10 iPhone Healthcare, Fitness Apps That Actually Work
Some health apps for the iPhone are beneficial and others merely for fun. How to tell them apart and choose apps that will work for you.
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It's time to reconsider our mobile health apps.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines mobile medical apps as "medical devices that are mobile apps, meet the definition of a medical device and are an accessory to a regulated medical device or transform a mobile platform into a regulated medical device."
Many of the health offerings in mobile app stores claim to monitor data like heart rate, blood pressure, quality of sleep, and cholesterol levels. They boast of capabilities to predict strokes and diagnose cancer. They tell us how long we exercise and the amount of calories burned.
Thousands of apps promise to transform your smartphone into a medical device. Many of them sound too good to be true -- because they are.
More than 40,000 health care apps are available on Apple's US App Store, reports the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics (download required). Of these, only 16,275 are directly linked to patient care. The rest provide information that does little to improve health and wellness.
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In some cases a relatively useless app will cost a few dollars at most. The danger lies in apps that lack support to back up their medical claims and can cause legitimate harm to their users. One example is Instant Blood Pressure, which once promised to use the iPhone's microphone and camera to measure blood pressure.
Before it was recently removed, the app was one of the top-grossing offerings in the App store and received thousands of reviews from people who used it to measure blood pressure. The problem? There was no literature to back up the app; even the founder and CEO of the company that built it could not explain how it worked.
By 2017, mobile market research firm Research2guidance states the market for mobile health (mHealth) apps will reach $26 billion, reports the New York Times. Millions of people will rely on their smartphones as mobile health tools.
Before you download or use a health app, take the time to explore the developer's website for information on testing and for explanations to prove its legitimacy. To save you some time, we selected a few apps that can legitimately help you live a healthier life. Have you used any of these? Do you have your own favorites? Feel free to add them in the comments.
SmartQuit, an app to help people quit smoking, was developed at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center as a result of cancer prevention research. It uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help smokers kick the dangerous habit. This method helps people accept their addictions and emotions related to smoking, and commit to the values that motivate them to quit.
The app's effectiveness was demonstrated in a randomized clinical trial performed at the University of Washington. Researchers concluded the app was successful in employing ACT, and participants in the study had higher quitting rates than users of another smoking cessation app. 2Morrow, the company behind the app, was recently chosen for a Washington Life Sciences Discovery Fund Grant to further explore real-world distribution models and evidence-based improvements.
Available on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.
The AliveCor tool attaches to an iPhone to turn it into an electrocardiogram (ECG) device. Users can press the case against their fingers or chest and record basic heart rhythms in about 30 seconds. The free AliveECG app displays health data on a compatible smartphone or tablet, so you know if an ECG is normal.
AliveCor can be used to monitor symptoms like heart palpitations and shortness of breath. A recent addition to the AliveECG app lets you keep a journal of symptoms, activity, and diet so you can monitor how different foods and activities affect the way you feel. In the event a problem occurs, this information can prove valuable in helping your doctor make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the best course of treatment for you.
Available on iOS and Android.
When someone suffers cardiac arrest, early CPR can improve the chances of survival. The longer it takes to receive help, the less likely it is a victim will make it to the hospital. The PulsePoint Respond app aims to cut down on the deaths caused by out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by crowdsourcing CPR assistance.
Through PulsePoint, volunteers with CPR training can sign up to learn when a cardiac arrest occurs in their vicinity so they can help. When an emergency responder receives a call and recognizes a cardiac arrest, they alert both EMS and the PulsePoint volunteer base. GPS technology scans for nearby volunteers, alerts them to the location of the incident, and provides directions for how to get there.
You can also help through the PulsePoint AED app, which lets users report and update the locations of Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) devices. When you record the location of a public access AED, the information is verified by officials and made available to PulsePoint Respond users so they can more easily find an AED in an emergency.
PulsePoint is available in 1,300 cities throughout 22 US states. It can be downloaded on iOS and Android.
The Family Drug Guide app from Unbound Medicine aims to help patients manage their collection of medication. Content within the app includes prescription and over-the-counter drug facts such as cost information, side effects, safety data, and track records of effectiveness. This helps you learn more about different drugs before you take or give them, and bookmark medications specific to different family members. While most of this information is available on the Web, this is a more convenient means of locating and recording data, especially for patients who need to manage a variety of medications.
The Lantern app aims to improve emotional well-being while acknowledging that therapy can be expensive or inaccessible to people going through difficult times. Its team of technologists, researchers, and clinicians builds programs in partnership with professionals at Stanford University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Penn State University.
The programs are based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which addresses specific personal challenges through hands-on exercises. The app monitors patient progress in real-time. Users begin by taking an assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses. The assessment is used to inform daily exercises that help people build skills that help them face difficult situations. Each user is paired with a professional coach who provides feedback and support.
Available on iOS.
Zyrtec AllergyCast is a handy tool for those prone to springtime allergies. Dr. Jennifer Collins, an assistant professor and a physician with a specialty in allergy, asthma, and immunology at the Department of Otolaryngology at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, recommends checking the free app to see the pollen forecast before heading outside. The app also has a four-day calendar if you'd like to plan ahead. You can set alerts to let you know about especially high-pollen days.
Available on iOS and Google Play.
For diabetics, tracking blood sugar levels can be a pain. Enter Glucose Buddy, an app from Azumio that aims to help diabetics keep track of their glucose levels, carbohydrate intake, insulin dosages, and activities. All information is made available in a free online account where you can print your information to take to your doctor. The desktop version of Glucose Buddy also has an A1C calculator.
In-app purchases broaden the range of available tools to include trackers for weight management and blood pressure.
Available on iOS and Android.
The American Red Cross offers a first aid app that's good to have on hand in the event of an emergency. It takes up about 25 MB of free space and keeps information available on your phone even when you aren't connected to the Internet.
The app is divided into three distinct sections: Learn, Prepare, and Emergency. In Learn, you can read about how to identify and treat different injuries. Prepare offers up information on how to prepare for emergency situations. Emergency, the most valuable component, offers step-by-step instructions for making first aid decisions and a button to automatically dial 911 if necessary. The app also contains learning material and quizzes so you can build first aid skills over time.
Available on iOS and Android.
Instead of using a mobile app to diagnose an unknown source of pain, contact a physician using Doctor on Demand. The telemedicine service is intended to save you the time of making an appointment and going to the doctor by providing a quick diagnosis and treatment for short-term problems. It costs $40 per physician session and $50 for 25 minutes with a psychologist ($95 for a 50-minute session). The tool also provides a map of local pharmacies for easy access to prescribed medications.
The physicians participating in Doctor on Demand can treat a variety of common ailments through a video visit, including cold, flu, sports injuries, skin problems such as rashes, eye conditions, travel-related symptoms, and sore throat. This should not be a replacement from your primary care physician. The physicians do not treat chronic illnesses, nor do they handle cancer or other complex conditions, because these conditions often present uncommon symptoms. Such problems require a visit to your doctor or hospital.
Available on iOS and Android.
There are plenty of health and fitness apps on the market -- RunKeeper, MyFitnessPal, Strava, and thousands more. These are great tools if you have the motivation to use them consistently and properly. However, it's not uncommon for people to download a health app, use it for a couple of weeks, and forget it exists.
Rise is a useful tool for busy people who are trying to embrace a healthier lifestyle but need a helping hand. After signing up for Rise, the app evaluates your personal information and goals to pair you with a registered dietician who will be your coach. Each day you share photos of your meals and details of your daily activity with your coach. He or she will identify problem areas and help you make healthier choices over time.
The app is more affordable than seeking out a dietician or trainer on your own. You can pay $20 per week, or $60 per month. The app promises a money-back guarantee if you aren't satisfied with the service.
Available on iOS, and coming to Android in 2016.
There are plenty of health and fitness apps on the market -- RunKeeper, MyFitnessPal, Strava, and thousands more. These are great tools if you have the motivation to use them consistently and properly. However, it's not uncommon for people to download a health app, use it for a couple of weeks, and forget it exists.
Rise is a useful tool for busy people who are trying to embrace a healthier lifestyle but need a helping hand. After signing up for Rise, the app evaluates your personal information and goals to pair you with a registered dietician who will be your coach. Each day you share photos of your meals and details of your daily activity with your coach. He or she will identify problem areas and help you make healthier choices over time.
The app is more affordable than seeking out a dietician or trainer on your own. You can pay $20 per week, or $60 per month. The app promises a money-back guarantee if you aren't satisfied with the service.
Available on iOS, and coming to Android in 2016.
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