure health apps are medically sound.”

So, it can take some detective work to find a reliable one. Before you start to download, separate the good from the bad with these tips.

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1. SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.

Think of health apps as tools to complement what you’re doing offline.

So, before downloading an app, figure out what you need to do to achieve your health goals. Then, figure out how an app can and can’t help.

“Set a specific and achievable goal,” says Jermaine McMillan, project director of MD Anderson’s e-Health Technology Program. “Once you choose an app, make sure you understand what it’s intended to do and how you will use it to help reach your goal.”

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2. AVOID APPS THAT PROMISE TOO MUCH.

Beware of apps promising big results — and fast.

“Research shows that most people can’t change a behavior overnight or even in a week,” Prokhorov says. “So, an app that promises quick weight loss or quitting smoking for good by the end of the month probably won’t produce the results you want.”

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3. RESEARCH THE DEVELOPERS.

Don’t let attractive graphics or enticing features fool you. “Many questionable health apps are developed by good designers who aren’t experts in behavior change,” Prokhorov says.

Advice? Do some digging. Find the developer’s name in the app store or on the app’s website. Then, research the developer and find out:

Whether they’ve designed other health apps
How long they’ve been developing health apps
Whether they consulted health professionals to develop the app
Whether any reputable hospitals or health organizations endorse the app
No experience, and no consultation with a health organization? That’s a red flag to keep looking.

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4. CHOOSE APPS THAT USE TECHNIQUES YOU’VE HEARD OF.

Does an app use unusual strategies to help improve users’ health? Say, using hypnosis or acupuncture to quit smoking? That, too, may be a red flag.

“Most effective behavior change strategies are based on years of research,” Prokhorov says. “They’re things you’ve probably heard your doctor recommend.”

So, play it safe and stick with apps that use well-known strategies.

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5. SEE WHAT OTHER USERS SAY.

Read reviews in the app store, and do a search online to see what other users think about the app.

And, pay particular attention to readers who’ve used the app for awhile. This feedback may provide insight into whether the app can really help you long-term.

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6. TEST APPS BEFORE COMMITTING.

Even the best app can’t work its magic if you don’t use it as recommended. So, test out several health apps before choosing one and give the one you choose a fair chance.

If an app isn’t easy and convenient to use, you probably won’t use it regularly. And, those healthy changes you’re trying to adopt probably won’t become habit.

Don’t give up if the first few apps don’t do the trick. Test-driving different apps can teach you about your likes and dislikes, so you can find an app — or an offline solution — that works for you.

“The good news is that more health researchers are starting to help design apps,” Prokhorov says. “And that means many great health apps should appear in the next year or two.”

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This article originally appeared in Focused on Health, MD Anderson Cancer Center’s online healthy living newsletter.  For more information, please visit www.mdanderson.org

 

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10 Hot iPhone Apps for New Parents

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Parenting in the internet age certainly still has its challenges, but tech-savvy parents have several options in the App Store that can help ease some of the stress. Storing important information, accessing records and even entertaining your newborn can all be done with a tap of the screen; here are ten iPhone apps that all new parents should check out.

1. Baby Tracker: Diapers – If your pediatrician asks you to keep a record of Baby’s diapers, the Baby Tracker: Diapers app is a must-have. The simple interface includes a color swatch and texture options, and even has a Notes feature for in-depth documentation.
2. White Noise Lite – Many parents swear by sound machines to soothe babies and help them sleep soundly; the White Noise Lite app offers several options, including nature sounds and traditional white noise. The best part? It’s free.
3. Baby Tracker: Nursing – The folks at Baby Tracker hit another home run with their Nursing app. Mothers who choose to breastfeed can keep track of nursing times, duration and left/right nursing sides. As an extra bonus, there’s also an option for tracking bottle feedings as well.
4. Baby Brain – Created by a team of experienced OB/GYN nurses and moms, the nap-tracking app Baby Brain helps new parents calculate ideal nap times. Entering the time and duration of baby’s daily naps help the app to analyze the information and provide estimates for when subsequent naps should occur. Parents with multiples can track more than one baby, and the interface allows for easy schedule-sharing via email with caregivers.  This one is TOUGH to find but we love it!
5. Parenting Ages & Stages – Popular magazine PARENTING offers a free app to track developmental milestones from birth to school-age, keeping it relevant for years to come. The high-tech version of the baby book.
6. FeverMeds – Unfortunately, low-grade fevers are part of any new parent’s life. The FeverMeds app calculates age and weight to return the ideal dosage of medication to combat those fevers, and also displays pictures of over-the-counter medication boxes in order to eliminate the possibility of choosing the wrong product. It also tracks dosage time and counts down to the next scheduled dose.  Another tough one to find… Sorry, but it’s great!
7. What to Expect – Baby – Generations of moms-to-be have relied upon the wisdom of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. The beloved line of books also extends into early parenting and development. The What to Expect – Baby app makes carrying the book everywhere a snap, and also includes daily updates and trackers.
8. BabyPhone Deluxe – Instead of packing a baby monitor for trips or carting it from room to room, consider the BabyPhone app. If noise levels in the room exceed a designated level, the app automatically dials a secondary number to alert parents.
9. Infant Visual Stimulation – With one hundred and twenty black and white images designed to stimulate babies vision, the Infant Visual Stimulation app is a great resource for new parents.
10. Baby Rattle 123 – Leaving Baby’s favorite rattle at home is no longer cause for concern with the Baby Rattle 123 app, which transforms your phone into a visually and auditory stimulation tool.

All new parents need some help, so it is a great idea for the iPhone to serve multiple purposes. Check out the App Store for these and other great apps for new parents. You never knew a phone could do so much.

THANK YOU NANNY NET  – Debbie Denard

BEST NEW PARENTING BLOG: NANNY NET –   http://www.nanny.net/blog/10-iphone-apps-for-new-parents

 

RELATED LINKS:

HOW A BABY TAKES SHAPE INSIDE YOUR BODY:  http://www.babycentre.co.uk/video/pregnancy/baby-takes-shape/

WONDERFUL PBS DOCUMENTARY recommended by author, Michael Gonzalez Wallace:  http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-secret-life-of-the-brain/

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10 Cool Mobile Health Apps by Yahoo Health

Published on by mariadorfner4 Comments

1. My Diet Diary-Calorie Counter

To help you slim down, My Diet Diary tracks your food (including calculating calories and personalized nutritional needs using a database of 150,000 foods), exercise, water consumption, and how your actual weight is trending against your goal weight. You can share your progress on social media and graph your results.

2. RunKeeper

To boost your motivation, RunKeeper turns your mobile device into smart run or fitness tracker, using the GPS to track the speed, distance and duration of your workouts. You can calculate calories burned, share your results on social media, get audio feedback as to whether you are on your target pace, and create a personal data dashboard on the runkeeper.com site.

3. Epocrates Rx

Widely used by doctors, this free drug reference tool provides details on thousands of medications. Not only can you look up potential side effects on Epocrates Rx, but if you take more than one medication, you can also check for potentially dangerous interactions and confirm drug coverage for many health plans, including Medicare Part D. And if you sometimes forget to take your medications, also check out RxmindMe, a free app that lets you create 9 types of reminders.

4. iTriage

Developed by emergency physicians, iTriage lets you look up symptoms and possible causes, tap into a national directory of ERs, doctors, urgent care centers, and clinics, use your phone’s GPS to identify the closest medical facilities and get driving directions. This free app is designed to answer 2 questions: “What’s wrong with me?” and “Where can I get treatment?”

5. KidneyDiet

If you’re one of the 20 million Americans with chronic kidney disease, your doctor has probably told you to watch the potassium, protein, phosphorus and salt in your diet. The KidneyDiet app provides nutritional data on thousands of foods, including brand name products and menu items from some chain restaurants, to help you make the best choices. Foods that might be harmful for people on a kidney diet are highlighted in red.

 

6. QuitGuide

Want to quit smoking? Developed by the National Cancer Institute, QuitGuide helps you prepare to kick the habit, provides support during the days and weeks after you quit, and discusses the challenges you may experience. For more free resources, visit smokefree.gov.

What happens when you quit smoking? See the results.

7. WaveSense Diabetes Manager

This free app lets you track blood sugar levels, carb intake, and insulin doses. WaveSense Diabetes Manager provides color-coded results—making it easy to see if your glucose results are in the high or low ranges—is customizable with target ranges, lets you tag your results with info on food, exercise, medication or health issues, and email reports to your healthcare team.

8. PTSD Coach

Up to 20 percent of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars suffer from flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD. Created by the VA and Department of Defense, PTSD Coach, a free iPhone and Android app, delivers information on the disorder and a self-assessment, along with insights into treatments and coping tools. Users can upload their contacts, photos and music.

9. AsthmaMD

AsthmaMD can track your asthma triggers, map “severity zones,” share your data with your doctor, and help researchers study asthma by pooling real-time data from thousands of patients through secure “cloud” storage.

10. Sleep on It

Rest assured that you’ll wake up on time. The free Sleep on It app combines an alarm clock with a variety of sounds with clever features to track how the duration and quality of your slumber is impacting your health and mood. You can record medications, symptoms, and naps to see which factors may explain poor sleep and generate graphs of overall sleep trends and hours snoozed in the last 7, 30, and 90 days.

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