Using Mobile Health Apps for Diabetes Management in Malaysia
Author Information
Author(s): Supramaniam Premaa, Beh Ying-Shan, Junus Suria, Devesahayam Philip Rajan
Primary Institution: Clinical Research Centre, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Institute for Clinical Research, National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia
Hypothesis
What are the experiences and challenges faced by diabetes patients in using mobile health apps for self-management?
Conclusion
Despite the perceived usefulness of mHealth apps, their actual usage among diabetes patients is low due to various challenges.
Supporting Evidence
- Only 13.6% of diabetes patients used mHealth apps for disease management.
- 65.0% of users were influenced by social media to use mHealth apps.
- Users perceived the apps as useful (97.5%) but faced challenges with initiation and data security.
- 70.2% of non-users were unaware of the availability of mHealth apps.
Takeaway
This study found that many diabetes patients in Malaysia have smartphones but only a few use apps to help manage their diabetes. They think the apps could be helpful but face problems like not knowing about them or how to use them.
Methodology
A cross-sectional community survey was conducted using a self-developed questionnaire across nine government health clinics.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may introduce recall bias and subjective interpretations.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to capture changes over time and may not be generalizable beyond the Kinta District.
Participant Demographics
The majority of participants were female (54.9%), Malay (58.3%), with a mean age of 53.8 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.046
Confidence Interval
95% CI not specified
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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