Use of mHealth Technologies by People with Vision Impairment

This article presents analysis of qualitative data from two focus groups, one each with individuals with blindness and low vision, respectively, on use of mHealth technologies. The use of mHealth -- medical and public health practice supported by mobile devices, such as mobile phones, patient monitoring devices, personal digital assistants, and other wireless devices -- has expanded considerably in recent years and is expected to grow further. mHealth offers potential to reduce health disparities between people with disabilities and the general population by facilitating interaction with healthcare professionals and enhancing by supporting personal engagement in health data collection, goal setting and healthy living. People with disabilities -- in this case, people with severe visual impairment -- may benefit from access to these mHealth technologies and services. This exploratory qualitative research identifies patterns of use, barriers and facilitators, and attitudes to using mHealth. Participants generally did not immediately understand what the term mHealth referred to, but used or had familiarity with mHealth technologies like patient portals, mHealth mobile apps, health monitoring devices (e.g., glucose monitors), and wearable trackers. Participants expressed interest and, in some cases, strong positive affect for using mHealth technologies.