AACN Advanced Critical Care | 2019
From Apps to mHealth: Informing, Interacting, and Changing Behavior
Abstract
W no standard definition of mobile health (mHealth) exists, one can view the term from both a microand macro-perspective. From a micro view, mHealth can be defined as the use of mobile devices to promote healthy behaviors and provide timely personalized medicine for improved health outcomes.1 mHealth brings health promotion and health care directly to individuals. As a result, mHealth enhances individualized wellness, which promotes behaviors and self-management of health conditions affording healthier lifestyles, better illness prevention, earlier intervention, and ongoing monitoring. From a big-picture, or macro-perspective, mHealth is a transformative strategy that improves health outcomes by significantly expanding access to health information and services.1 This goal is congruent with the World Health Organization’s definition of mHealth: “[M]edical and public health practice supported by mobile devices, such as mobile phones, patient monitoring devices, personal digital assistants, and other wireless devices.”1(p6) The World Health Organization also states that mHealth “has the potential to transform the face of health service delivery across the globe.”1(p1) This column of Technology Today describes the evolution of mHealth. As such, the biggest opportunity to change health behavior, which is also the biggest challenge, is discussed and implications for nursing are examined.