A systematic evaluation of mobile apps for the monitoring of pain: Review of content and quality (Preprint)

Abstract

Mobile applications (apps) offer a potential mechanism for clinicians to monitor pain levels conveniently and remotely in people with chronic pain within their own environment. However, the quality of currently available applications and the usefulness of included features from a clinical perspective is not known.

The aim of the study is to appraise the quality of currently available smartphone apps designed for monitoring the intensity or presence of musculoskeletal or neuropathic pain.

A systematic search was performed in the Australian Apple and Google Play stores. Apps were included if they were designed to monitor the intensity or presence of musculoskeletal or neuropathic pain and were available in the English language in the Australian app stores. Data pertaining to the intended use of the app and clinical population were extracted using a custom designed data extraction form and app quality was assessed using the 23-item Mobile Apps Rating Scale.

Of the 2190 apps screened, 49 met inclusion criteria. Apps were primarily designed for adult users (>73%) with non-specific musculoskeletal or neuropathic pain conditions, arthritis and joint pain (~90%). All apps monitored pain intensity, with almost half also specifying pain location. Overall, the mean quality scores using the Mobile Apps Rating Scale ranged from 1.5 to 4.4 (out of 5.0). Between 20-22% of apps involved clinicians and/or consumers in their development and 20% had published literature relating to the development or use of the app in clinical scenarios. While 71% had data sharing features, only 5 apps enabled client-clinician communication through the app.

The overall quality of mobile apps currently available for monitoring pain intensity is adequate. Presently, mobile applications for remote pain monitoring lack functionality for clinicians to view data between consults. Both users and clinicians should be aware of limitations of these apps, and make informed choices in using or recommending apps that best suit the clinical need.