Mobile Health Interventions to Facilitate Shared Decision Making: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Shared Decision Making (SDM) is a process in which healthcare providers share evidence with patients, enabling them to make informed decisions based on their values and preferences. Mobile health (mHealth) can support SDM, leading to improved clinical outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to review the literature on mHealth interventions that facilitate SDM . Method: In November 2022, the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched for papers on mHealth interventions that facilitate SDM. The first author's name, year of publication, country of the study, study objective, type of disease, type of mHealth intervention, and outcomes of the interventions were extracted from the selected studies. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data . Results: Of the 32 articles included in the study, most were published in 2021 (25%) and 2022 (21%). The majority of studies (43.5%) were conducted in the United States. Fifteen studies (47%) evaluated participants' satisfaction with using mobile health for shared decision -making, and fourteen studies (43.5%) measured the usability of mobile health. In most studies (84.5%), mobile -based applications were used for shared decision -making. Most studies assessed the impact of shared decision -making on musculoskeletal diseases (18.5%), cancer (15.5%), cardiovascular diseases (15.5%), and mental health disorders (12.5%). Most studies (97%) found that using mobile health had a positive impact on shared decision -making. Conclusion: mHealth assists patients in making informed decisions about their treatment by facilitating SDM. Patients can use this technology at home to overcome barriers posed by a lack of face -to -face visits. The findings of this research can guide healthcare providers in leveraging affordable and accessible technology to engage patients in selecting the best treatment options.