The eHealth Initiative (eHI), a US non-profit organisation, has published a study that links the use of mobile health applications with better diabetes managment among the socially disadvantaged in the US. The study found that disadvantaged patients are using smartphones and other mobile devices to overcome obstacles that result from being uninsured or underinsured within the country’s healthcare system. Apps or other mhealth services can help such patients to better stick with their treatment and monitor their own blood glucose levels, says the study.

The study, which was funded by the California HealthCare Foundation, consisted of a review of 107 previously published articles since 2005 which looked at the use of mobile applications in diabetes management. eHI identified “a significant amount” of research that showed by using these types of tools, patients were able to make positive changes across the measures of systolic blood pressure, improved glucose values and reduced cholesterol.  The study covered four areas: mobile health, telehealth, patient web portals and social media.

The study’s results are interesting in their own right but might have wider implications if they also prove applicable to how disadvantaged patients can improve how they cope with other chronic diseases too.