Mobile Health Apps and Needs of People with Disabilities: A National Survey

This report summarizes data from a national survey on the experiences, needs and potential solutions for mHealth technology by people with physical, cognitive, sensory and emotional disabilities. Convenience sampling was used to draw a sample of 377 adults with disabilities. Data were collected from February to August 2017. The survey was conducted by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Community Living, Health and Function (LiveWell RERC). The survey instrument includes items on user experiences and needs for a wide range of mHealth solutions. This paper focuses on mHealth apps: 1) types of health/wellness mobile apps currently used by people with disabilities; 2) satisfaction levels with the use of health/wellness apps; 3) ease/difficulty in finding usable and effective health/wellness apps; 4) interest in an online repository of information/reviews of mHealth apps; 5) specific problems or challenges using health/wellness apps; and 6) 'wish list' for health/wellness apps that currently do not exist.