Quality of mobile apps for syphilis prevention and control
Calidad de las aplicaciones móviles de prevención y control de la sífilis
Qualidade de aplicativos móveis sobre prevenção e controle da sífilis
Nathanael de Souza Maciel; Diego da Silva Ferreira; Vitória Talya dos Santos Sousa; Hévila Ferreira Gomes Medeiros Braga; Gutemberg dos Santos Chaves; Leilane Barbosa de Sousa
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the quality of mobile apps on syphilis prevention and control.
Methods: A descriptive and evaluative study of mobile apps in virtual environments. The search was operationalized from January to February 2020, on Android and IOS platforms. The following guiding question was defined: “What is the quality of mobile apps on syphilis prevention and control available in virtual stores?” The keywords “Syphilis”, “Sífilis” and “syphilis prevention” were used as a search strategy in the stores. The apps were evaluated by three authors, through the Mobile App Rating Scale, aimed at assessing the quality of mobile health apps. The data were presented in synoptic charts and tables.
Results: Ten apps were included, all available free of charge for the Android operating system. The overall mean score of the apps was 2.8, not reaching the minimum acceptability score of 3.0. App engagement was evaluated with a mean of 2.2, functionality with 3.7, aesthetics with 2.8 and information contained in apps with a mean of 2.6.
Conclusion and implications for the practice: It was evidenced that the quality of apps on syphilis should be improved. There is an urgent need to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions for syphilis prevention and control.
Keywords
Resumen
Palabras clave
Resumo
Objetivo: Avaliar a qualidade dos aplicativos móveis sobre prevenção e controle da sífilis.
Métodos: Estudo descritivo e avaliativo dos aplicativos para dispositivos móveis em ambientes virtuais. A busca foi operacionalizada no período de janeiro a fevereiro de 2020, nas plataformas Android e IOS. Foi definida a questão norteadora: “Qual a qualidade dos aplicativos móveis sobre prevenção e controle da sífilis disponíveis em lojas virtuais?”. As palavras-chaves “Sífilis”, “Syphilis” e “prevenção da sífilis” foram utilizadas como estratégia de pesquisa nas lojas. Os aplicativos foram avaliados por três autores, por meio da Mobile App Rating Scale, voltada para avaliação da qualidade de aplicativos móveis em saúde. Os dados foram apresentados em quadros sinópticos e tabelas.
Resultados: Dez aplicativos foram incluídos, todos disponíveis gratuitamente somente para o sistema operacional Android. A média geral dos aplicativos foi de 2,8, não atingindo a pontuação mínima de aceitabilidade de 3,0. O engajamento dos aplicativos foi avaliado com média 2,2, funcionalidade com 3,7, estética com 2,8 e as informações contidas nos aplicativos com média 2,6.
Conclusão e implicações para a prática: Evidenciou-se que a qualidade dos aplicativos sobre sífilis deve ser melhorada. Urge a necessidade de avaliação da eficácia dessas intervenções para prevenção e controle da sífilis.
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References
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Submitted date:
05/07/2021
Accepted date:
09/07/2021
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