Mobile health evolves beyond apps: AI, blockchain, and IoT drive next wave

Mobile health, broadly defined as the use of mobile devices, especially smartphones, for delivering healthcare services, has become central to patient care, chronic disease management, mental health support, and remote diagnostics. The research underscores how the field has evolved from early telehealth experiments into complex, AI- and blockchain-enabled systems aimed at privacy-protected, real-time, and scalable health interventions.

Mobile health (mHealth) technology has officially entered a new phase of evolution marked by maturity, integration with advanced technologies, and expanded global research collaboration, according to a major bibliometric analysis "Insights into the Technological Evolution and Research Trends of Mobile Health: Bibliometric Analysis," published in Healthcare this week. Drawing from over 6,000 studies spanning 2005 to 2024, the study reveals that while core mHealth research has reached a saturation point, practical applications, emerging technologies, and focus on diverse populations continue to drive new waves of innovation.

The study, carried out by Ruichen Zhang and Hongyun Wang of Shanghai University, analyzed literature from the Web of Science and visualized keyword trends using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. Their findings show a dramatic rise in mHealth publications beginning in 2011, peaking between 2015 and 2020, followed by a plateau in growth post-2021. This deceleration, they argue, signals not a decline in interest but the maturation of the field as it shifts from early-stage innovation to large-scale implementation and optimization.

Mobile health, broadly defined as the use of mobile devices, especially smartphones, for delivering healthcare services, has become central to patient care, chronic disease management, mental health support, and remote diagnostics. The research underscores how the field has evolved from early telehealth experiments into complex, AI- and blockchain-enabled systems aimed at privacy-protected, real-time, and scalable health interventions.

Mental health emerged as a consistently dominant theme throughout the literature, with mobile apps offering cognitive behavioral therapy, PTSD treatment, mindfulness tools, and perinatal support. The study found no decline in mental health-related mHealth research from 2021 to 2023. Researchers noted the high acceptability of mHealth interventions in populations such as adolescents, military personnel, and perinatal women, who benefited from flexible access, peer support, and emotional monitoring features integrated into mobile platforms.

In parallel, digital interventions for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, HIV, and cardiovascular disease have diversified rapidly. Apps like WeiSugar and Sugar Nurse in China enable blood glucose tracking, medical consultations, and automated health advice. In HIV care, mobile platforms have shown high acceptance rates among men who have sex with men, particularly in regions with limited access to in-person services.

The study reveals a notable demographic shift: mHealth is increasingly being designed for children, adolescents, and university students. Research targeting “young people” has grown steadily since 2014, extending the scope of mobile healthcare beyond adult populations. Applications now support adolescent obesity management, juvenile arthritis care, and even pediatric rehabilitation during chemotherapy.

Importantly, the bibliometric analysis also highlights key technologies now defining the next wave of mobile health development. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are no longer speculative add-ons, they are being actively integrated into digital health ecosystems. AI is being deployed for mental health prediction, medication reminders, and symptom tracking. Federated learning is seen as a viable solution for training models on distributed, privacy-sensitive health data. Blockchain, meanwhile, is enabling secure authentication and encrypted medical data exchange.

One clinical application detailed in the study involved a smart IoT-based fall prevention system that reduced inpatient falls by 88%. Another promising frontier includes VR therapy for chronic pain management, cancer rehabilitation, and remote physical exams. While these technologies still face challenges related to scalability and accessibility, their growing presence in mHealth literature suggests strong momentum.

Despite this optimistic outlook, the authors raise critical concerns over data privacy and digital equity. AI applications in mHealth bring significant risks of surveillance, bias, and re-identification. Vulnerable populations, such as individuals under criminal legal supervision or with low digital literacy, face disproportionate privacy threats and may distrust technology due to historical systemic barriers. The study urges a commitment to privacy-by-design principles, informed consent, and transparency to ensure inclusive, trustworthy mHealth systems.

Legal frameworks such as GDPR and HIPAA are referenced, but the study argues these must be supplemented by culturally adaptive policies and cross-sector collaboration. International institutions with high research centrality, including the University of California, Harvard University, and IDIBAPS in Spain, are urged to lead cooperative policy innovation alongside local stakeholders.

Funding trends also reflect a market stabilization. Digital health investment peaked at $29.1 billion in 2021 but declined to $10.7 billion by 2023, according to Rock Health. However, this shift is viewed as a normalization rather than retreat. Researchers suggest that quality is replacing quantity, with more rigorous, implementation-focused studies replacing earlier proof-of-concept trials. Indeed, the number of randomized controlled trials in mHealth research has declined, indicating a growing consensus around the effectiveness of digital interventions.

In terms of global knowledge production, mHealth research remains concentrated in the United States and Europe. However, the authors advocate for increased investment and research visibility in low- and middle-income countries, where mHealth offers unmatched potential to bridge healthcare access gaps. Mobile-first strategies may be particularly transformative in regions with limited healthcare infrastructure, provided they are coupled with affordable data, training, and inclusive governance models.

The research also sheds light on the leading voices in the field. Scholars such as John Torous and Rebecca Schnall have emerged as influential figures in digital psychiatry and nursing informatics, respectively. Jean Bousquet’s work in respiratory health and mobile asthma management reflects the diversity of mHealth applications across specialities. Their contributions illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of mobile health research, spanning psychology, computer science, public health, and bioengineering.