Using mHealth Applications to Promote Self-Managed Health Behaviors Among Teens.

ABSTRACT

THEORETICAL PRINCIPLES As technology use increasingly expands, the opportunity to capitalize on it for healthcare education, monitoring, and assessment has grown rapidly, especially among adolescent patients. As apps are developed, consideration should be given to self-management theory concepts. PHENOMENA ADDRESSED The proliferation of mobile health (mHealth) applications allows adolescents to access healthcare information in new, innovative ways. Many health applications focus on health promotion, fitness, and nutrition and others help persons with chronic disease. This article offers a compelling case for incorporating mHealth into teen healthcare by reviewing current data on teens' technology use, showing how mHealth aligns with self-management theory concepts, and offering a case scenario on mHealth-enhanced self-management care. RESEARCH LINKAGES The ability to combine accurate and immediate healthcare information with continual social support could radically improve teen's self-management behaviors, especially when mHealth apps use connectivity, a feedback loop, and concepts known to enhance self-management behaviors.