A Review of the Use of Mobile Health Interventions in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, presents significant challenges due to its chronic, relapsing nature. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies, leveraging smartphones and wearable devices, offer innovative approaches to support long-term care. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the use of mHealth interventions in IBD management. This narrative review draws on representative literature identified through a search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science (2010-2023). It explores various forms, including health applications, wearable devices, and telemedicine, and their roles in symptom monitoring, medication adherence, dietary management, and psychological support. Synthesized findings from clinical studies indicate that these tools can contribute to improved disease control, adherence rates, and quality of life. The review also discusses key challenges such as data privacy, implementation barriers, and digital literacy, while highlighting future directions involving artificial intelligence for personalized care and interdisciplinary collaboration. Overall, mHealth presents a promising avenue to enhance patient-centered IBD management, though its integration into routine care requires addressing technological, regulatory, and user-centric considerations.