Initial development and testing of a measure of credibility of mobile health apps: a clinical study among women seeking prenatal care

ABSTRACT As misinformation is linked to poor health outcomes for pregnant women, and mobile apps provide free and unregulated access to information, it is important to understand the role of credibility in mobile health. The purpose of this study was to develop and assess a reliable scale for measuring mobile health (mHealth) credibility. Based on a previous measure for assessing web credibility, we also sought to identify source credibility dimensions for mobile apps. The mHealth credibility scale included seven items. Three scale dimensions were identified: concern, character, and competence. Both referent source for mobile apps and app developer were significantly associated with perceived mHealth credibility. This study is a first attempt to both design and test a measure of credibility for mobile health apps. This mHealth credibility scale can be used to guide future app development, communication, and medical research.