UNASSIGNED: To evaluate the extent and nature of use of mHealth apps by paediatric department doctors in South Africa.
UNASSIGNED: E-mails requesting study participation were sent out to 285 paediatric department doctors employed at six hospitals affiliated to the University of the Witwatersrand. Willing participants were directed to complete the online study questionnaire.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 150 respondents completed the questionnaire. All respondents owned a mobile device and already had one or more mHealth apps, 95.3% were unaware of any regulatory body responsible for regulating the use of mHealth apps, 86.0% did not have access to free Wi-Fi at work and 87.3% used an mHealth app at least once daily. Drug dosing (81.3%), diagnostic (59.3%) and clinical decision-making (44.7%) apps were the most common app categories with Medscape® (62.0%) and EMGuidance® (41.3%) being the most frequently used apps. Peer recommendation (76.0%), app credibility (74.0%) and app functionality (66.0%) were the most common factors that were considered by respondents prior to downloading or using an mHealth app.
UNASSIGNED: Medical apps are frequently used among paediatric medical doctors of all ranks. Drug dosing, diagnostic and clinical decision-making apps are the most common app categories in use. Improved awareness of the regulations pertaining to the use of mHealth apps amongst doctors is required.
■评估南非儿科医生使用mHealth应用程序的程度和性质。
■要求参与研究的电子邮件已发送给威特沃特斯兰德大学附属六家医院的285名儿科医生。有意愿的参与者被指示完成在线研究问卷。
■共有150名受访者完成了调查问卷。所有受访者都拥有移动设备,并且已经拥有一个或多个mHealth应用程序,95.3%的人不知道有任何监管机构负责监管mHealth应用程序的使用,86.0%的人在工作中无法使用免费Wi-Fi,87.3%的人每天至少使用一次mHealth应用程序。药物剂量(81.3%),诊断类(59.3%)和临床决策类(44.7%)应用程序是最常见的应用程序类别,Medscape®(62.0%)和EMGuidance®(41.3%)是最常用的应用程序.同行推荐(76.0%),应用程序可信度(74.0%)和应用程序功能(66.0%)是受访者在下载或使用mHealth应用程序之前考虑的最常见因素。
■医疗应用程序经常在各级儿科医生中使用。药物剂量,诊断和临床决策应用程序是使用中最常见的应用程序类别。需要提高医生对有关使用mHealth应用程序的法规的认识。