Re iew No pee - e iewed e sion
Psychological Fac o s, Digi al Heal h
Technologies and Bes As hma
Managemen : Th ee Fundamen al
Fac o s in Mode n Ca e
Pasquale Caponne o , G aziella Chia a P ezza en o * , Mi ko Casu , Ma ia Ca ena Qua opani
Pos ed Da e: 2 Feb ua y 2024
doi: 10.20944/p ep in s202402.0126. 2
Keywo ds: As hma; eHeal h; Mobile apps; Digi al Heal h In e en ions; Mixed Reali y; Dep ession; Anxie y;
Clinical Psychology
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Copy igh : This is an open access a icle dis ibu ed unde he C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion License which pe mi s un es ic ed use, dis ibu ion, and ep oduc ion in any
medium, p o ided he o iginal wo k is p ope ly ci ed.
Re iew
Psychological Fac o s, Digi al Heal h Technologies
and Bes As hma Managemen : Th ee Fundamen al
Fac o s in Mode n Ca e
Pasquale Caponne o 1,2, G aziella Chia a P ezza en o 1,*, Mi ko Casu 1,3
and Ma ia Ca ena Qua opani 1
1 Depa men o Educa ional Sciences, Sec ion o Psychology, Uni e si y o Ca ania, 95123 Ca ania, I aly;
2 Cen e o Excellence o he Accele a ion o Ha m Reduc ion (CoEHAR), Uni e si y o Ca ania, 95121
Ca ania, I aly;
3 Depa men o Ma hema ics and Compu e Science, Uni e si y o Ca ania, Viale And ea Do ia 6, Ca ania,
95125, I aly.
* Co espondence: [email p o ec ed]
Abs ac : New digi al in e en ions ha e shown po en ial in managing as hma and imp o ing
pa ien s' quali y o li e compa ed wi h con en ional in e en ions. Ou objec i e was o conduc an
exhaus i e su ey o he applica ion o digi al heal h echnologies in e alua ing, ea ing, and sel -
managing psychological and psychopa hological elemen s linked o as hma. We analyzed a
compendium o esea ch pape s and sys ema ic e iews pe aining o as hma, encompassing
hemes such as ou doo ai pollu ion, ea ly li e wheezing diso de s, a opic de ma i is, digi al
s a egies o as hma sel -managemen , psychia ic condi ions and as hma, amilial impac s on
pedia ic as hma, and he u iliza ion o mobile heal h apps o managing as hma. We sc u inized
eigh chosen s udies o e alua e he capaci y o digi al heal h echnologies o enhance he
managemen and ea men ou comes o psychological ac o s ela ed o as hma. The s udies unde
e iew indica e ha eHeal h in e en ions, mixed eali y ins umen s, mHeal h echnology-
augmen ed nu se-led in e en ions, and sma phone apps inco po a ing Blue oo h-enabled senso s
o as hma inhale s can ma kedly enhance sel -managemen o symp oms, quali y o li e, and
men al heal h ou comes, pa icula ly in child en and adolescen s wi h as hma. None heless,
addi ional esea ch is equi ed o asce ain hei e icacy and p ac icabili y ac oss di e se
popula ions and en i onmen s. Cus omized in e en ions ha ca e o he unique needs and
p e e ences o as hma pa ien s and associa ed psychological elemen s a e i al o ensu e he
pe sis en and equi able adop ion o hese echnologies. We unde sco e he signi icance o
add essing psychological elemen s in he managemen and ea men o as hma and ad oca e o
ongoing esea ch and de elopmen in his domain.
Keywo ds: as hma; eHeal h; mobile apps; digi al heal h in e en ions; mixed eali y; dep ession;
anxie y; clinical psychology
1. In oduc ion
As hma, a ch onic espi a o y ailmen ha a lic s bo h adul s and child en, is cha ac e ized by
in lamma ion and cons ic ion o he ai ways, esul ing in di icul y in b ea hing. The Wo ld Heal h
O ganiza ion (WHO) has highligh ed ha as hma is o en inadequa ely diagnosed o managed,
pa icula ly in low o middle-income na ions [1]. Globally, he disease a ec s an es ima ed 100 o 150
million indi iduals, wi h he annual dea h oll associa ed wi h he condi ion, as pe WHO da a,
s anding a app oxima ely 180,000 [2]. In I aly, he p e alence o as hma is a ound 10% among
child en, wi h se e e as hma a ec ing 2% o as hma ic child en and adolescen s [3,4]. Among he
adul popula ion in I aly, he p e alence o as hma is app oxima ely 8.4% [5]. The p ima y causes
and isk ac o s o as hma encompass gene ic p edisposi ions [6], en i onmen al in luences [7],
Disclaime /Publishe ’s No e: The s a emen s, opinions, and da a con ained in all publica ions a e solely hose o he indi idual au ho (s) and
con ibu o (s) and no o MDPI and/o he edi o (s). MDPI and/o he edi o (s) disclaim esponsibili y o any inju y o people o p ope y esul ing
om any ideas, me hods, ins uc ions, o p oduc s e e ed o in he con en .
P ep in s.o g (www.p ep in s.o g) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Pos ed: 2 Feb ua y 2024 doi:10.20944/p ep in s202402.0126. 2
© 2024 by he au ho (s). Dis ibu ed unde a C ea i e Commons CC BY license.
2
espi a o y in ec ions [8], and a opy [9]. The eme gence o no el echnologies has acili a ed he
in oduc ion o e icacious ea men me hodologies in clinical en i onmen s, including SMS-based
in e en ions [10], sma phone applica ions [11], i ual and augmen ed eali y [12,13], and
comme cial ideo games [14]. These a e encompassed wi hin he ca ego ies o elec onic Heal h
(eHeal h) and mobile Heal h (mHeal h), de ined as ollows: eHeal h in ol es he u iliza ion o
in o ma ion and communica ion echnologies o heal h, such as elec onic heal h eco ds, pe sonal
heal h eco ds, and clinical decision suppo ools, while mHeal h pe ains o medical and public
heal h p ac ices suppo ed by mobile de ices, such as mobile phones, pa ien moni o ing de ices,
pe sonal digi al assis an s, and o he wi eless de ices, including mobile heal h apps and wea ables
[15]. In he con ex o as hma, hese no el digi al in e en ions aim o enhance as hma managemen ,
sel -moni o ing, and adhe ence o ea men egimens. They ha e been posi i ely ecei ed by
pa ien s, who gene ally alue he usabili y o hese ools and exp ess a willingness o con inue
ea men s [16–18], he eby imp o ing adhe ence. Speci ically, mul i unc ional mobile heal h
applica ions (mHeal h apps) ha e demons a ed po en ial in managing as hma and imp o ing
pa ien s’ quali y o li e compa ed o con en ional in e en ions [19]; addi ionally, digi al inhale
heal h pla o ms, which employ digi al inhale s o moni o dosage iming and da es, ha e p o en
e ec i e in managing bo h as hma and medica ion [20]. These pla o ms ha e os e ed a collabo a i e
ca e en i onmen be ween heal hca e p o ide s and pa ien s and p o ide a mo e comp ehensi e
unde s anding o ac ual inhale usage, demons a ing po en ial, wi h e idence indica ing posi i e
e ec s on a ious ou comes, including knowledge, ac i i y limi a ions, sel -ca e, quali y o li e, and
medica ion usage [21]. The de elopmen o digi al in e en ions is o en unde pinned by
psychological models and heo ies aimed a enhancing hei impac and u iliza ion, guiding hei
op imal design and deli e y [22]. In ac , heo y-based digi al in e en ions can imp o e as hma sel -
managemen ou comes, such as medica ion adhe ence, as hma con ol, and quali y o li e [23].
Wi hin he ealm o psychology, i is ecognized ha as hma can be in luenced by a a ie y o
psychological and psychopa hological ac o s: indi iduals a lic ed wi h as hma equen ly exhibi
como bidi ies, demons a ing a highe incidence o anxie y and dep essi e diso de s compa ed o
he gene al populace [24]. These psychological elemen s can ad e sely a ec as hma con ol,
adhe ence o ea men p o ocols, and o e all quali y o li e [25]. S ess has he po en ial o in ensi y
as hma symp oms, and in e en ions aimed a managing s ess may con ibu e o imp o ed as hma
ou comes [26]. Fu he mo e, he ela ionship be ween as hma and psychological ac o s can be
bidi ec ional: while psychological ac o s can in luence as hma symp oms, he symp oms o as hma
can also p ecipi a e inc eased psychological dis ess [27]. Pa en al psychological ac o s can also exe
an impac on he ou comes o child en’s as hma. Speci ically, pa en al anxie y and dep ession ha e
been linked o poo e as hma con ol in child en [28]. Collec i ely, hese s udies unde sco e he
in ica e in e play be ween psychological and psychopa hological ac o s and as hma, highligh ing
he necessi y o add essing hese ac o s in he managemen and ea men o as hma. Table 1
p o ides a summa y o he pape ’s con ibu ion o he ex an li e a u e on digi al heal h in e en ions
o managing psychological ac o s ela ed o as hma.
Table 1. The able delinea es he iden i ied p oblem o issue, summa izes he exis ing knowledge on
he subjec , and a icula es he no el con ibu ion o he pape o he ex an li e a u e.
P oblem o Issue
Wha is
Al eady
Known
Wha This Pape Adds
Add essin
g
psychologi
cal aspec s
P io s udies
ha e
highligh ed
he po en ial
Digi al heal h echnologies ha e been
iden i ied o signi ican ly boos
symp om sel -managemen , enhance
quali y o li e, and posi i ely
P ep in s.o g (www.p ep in s.o g) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Pos ed: 2 Feb ua y 2024 doi:10.20944/p ep in s202402.0126. 2
3
linked o
as hma
h ough
he use o
digi al
heal h
echnologi
es.
bene i s o
eHeal h
app oaches,
mixed eali y
ools, and
mobile
applica ions in
imp o ing
symp om
managemen ,
quali y o li e,
and men al
heal h
ou comes.
in luence men al heal h ou comes,
pa icula ly in child en and
adolescen s wi h as hma. The analysis
o selec ed s udies indica es he
po en ial e icacy o hese digi al
in e en ions in ackling
psychological ac o s in he
managemen and ea men ou comes
o as hma.
The objec i e o ou li e a u e e iew is o explo e he cu en ad ancemen s in digi al heal h
in e en ions, speci ically pe aining o he e alua ion and ea men o psychological aspec s
associa ed wi h as hma, such as s ess, anxie y, dep ession, and coping mechanisms employed o
mi iga e he emo ional dis ess induced by as hma. Addi ionally, we assess he easibili y o u ilizing
hese cu ing-edge echnological ools o conduc ing obse a ional clinical s udies. We also examine
he e ec i eness and deploymen o digi al aids o sel -managemen o bo h adul and pedia ic
as hma pa ien s.
2. Ma e ials and Me hods
2.1. Resea ch Guidelines
This e iew was unde aken in acco dance wi h he P e e ed Repo ing I ems o Sys ema ic
Re iews and Me a-Analyses (PRISMA) o Sys ema ic Re iews [29], a se o guidelines ha enhance
he anspa ency, quali y, and eplicabili y o e iews, acili a e he assessmen o he e iew’s
s eng hs and weaknesses, and p omo e adhe ence o guidelines. We op ed o a PRISMA diag am
o e a bibliome ic analysis due o he speci ic equi emen s and objec i es o he e iew. The
PRISMA diag am se es as an e ec i e ool o delinea ing he p ocess o a sys ema ic e iew o
sea ch, o e ing a clea and succinc isual depic ion o he numbe o eco ds iden i ied, included,
and excluded, along wi h he easons o exclusions. This ensu es a anspa en and eplicable
me hodology, which is essen ial. Con e sely, while bibliome ic analysis is use ul in unde s anding
publica ion pa e ns and impac s, i does no p o ide he same le el o de ail o cla i y in he p ocess
o a li e a u e e iew. I is mo e ap o analyzing he impac o a body o wo k a he han he p ocess
o e iewing i . Hence, o he pu pose o conduc ing a comp ehensi e and anspa en li e a u e
e iew, a PRISMA diag am was deemed he mo e sui able choice. Addi ional li e a u e, no depic ed
in he low diag am, has been sou ced om ull- ex a icles and is included in he e e ences.
2.2. Resea ch Ques ion
The guiding esea ch ques ion o his e iew was: “How do digi al echnologies o sel -
managemen and ea men (such as mobile apps, i ual eali y, and wea able echnology) compa e
o adi ional as hma managemen me hods in e ms o psychological ac o s (s ess, anxie y,
dep ession) and hei impac on as hma in adul s and you h?” This ques ion was amed using he
PICO amewo k [30] o guide he explo a ion o he e ec i eness o digi al echnologies in
add essing psychological and psychopa hological ac o s associa ed wi h as hma in bo h adul and
you h popula ions. Each a icle included me he ollowing c i e ia: he s udy Popula ion comp ised
adul s and you h wi h as hma o any sex and socioeconomic s a us; he In e en ion in ol ed Digi al
echnologies o sel -managemen o ea men o as hma- ela ed psychological and
psychopa hological ac o s (mobile apps, i ual eali y, and wea able echnology); some esea ch
P ep in s.o g (www.p ep in s.o g) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Pos ed: 2 Feb ua y 2024 doi:10.20944/p ep in s202402.0126. 2
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Compa ed adi ional as hma managemen me hods wi h hose inco po a ing digi al echnologies;
he Ou come e alua ed he e ec i eness o digi al echnologies o sel -managemen and/o
ea men o psychological and psychopa hological ac o s ela ed o as hma.
2.3. Li e a u e Sea ch
F om Ma ch o June 2023, we conduc ed se e al sea ches on ou in e nal sea ch engine Summon
[31] using di e en sea ch e ms combina ions. We analyzed a icles om he PubMed, PubMed
Cen al, Heal h & Medical Collec ion, and Web o Science da abases, ocusing on esul s ha
discussed he ela ionship be ween as hma and digi al echnologies, such as mobile applica ions,
i ual eali y, and wea able de ices, and hei co ela ion wi h psychological ac o s like s ess,
anxie y, and dep ession.
The i s sea ch was conduc ed using he e ms "(as hma) AND ((sma phone applica ions) OR
(mobile apps)) AND ((psychological ac o s) OR (psychopa hological ac o s))". Ou o he 12 pape s
ound, 9 we e duplica es and 2 we e i ele an , lea ing 1 pape o u he analysis.
The second sea ch used he e ms "(as hma) AND ((sma phone applica ions) OR (mobile apps))
AND ((s ess) OR (anxie y) OR (dep ession))". Ou o he 99 pape s ound, 68 we e duplica es, lea ing
3 pape s o u he analysis.
The hi d sea ch used he e ms "(as hma) AND (( i ual eali y) OR ( ideo games)) AND
((psychological ac o s) OR (psychopa hological ac o s))". Ou o he 23 pape s ound, 16 we e
duplica es, lea ing 1 pape o u he analysis.
The ou h sea ch used he e ms "(as hma) AND (( i ual eali y) OR ( ideo game)) AND
((s ess) OR (anxie y) OR (dep ession))". Ou o he 27 pape s ound, 15 we e duplica es, lea ing 1
pape o u he analysis.
The i h sea ch used he e ms "(as hma) AND ((Wea able echnology) OR (Telemedicine))
AND ((psychological ac o s) OR (psychopa hological ac o s))". Ou o he 24 pape s ound, 15 we e
duplica es and none we e selec ed o u he analysis.
The six h and inal sea ch used he e ms "(as hma) AND ((Wea able echnology) OR
(Telemedicine)) AND ((s ess) OR (anxie y) OR (dep ession))". Ou o he 164 pape s ound, 104 we e
duplica es, lea ing 2 pape s o u he analysis.
All he s udies published since 2015 we e included. The e we e no limi a ions based on
language. The e e ence lis s o he included s udies unde wen addi ional sc u iny o iden i y
addi ional po en ial s udies. Two au ho s o he e iew independen ly examined and chose s udies
om he conduc ed sea ches.
2.4. Eligibili y C i e ia
We included e e y a icle ha me he ollowing c i e ia:
a) All s udies and e iews ha we e published in indexed jou nals and lis ed in PubMed, PubMed
Cen al, Heal h & Medical Collec ion, and Web o Science da abases.
b) S udies ela ed o digi al echnologies associa ed wi h as hma's psychological and
psychopa hological ac o s, such as s ess, anxie y, and dep ession.
c) S udies published om 2015 o he p esen .
2.5. Exclusion C i e ia
We excluded e e y a icle mee ing he ollowing c i e ia:
a) S udies no ela ed o digi al echnologies associa ed wi h as hma's psychological and
psychopa hological ac o s, such as s ess, anxie y, and dep ession.
b) S udies ha ocus on he clinical managemen o as hma, such as pha macological in e en ions.
c) S udies ha do no examine he psychological ac o s associa ed wi h he use o digi al
echnologies o as hma.
d) S udies published in non-scien i ic o non-pee - e iewed sou ces.
e) S udies published p io o 2015.
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2.6. Da a Ex ac ion
The da a ex ac ion p ocess was independen ly ca ied ou by wo e iewe s. Any disc epancies
ha a ose we e add essed h ough dialogue o wi h he aid o a hi d e iewe .
3. Resul s
3.1. Cha ac e is ics o he Included S udies
The sea ch p ocess esul ed in a o al o eigh ull- ex a icles, ollowing which 10 ull- ex
a icles we e e alua ed o eligibili y. The e m " ull- ex a icles" in he PRISMA diag am deno es he
numbe o a icles ha we e conside ed po en ially ele an a e sc eening a he abs ac le el and
we e subjec ed o a de ailed e iew o he ull ex . This cons i u es a c ucial s ep in he PRISMA
p ocess as i ensu es he inclusion o only he mos pe inen and sui able s udies in he inal e iew.
The a icle selec ion p ocedu e, as epo ed in he PRISMA and compiled in line wi h he guidelines
o upda es o sys ema ic e iews, is depic ed in Figu e 1. The p ima y cha ac e is ics o he included
s udies a e elucida ed below.
Figu e 1. The PRISMA (P e e ed Repo ing I ems o Sys ema ic Re iews and Me a-Analyses) low
diag am ep esen ing he a icle selec ion p ocess in acco dance wi h he guidelines o sys ema ic
e iews [29].
The a icles encompassed in his e iew del e in o he u iliza ion o eHeal h in e en ions and
digi al heal h echnologies o he assessmen , ea men , and sel -managemen o psychological and
psychopa hological ace s linked o as hma in child en, adolescen s, and young adul s. The e iew
includes sys ema ic e iews, quali a i e p o ocols, pa icipa o y s udies, and a icles. The s udies
we e subjec ed o quali a i e analysis, and he indings we e amalgama ed o u nish an o e iew o
he con empo a y s a e o esea ch in his domain. A synopsis o hese s udies is p esen ed in Table
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2. The cons ain s o he s udies and he ami ica ions o p ospec i e esea ch a e also delibe a ed
upon.
Table 2. Summa y o S udies Included in he Resul s Sec ion.
Au ho s Yea Type o
In e en ion/Tool Type o Pape Ou come
McGa e
al. (32) 2019 eHeal h
in e en ions Sys ema ic Re iew
The e icacy o eHeal h s a egies
in amelio a ing psychological
ou comes in child en wi h heal h
condi ions
Thab ew
e al. (33) 2018 eHeal h
in e en ions Sys ema ic Re iew
The e icacy o eHeal h s a egies
in add essing anxie y and
dep ession in child en and
adolescen s wi h ch onic heal h
condi ions
Nichols e
al. (34) 2020 mHeal h
in e en ion S udy P o ocol
The e icacy o he mHeal h
s a egy (MATADORS) in aiding
symp om sel - egula ion among
young indi iduals wi h as hma
Pe e s e
al. (35) 2017
P e e ences
o an
as hma sel -
managemen
app
Pa icipa o y
S udy
De e mining he psychological
equi emen s and p e e ences o
young indi iduals o an as hma
sel - egula ion applica ion
Ne es e
al. (37) 2021 Heal h and i ness
mobile apps
Seconda y
analysis o
obse a ional
s udies
Fac o s in luencing he
u iliza ion o heal h and i ness
mobile applica ions by
indi iduals wi h as hma
Dzubu e
al. (38) 2015
Sma phone
applica ion ha
in eg a es
senso s o
as hma inhale s
A le e o he
edi o
The applica ion can acili a e
comp ehension o eal- ime
expe iences o adolescen
as hma pa ien s, enhance
adhe ence o ea men ,
cus omize he apies, and
imp o e communica ion
be ween pa ien s and p o ide s
Shah e al.
(41) 2022 Digi al Heal h
In e en ions Scoping e iew
DHIs a e p edominan ly u ilized
o ea men , wi h a p ima y
emphasis on dep ession, and a e
ypically dissemina ed h ough
web-based pla o ms.
None heless, hei in eg a ion
in o ou ine ca e is es ic ed
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Sha ad e
al. (42) 2021 Mixed eali y
echnology
Quali a i e
p o ocol
The manusc ip p esen s a
p ojec aimed a c ea ing and
e alua ing mixed eali y
ins umen s o adminis e ing
cogni i e and beha io al
he apies o young indi iduals
wi h as hma. The ou comes o
he p ojec a e cu en ly
una ailable
3.2. eHeal h and mHeal h S a egies: Tackling Psychological Elemen s in Child en and Adolescen s wi h
As hma and Pe sis en Heal h Condi ions
In his segmen , we will sc u inize a icles ha del e in o he u iliza ion o eHeal h and mHeal h
ools o he ea men , managemen , o sel -moni o ing o psychological ac o s associa ed wi h
as hma o simila ch onic physical condi ions in young indi iduals, anging om child en o
adolescen s.
The inaugu al s udy we examine is he one spea headed by McGa e al. [32], which unde ook
a sys ema ic e iew o 22 s udies ha assessed he e icacy o eHeal h in e en ions designed o
p e en o ea psychological sequelae (such as anxie y, dep ession, pos auma ic s ess symp oms,
and quali y o li e) in you h wi h medical condi ions and hei ca egi e s. They disco e ed mixed bu
p omising esul s, sugges ing ha eHeal h in e en ions may aid in enhancing psychological and
unc ional ou comes in ce ain pedia ic popula ions, pa icula ly hose wi h auma ic b ain inju y
and o he po en ially auma ic inju ies. Among he 22 s udies e iewed, h ee we e cen e ed on
child en wi h pe sis en as hma. These s udies employed eHeal h in e en ions ha o e ed sel -
managemen educa ion, in e ac i e as hma moni o ing, and ailo ed eedback o amelio a e as hma
con ol and quali y o li e. The au ho s epo ed ha hese in e en ions achie ed a leas one a ge ed
ou come, indica ing ha eHeal h in e en ions may be bene icial o augmen ing disease
managemen and educing psychological dis ess in child en wi h as hma. eHeal h in e en ions
ha e he po en ial o expand he each and accessibili y o psychological in e en ions o child en
wi h medical condi ions and hei ca egi e s, sugges ing ha u u e eHeal h in e en ions should be
g ounded on e idence-based heo e ical amewo ks, such as cogni i e beha io al he apy o
p oblem-sol ing he apy, and should be ailo ed o he speci ic needs and challenges o each medical
popula ion. Thab ew e al. [33] conduc ed a sys ema ic e iew o eHeal h in e en ions o anxie y
and dep ession in child en and adolescen s wi h long- e m physical condi ions, such as as hma. They
inco po a ed i e ials o h ee in e en ions (B ea he Easie Online, Web-MAP, and mul imodal
cogni i e beha io al he apy), which in ol ed 463 pa icipan s aged 10 o 18 yea s. They ound e y
low-quali y e idence ha eHeal h in e en ions we e no clea ly supe io o any compa a o (such
as a en ion placebo, ea men as usual, o wai ing lis ) in educing symp oms o anxie y and
dep ession, imp o ing quali y o li e, unc ioning, o s a us o long- e m physical condi ion. They
also ound e y low-quali y e idence ha eHeal h in e en ions we e less accep able han any
compa a o . They concluded ha he e ec s o eHeal h in e en ions o his popula ion a e
unce ain, and ha mo e esea ch is needed o de elop and e alua e e ec i e and accep able e-heal h
in e en ions. Despi e his unce ain y, conside ing he inc easing numbe o hese in e en ions and
he wo ldwide enhancemen in echnology accessibili y, he e seems o be po en ial o he
de elopmen and assessmen o sui able and e ec i e echnology-based ea men s ailo ed o
child en and adolescen s wi h long- e m physical condi ions. Nichols e al. [34] delinea ed he
de elopmen and easibili y es ing o a mHeal h in e en ion, e med MATADORS, aimed a
enhancing symp om sel -managemen among you h (ages 10–17) wi h as hma and obesi y. The
in e en ion amalgama es mo i a ional enhancemen and beha io al ac i a ion s a egies wi hin a
amily-cen ic model and an inno a i e mobile app ha encompasses educa ional con en , symp om
P ep in s.o g (www.p ep in s.o g) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Pos ed: 2 Feb ua y 2024 doi:10.20944/p ep in s202402.0126. 2
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moni o ing, ac i i y acking, and pho o/ ideo/ oice dia ies. The au ho s epo ed he ou comes o a
pilo s udy ha andomized 30 you h wi h as hma and obesi y o ei he MATADORS o a con ol
condi ion. The in e en ion g oup pa ook in a six-week nu se-guided mHeal h p og am, while he
con ol g oup ecei ed s anda d ca e. The easibili y ou comes encompassed ec ui men , each,
adhe ence, sa is ac ion, and pa icipan bu den. The p elimina y ou comes included a igue, pain,
sel -e icacy, anxie y, sleep, dep ession, and quali y o li e, measu ed a baseline, six, and 12 weeks.
The au ho s concluded ha MATADORS is a easible and accep able in e en ion wi h he po en ial
o enhance symp om sel -managemen and quali y o li e o you h wi h as hma and obesi y.
Howe e , hey did no epo he s a is ical signi icance o he p elimina y ou comes, ende ing i
unclea whe he MATADORS was e ec i e in e ms o educing hese symp oms and imp o ing
hese ou comes.
Subsequen ly, Pe e s and colleagues [35] conduc ed a pa icipa o y s udy o comp ehend he
expe iences, needs, and ideas o young indi iduals wi h as hma. The objec i e was o iden i y he
p e equisi es o an as hma app ha would be engaging and e ec i e in augmen ing hei well-being.
The s udy comp ised 20 pa icipan s aged be ween 15 and 24 yea s who comple ed a wo kbook and
pa icipa ed in a wo kshop, culmina ing in he c ea ion o 102 pa icipan -gene a ed a i ac s. The
da a unde sco ed ha psychological aspec s such as anxie y and impedimen s o au onomy,
compe ence, and ela edness we e pe cei ed by young indi iduals wi h as hma as signi ican
in luences on hei quali y o li e. The s udy p oposes ha an app designed o young indi iduals
wi h as hma should p o ide suppo o men al heal h ac o s associa ed wi h li ed expe ience, in
conjunc ion wi h p ac ical ea u es o managing as hma. These indings could po en ially in luence
he design o echnologies in ended o assis indi iduals wi h ch onic illnesses mo e b oadly.
3.3. mHeal h S a egies: Fac o s In luencing he Use o Heal h and Fi ness Applica ions by Indi iduals wi h
As hma
Fi ness applica ions can exe a signi ican in luence on psychological heal h by o e ing se e al
key ad an ages [36]. They p o ide mo i a ion and suppo , assis ing use s in se ing objec i es,
acking p og ess, and ecei ing eedback and encou agemen o hei physical ac i i y. This can
esul in an enhancemen in sel -es eem and a sense o achie emen . Fi ness applica ions also os e
engagemen and enjoymen by aiding use s in selec ing he mos e ec i e and enjoyable o ms o
physical ac i i y ailo ed o hei needs, he eby p omo ing inc eased engagemen and a mo e
posi i e ela ionship wi h exe cise. Mo eo e , he con enience and accessibili y o i ness
applica ions acili a e he inco po a ion o egula physical ac i i y in o use s' li es, which can
amelio a e mood and alle ia e symp oms o s ess, anxie y, and dep ession. Howe e , i 's c ucial o
no e ha while i ness applica ions can con ibu e o psychological well-being, hey do no se e as a
subs i u e o p o essional men al heal h ca e [36]. In his con ex , Ne es and colleagues [37]
conduc ed a s udy o assess he usage o gene al heal h and i ness applica ions among indi iduals
wi h as hma and o iden i y he ac o s ha in luence hei usage. The majo i y o he pa icipan s
epo ed ha ing good o e all heal h. Howe e , he incidence o anxie y and dep ession was ound
o be 34.3% and 11.9%, espec i ely. App oxima ely 41.1% o he pa icipan s epo ed using heal h
and i ness mobile applica ions. The esea ch e ealed ha indi iduals who we e single and hose
wi h mo e han 10 yea s o educa ion we e mo e p edisposed o use hese applica ions. Fu he mo e,
pa icipan s wi h highe digi al li e acy sco es we e mo e likely o use he applica ions. In e es ingly,
pa icipan s exhibi ing symp oms o dep ession we e less likely o use heal h and i ness applica ions.
The s udy unde sco es he impo ance o unde s anding he ba ie s and mo i a o s o applica ion
usage among pa ien s wi h lowe educa ion le els, lowe digi al li e acy, o dep essi e symp oms.
This unde s anding is c ucial o de ising ailo ed in e en ions ha ensu e sus ained and equi able
use o hese echnologies.
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