product analyzed

Apps4Health

Apps4Health

Apps4Health Logo
Overall rating:
3.5/5
Technology:

Categories assigned to this product within the main category Technology.

Needs:

Categories assigned to this product within the main category Needs.

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Below is the video of the review.

What does it consist of:

Apps4Health (or Mig Health Apps) is an app designed to help migrants/refugees increase their skills in using health apps (although it can be helpful for anyone interested). This app, co-funded by the European Union (EU), is targeted at both newly arrived and settled migrants, as well as professionals working in services related to supporting these people.

The application stands out for its dual purpose: providing tools for workers/trainers in this field and providing direct assistance to migrants who need it. To do this, Apps4Health has:

  • Methodology and courses on self-management, applications in the healthcare environment and Apps4Health itself.
  • Health app search engine based on the user's needs or preferences (with a catalogue of more than 60 apps).

The app stands out for its search tool, serving as an advisor and guide for users in the use of health applications.

decorative picture

Forms of acquisition:

Mobile app

Apps4Health is a free downloadable app available for Android.

It is available on Android at the following link:

Link button to get the app on play store And in the following QR:

Apps4Health download qr

Technical assessment:

Juan Herrero Morillo

January 2025

 

Getting started on the app and home page

Each time you open Apps4Health, you must choose the language in which you want to access the application. Thus, it is available in English, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek and French.

The language selection is displayed. There are 6 buttons in the middle of the screen, 3 per row. On the top row, from left to right, are English, German and Italian. On the bottom row, Spanish, Greek and French.

Once the language has been chosen, you will be taken to the home page. Here you will find three central buttons, which you can use to access:

  • Training methodology page and guide for trainers.
  • Courses page for trainers.
  • App listing page: “Find healthcare apps.”

In the upper left area of ​​the screen there is an icon to go back to the language selection, and you can change the language if you wish. Finally, in the upper right area, there is another information icon. If you click on it, you can read a small text explaining the purpose of the application.

The home page is displayed, with the three central buttons mentioned, arranged, from top to bottom, in the specified order.

 

Training methodology page and guide for trainers.

This page, also titled “Trainer´s Area”, consists of a contribution of materials for professionals who work with migrants/refugees in vulnerable situations. Thus, various resources can be downloaded here, including:

  • Methodology for teaching how to use the app.
  • Basic notions related to health (physical activity, rest, nutrition, mental health, care, etc.).
  • Explanations of how to use the applications found in the search engine.

All of these contents belong to the courses included in the application (eleven in total).

The "Trainer's area" is displayed. A description of it appears. Also, at the top left, there is the back icon to return to the home page.
A list of the courses available in the app is displayed.

In this way, Apps4Healt contributes to the training of people in this regard, advocating for the autonomy and training of users - specifically, migrants - in the field of health and the use of digital tools.

 

Courses page for trainers.

This page shows a list of the eleven courses offered by Apps4Health. If you select one, you can access specific information for it (thus being very focused on professionals).

Presentations of the courses for trainers are shown.
Specific information about the course "health applications for women" appears.

 In this way, when accessing any of the courses, the units/sessions that it contains are broken down, explaining the objectives, competencies and estimated duration of each one.

The objectives and competencies of a specific course are shown as an example.

Additionally, if a drive is selected as such, its resources can be accessed again for download.

It is worth mentioning that, at the end of the units, you can find a “self-learning session” resource in PDF format. This includes exercises to be done to review the content seen in the course.

 

App listing page: “Find healthcare apps.”

This page contains a list of 65 applications in the health field. Firstly, there are several filters to complete so that the user can find the applications that best suit what they are looking for. The filter is divided into:

  • “Search” – Here you can search for applications by name.
  • “What kind of apps are you interested in?” You can choose from apps for physical activity, sleep, substance abuse, nutrition, women’s health, children, seniors, mental health or healthcare services.
  • “Choose your preferred mobile platform”. Choice between Android or iOS.
  • “Choose subscription type” – Free, Free Trial, In-App Purchases or Premium.
  • “Choose languages ​​you are fluent in.” You can choose from over 25 languages.
  • “Choose the scope”. You can choose between worldwide, various countries in Europe (including Spain) and the United States.

In this way, using these criteria, the application can recommend the most suitable apps to the user within the list. Furthermore, below the filter (if no field is filled in) the complete list is found.

The filter is displayed. Thus, from top to bottom, in the order mentioned, are the filters to be completed.
Part of the list of apps is displayed. In addition, on the right side of each one there is a cross-shaped icon. If selected, an informative drop-down menu opens.

Additionally, if you select a specific app, a drop-down menu will open with information about it. This includes a description of it, its download links and information about it (countries and languages ​​in which it is available, link to the app's official website, type of subscription, etc.).

The information about the "Baby Tracker" app is shown as an example. At the top right there is a dash-shaped icon, which can be used to close the drop-down menu.

Finally, it is worth noting that at the bottom right of each app's information, there is a blue "link" icon. If selected, the same app information will open, but on a separate page, from where the user can download the entire app information in PDF format.

A pdf with information about the "Stop-tabac" application is shown.

Usability

In terms of usability, Apps4health has positive points and others that need improvement.

On the positive side, the application is efficient in its tasks, as well as being intuitive (especially in the app search section), having clear language and relying on graphic elements (images and icons) to facilitate understanding.

However, it also has its shortcomings. In many sections, if you want to go back to the previous page, this is not possible. When you select the back button, the app takes you back to the home page, making state recovery and navigation sometimes a bit tedious. In addition, with the exception of the search engine, the functions are not always very understandable, making learning difficult for new users (although, on the other hand, the app has courses for this).

 

Accessibility for people with reduced or no visibility

In this sense, the application has to improve:

  • Not compatible with screen readers like TalkBack.
  • The contrast of elements does not guarantee good visibility, as there is a lot of grey on white.
  • The size of elements is often not large and there is no option to customize this. The same goes for text fonts.
  • The courses and their explanations are based almost entirely on texts and visual content, but do not have other alternatives (such as audio description).

 

Accessibility for people with hearing difficulties

Because of the way the app works, using Apps4health will not cause any problems for people with hearing difficulties.

 

Accessibility for people with cognitive difficulties 

Although the application meets usability criteria, it does not guarantee a high degree of usability. Therefore, always taking into account the level of cognitive difficulties, the application still needs to improve to become accessible in this sense.

 

Accessibility for people with reduced mobility  

Apps4Health works mostly through buttons. However, many of them are not very large and there is no option to enlarge them.

However, writing is not necessary at any time to use the app, except when you want to filter a specific app by name in the search engine.

 

Highlights

  • Dual function of help and training. Apps4Health combines a search engine for health applications (focused on migrants, but for general use) with training content, which can be used by professionals/trainers or by migrants themselves. Thus, in addition to performing its function, the application also promotes the training of the users themselves.
  • App Catalog. The app contains information about 65 apps in the health field, covering several fields and being, in this sense, quite complete.
  • Adaptability and search engine filters. Thanks to information about the applications and the filters, the search engine can recommend the most suitable applications to the user (thus adapting to their preferences and needs).

 

Improvement points

  • Adding the iOS app. This would be very positive for the application to increase its reach, especially considering that the app itself shares the download link for the AppStore of those health applications that are available on it.
  • Improve the design of the app. Improving the design would be positive to make usability and navigation a more pleasant experience.
  • Screen reader optimization and customization options. Making the app compatible with readers like TalkBack would greatly improve visual accessibility, as would allowing text and element sizes to be increased (the latter would also benefit physical accessibility). Improving the contrast of elements would also be a positive benefit.
  • Add more options to courses. Courses, while rich in content, can be lacking in elements and access to them. Adding more elements, such as narrations or videos with audio, would be good in this regard. Similarly, making them more interactive would improve the user experience.

Technical evaluation scores.

Design and manufacturing:
3/5
This section refers to the physical aspects and details of the manufacturing of the technological product
Technical benefits:
4.5/5
Description of the quality of the technical specifications of the technological solution
User experience:
4/5
This criterion is linked to the user's assessment when relating to the technical product or application.
Accessibility:
2.5/5
It is the degree to which people can use or access a product, technological solution or service, regardless of their technical, cognitive or physical abilities

Social valuation:

Social valuation scores.

Impact and utility:
This item has not been rated/5
Describes to what extent the functionalities of the product are useful and impact on improving the life of the user
Design and Ergonomics:
This item has not been rated/5
Assessment of how the design of the technological solution adapts to the person to achieve greater comfort and efficiency when using it
Usability and accessibility:
This item has not been rated/5
Possibility of the device to be used, understood and taken advantage of under equal conditions for anyone
Ease of acquisition:
This item has not been rated/5
It refers to the possibilities of accessing and acquiring a technological solution by the user.

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