Most pain apps lack physician input - Internal Medicine News

 An evaluation of 222 pain-related smartphone apps showed that many were developed without the input of a health professional, some had inaccurate information, and some of their features weren't as robust as they could be."Many of them were giving advice and offering coping strategies, but we don't know if they're effective," said Lorraine S. Wallace, Ph.D., who led the study. In addition, the apps could potentially be dangerous for users if the coping strategy – for instance, exercise – isn't right for them, she said.Experts have begun studying the safety and efficacy of health-related smartphone apps, many of which are aimed at patients for managing various diseases and conditions.Dr. Wallace said that, ideally, app developers, physicians, and patients should collaborate to create the apps. "And there needs to be a list of good apps. I always get asked 'show us a good app,' so there are definitely some features that we should look at, and that should be driven by health care professionals to determine what a pain app should look like," she said. She advised physicians to be aware of the apps that are currently available to patients.Dr. Wallace said her study was modeled after a 2011 British study of 111 pain-related apps. The authors of that study also concluded, "Pain apps appear to be able to promise pain relief without any concern for the effectiveness of the product, or for possible adverse effects of product use. In a population often desperate for a solution ...
Source: Psychology of Pain - Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Source Type: blogs