A systematic review of smartphone apps for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: the need for regulation and medical professional involvement

Background Expansion in smartphone use and mobile health (mHealth) apps has generated a large and unregulated sector. Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD) is a widely prevalent disease in the UK. The aim of this study is to evaluate the smartphone apps focused on GORD, available on major digital platforms, with particular emphasis on their recorded evidence base (EB) and the extent of medical professional involvement (MPI) in their constitution. Methods Relevant apps were extracted using defined search terms and inclusion (using a wide array of search terms) and exclusion criteria (non-English language, duplicates) were applied. Data was collected from the overview provided by the developer in the app store and from the developer website for each app, and classified according to various variables. EB and professional involvement data was obtained from the application details provided in the app stores as well as information section of individual apps. Results A vast majority of the apps (97.3%) were developed targeting the general public. Of the 73 apps, 11 (15.1%) had a documented EB. Two apps stated if healthcare professionals were involved in the development, screening or assessment of the app content, meaning only 2.73% of the apps (2/73) stated their content had been contributed by medical professionals (individual, group or organisation of health providers). Thirty-four apps had recent updates in 2019 (47%, 34/73). Conclusions Regulation and accreditation of mHealth apps related to GORD are needed.