Mobile Health Applications Addressing Health Disparities for Women on Community Supervision: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background:

Mobile health applications have gained popularity in assisting high-risk, hard-to-reach groups in self-management of health conditions. One such population with high rates of health disparities comprises women under community supervision. In this review, we examine the literature on mHealth applications to address health disparities among women under community supervision.

Methods:

We searched CINAHL, PubMed, and PsycInfo for peer-reviewed research articles conducted in the U.S. After removal of duplicates, review of 231 article titles and abstracts and 36 articles for full-text review yielded five articles for analysis. Extracted data include author, year, design, sample, objectives, conclusions, measures, interventions and analytic approach.

Results:

Of the five studies that addressed health disparities of individuals under community supervision, one was done with participants on probation, four with participants on medication therapy for substance use disorder, and one with participants in a drug court program. Only one article was specific to women or controlled for ethnicity. No studies were done with those on parole. None done with populations outside the U.S.

Conclusion:

Few studies focused on health disparities of women under community supervision. mHealth applications that address substance use, reproductive and sexual health, and safety issues specific to women under community supervision are warranted.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. mhealth apps can assist with alleviating health disparities in hard-to reach populations.

2. Women on community supervision have unique health care needs based on their intersectionality.

3. Conditions such as substance use disorder and violence often go under reported or undertreated.

Keywords:

• mHealth
• technology
• community supervision
• women’s health

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge John Bellquist for his editorial expertise in the preparation of this manuscript.

Authors’ contributions

Study concept and design: Allison D. Crawford. Data collection/management: Allison D. Crawford. Data analysis and interpretation: Allison D. Crawford, Tara S. Hutson, Miyong Kim. Drafting of the article: Allison D. Crawford, Tara S. Hutson, Miyong Kim. Critical revision of the article: Miyong Kim

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.