Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Persian mobile health applications for COVID‑19: A use case‑based study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Rasool Nouri
. Raheleh Salari 1
. Sharareh R. Niakan Kalhori 2
. Seyed Mohammad Ayyoubzadeh 3
. Marsa Gholamzadeh 3

1 Department of Ophthalmology, Poostchi Ophthalmology Research Center, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

2 Research Fellow and Guest Scientists, Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics of TU Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany Ph.D. in Medical Informatics, Associate Professor, Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of the COVID‑19 outbreak, a significant number of mobile 
health apps have been created around the world and in Iran to help consequence reduction of this 
emerging pandemic.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to review the characteristics of Persian Android and iOS apps 
related to COVID‑19 and determine their use‑cases based on a reference model.
METHODS: This was a cross‑sectional descriptive study conducted in three main steps. First, a 
systematic search was conducted via Iranian mobile apps’ markets using the keywords related to 
COVID‑19 in January 2021. Then, the retrieved apps were analyzed according to their characteristics. 
Finally, the use‑cases of the given apps were determined and categorized based on a reference model.
RESULTS: Based on our inclusion criteria, 122 apps were selected and evaluated. Most of these 
apps (87.7%) was free. Small proportions (5%) of reviewed apps have been developed with 
participation of clinical expert and half of the apps mentioned the references they used. Furthermore, 
about half of the apps (50.8%) were provided contact information of the developers. The studied 
apps were classified into four use‑case major categories, including educational (98%), fulfilling a 
contextual need (18%), communicating, and/or sharing the information (0.83%), and health‑related 
management (2%).
CONCLUSION: The results showed that the Persian mobile apps for COVID‑19 are not in a satisfying 
situation. Furthermore, although these apps are significant in quantity but in terms of use‑cases, 
they are not widespread.

Keywords

Coronavirus
COVID‑19
mHealth
mobile‑health
use‑case
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 12, Issue 3
March 2022
Pages 1-5

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