Disclosures: The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the publication of this book or the materials or technologies discussed within the book.
Modern advances in social connectivity and information technology have redesigned how healthcare is delivered and practiced. The widespread prevalence of consumer mobile technology, in particular, promises to provide patients with direct, continuous access to healthcare systems; giving rise to the new field of mobile health (mHealth). Adibi et al., with the aid of an international panel of diverse experts, extensively and systematically review the contemporary peer-reviewed literature on mHealth, culminating in an introductory touchstone reference. Perhaps best suited for those who are new to the field, this text describes the successes from across the broad spectrum of mHealth applications; summarizes the design, implementation, and assessment of mHealth technology; and discusses the future implications of mHealth and its integration with other healthcare technologies. The text is organized by health field, with each section’s systematic review reinforced by case studies, illustrations of the underlying conceptual frameworks, limitations, future directions, and questions to review core concepts. Crucially, the authors review the successes and progress of mHealth applications in mental health, preventative health, and resource-limited community health: arenas that demonstrate the greatest need and opportunity for mHealth innovations. In order to facilitate development, the practical issues and challenges of implementing mHealth are further organized by geographic region. Although the book authors’ financial disclosures are not revealed, they discuss a wide variety of mHealth technologies, without particular bias to any one technology or implementation. Taken together, mHealth: Multidisciplinary Verticals serves an important role as an introductory resource to the burgeoning field of mHealth.
