Question

Discuss the shortcomings of medical apps for smartphones.

Answer 1

Ans) three cons that have doctors and health officials worried about mobile health apps:
- Data privacy. Many health apps raise data privacy concerns.
- Inaccurate information.
- Lack of regulation and approval.

Many frequent users of wellness and fitness apps are becoming increasingly dependent on this technology to give them information on their health. Certain apps echo popular websites like WebMD or Healthline, which offer information about different symptoms and illnesses but aren’t necessarily capable of accurately diagnosing patients — and certainly aren’t as qualified as clinicians.

- Despite the drawbacks, health and fitness apps are far from being the worst technology on the market. A 2015 study including 726 participants showed that current users of fitness apps were 27% more likely to self-report being active than participants who did not use fitness apps. Participants who used fitness apps were also more likely to use their leisure time in a health-oriented way and overall had a lower body mass index (BMI) than the other participants.

- Regardless of whether or not these apps are entirely accurate, they do give users incentive to make positive lifestyle changes.