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Smartphone Apps as a Source of Cancer Information: Changing Trends in Health Information-Seeking Behavior

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Abstract

There is an increased interest in smartphone applications as a tool for delivery of health-care information. There have been no studies which evaluated the availability and content of cancer-related smartphone applications. This study aims to identify and analyze cancer-related applications available on the Apple iTunes platform. The Apple iTunes store was searched for cancer-related smartphone applications on July 29, 2011. The content of the applications was analyzed for cost, type of information, validity, and involvement of health-care agencies. A total of 77 relevant applications were identified. There were 24.6 % apps uploaded by health-care agencies, and 36 % of the apps were aimed at health-care workers. Among the apps, 55.8 % provided scientifically validated data. The difference in scientific validity between the apps aimed at general population versus health-care professionals was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Seventy-nine percent of the apps uploaded by health-care agencies were found to be backed by scientific data. There is lack of cancer-related applications with scientifically backed data. There is a need to improve the accountability and reliability of cancer-related smartphone applications and encourage participation by health-care agencies to ensure patient safety.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA

    Ambarish Pandey & Divyanshu Dubey

  2. University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, 110 095, India

    Sayeedul Hasan

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s hospital, Boston, 021151, USA

    Sasmit Sarangi

Authors
  1. Ambarish Pandey
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  2. Sayeedul Hasan
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  3. Divyanshu Dubey
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  4. Sasmit Sarangi
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Correspondence to Ambarish Pandey.

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Pandey, A., Hasan, S., Dubey, D. et al. Smartphone Apps as a Source of Cancer Information: Changing Trends in Health Information-Seeking Behavior. J Canc Educ 28, 138–142 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-012-0446-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-012-0446-9

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