This evidence map provides an overview of the total number and characteristics of available systematic reviews and ongoing PCORI studies that have evaluated mobile health (mHealth) interventions in the context of self-management of chronic disease. Read more about Using This Map and overarching Research Insights gained from this map. For the best map interaction experience, we recommend viewing this evidence map on desktop-sized devices in a Chrome, Safari, or Firefox browser.

The ECRI Institute-Penn Medicine Evidence-based Practice Center developed this map for PCORI.
 

Using This Map

This map summarizes 99 systematic reviews and 19 PCORI studies.

Axes: Chronic conditions (e.g., cancer, diabetes) are represented on the x-axis (horizontal line) and the number of systematic reviews in mHealth for a given condition on the y-axis (vertical line on the left).

Bubbles: The yellow bubbles represent systematic reviews that evaluate mHealth interventions for a given category of chronic disease; the midpoint of the yellow bubble corresponds to the number of systematic reviews in mHealth available for that chronic condition. The black circle outlines indicate one or more of 19 total PCORI-funded studies of mHealth interventions are available for a given chronic disease category.

Hovering over a given bubble allows one to obtain more detailed information about the evidence available for that chronic condition category, including the visualization of packed bubbles (e.g., darker yellow bubbles within a lighter yellow circle), which describe specific subsets of chronic conditions and the number of studies within that larger category. For example, under infectious disease, there is one PCORI study on hepatitis B virus, and 12 systematic reviews and one PCORI study on HIV, as well as links to the PCORI studies’ webpages.

Filters: The filters above the map allow for customization of the presented data in the map by inclusion of vulnerable populations, age range, outcome assessed, and type of mHealth technology evaluated.

Research Insights

• Systematic reviews evaluated studies of mHealth interventions most frequently for patients with diabetes, which was also the chronic condition most frequently addressed in ongoing PCORI studies.
• The majority of PCORI studies focused on vulnerable populations representing a variety of chronic diseases, while relatively few systematic reviews had this focus.
• Clinical outcomes were the most commonly reported outcome category.
• Although reported in relatively few systematic reviews, quality of life appeared frequently as an outcome in PCORI studies.
• For mHealth technologies, both systematic reviews and PCORI studies frequently evaluated mobile apps and text messages, while relatively few studies evaluated wearable devices.

Posted: March 6, 2019