Awareness and Use of Mobile Health Applications Among Middle-Aged Adults in Madhya Pradesh, India
1
N/A, N/A, Gateshead, United Kingdom
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A934
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Mobile health (mHealth) applications have the potential to improve healthcare accessibility, promote healthy lifestyles, and support chronic disease management. Despite high smartphone penetration in India, adoption of mHealth applications remains limited among middle-aged populations, who are at increased risk of chronic conditions and require continuous healthcare support.1 Barriers such as limited digital literacy, unfamiliarity with technology, usability challenges, and socioeconomic factors may contribute to low utilization.2 This study aimed to assess awareness and use of mHealth applications and examine the influence of demographic factors, including age, gender, education, occupation, and income, among adults aged 35–65 years in selected cities of Madhya Pradesh, India.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults aged 35–65 years attending outpatient departments in Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, and Ujjain. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered online and via paper-based formats in English and Hindi. Ethical approval was obtained from Newcastle University. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analyses were performed using Stata.
RESULTS:
A total of 467 participants were included. Frequent smartphone use was reported by 83.3% of respondents, and 78.0% were comfortable using mobile applications. Overall awareness of mHealth applications was high (83.7%), particularly for fitness tracking applications (75.3%). Awareness of telemedicine applications (29.5%) and chronic disease management applications (19.4%) was substantially lower. Although 38.8% of participants reported daily use of mHealth applications, the majority used them infrequently or not at all, indicating a notable gap between awareness and regular utilization. Younger age, male gender, higher education, professional occupation, and higher income were significantly associated with increased awareness and use.
CONCLUSIONS:
Although awareness of mobile health applications is high among middle-aged adults in Madhya Pradesh, utilization remains limited. Targeted digital health education and age-friendly implementation strategies are needed to promote equitable adoption of digital healthcare services.
Mobile health (mHealth) applications have the potential to improve healthcare accessibility, promote healthy lifestyles, and support chronic disease management. Despite high smartphone penetration in India, adoption of mHealth applications remains limited among middle-aged populations, who are at increased risk of chronic conditions and require continuous healthcare support.1 Barriers such as limited digital literacy, unfamiliarity with technology, usability challenges, and socioeconomic factors may contribute to low utilization.2 This study aimed to assess awareness and use of mHealth applications and examine the influence of demographic factors, including age, gender, education, occupation, and income, among adults aged 35–65 years in selected cities of Madhya Pradesh, India.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults aged 35–65 years attending outpatient departments in Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, and Ujjain. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered online and via paper-based formats in English and Hindi. Ethical approval was obtained from Newcastle University. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analyses were performed using Stata.
RESULTS:
A total of 467 participants were included. Frequent smartphone use was reported by 83.3% of respondents, and 78.0% were comfortable using mobile applications. Overall awareness of mHealth applications was high (83.7%), particularly for fitness tracking applications (75.3%). Awareness of telemedicine applications (29.5%) and chronic disease management applications (19.4%) was substantially lower. Although 38.8% of participants reported daily use of mHealth applications, the majority used them infrequently or not at all, indicating a notable gap between awareness and regular utilization. Younger age, male gender, higher education, professional occupation, and higher income were significantly associated with increased awareness and use.
CONCLUSIONS:
Although awareness of mobile health applications is high among middle-aged adults in Madhya Pradesh, utilization remains limited. Targeted digital health education and age-friendly implementation strategies are needed to promote equitable adoption of digital healthcare services.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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