The worldwide adoption of mobile health devices, solutions, and resources has been well documented across the global healthcare spectrum. According to the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, apps in particular have become ubiquitous in many aspects of our lives over the past five years, fueled by the widespread availability of tablet computers and smartphones.

Tens of thousands of health, wellness, and medical apps are now available for download to Apple or Android devices from online stores, IMS says, while cautiously noting that mHealth has not grown in all markets at the same accelerated pace observed elsewhere.

In recent years, for example, the United Arab Emirates has been slow to embrace the potential of mHealth. But this former-laggard has begun slowly warming to mobile health and could soon be classied as one of the world’s hottest emerging markets for mHealth.

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On Tuesday, Jawbone announced a collaboration with the World Economic Forum. The global innovator in smart audio devices and wearable technology says it will support delegates of the 44th Annual Meeting taking taking place this week, through Saturday in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

Pushing its wristband and app system known as Jawbone UP, Delegates are encouraged to join the Davos Health Challenge and move towards better health by using the solution to track their activity and sleep.
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mHealth is being deployed more widespread than ever in the realm of emergency pet care and general well-being.

To that end, a new Red Cross Pet First Aid App aims to put lifesaving information right in the hands of dog and cat owners.

The app is designed for pet owners and caretakers who need to provide emergency care until veterinary assistance is available.

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mHealthWatch was privy to a sneak peek at a new partnership confirmed publicly this morning by the team at Tapjoy, a thriving young mobile advertising network capable of reaching as many as 435 million mobile users monthly.

Nido Labs, creator of Alpha Trainer, one of the top-grossing fitness apps available, and Tapjoy will begin offering consumers a new way to get advanced 14-week workout programs directly to their mobile device.

The goal? Help users stay in shape and on budget.

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According to a handful of recent published reports, the weekend before the Christmas holiday is believed to be one of the year’s most sleepless periods for many Americans.

From last minute shopping and gift wrapping, to cooking for and attending holiday parties, there are many things that must be done and a small window of time in which to do them.

And what’s the first thing people cut back on when a busy schedule beckons? Sleep.

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Myhealthapps.net is gaining traction today in response to the platform’s effort to bring together the world’s “favorite healthcare apps – tried and tested by people like you.”

The pharma-supported site is designed to help patients sift through suitable mobile health apps, a task that has become increasingly more complex as the mHealth app population of the major app stores continues to explode.

For the time being, MyHealthApps presents just over 300 apps, all of which have been handpicked from a selective group of nearly 500 patients, groups, or consumers as their favorite and most trusted apps.
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Friday on the popular syndicated television program Dr. Phil, Robin McGraw – two-time New York Times bestselling author, television personality and lifelong philanthropist – announced the Aspire Initiative.

The Aspire Initiative is a domestic violence program which aims to reduce the level of intimate relationship violence in the US and instill the importance of bystander responsibility.

The Aspire Initiative includes a potentially-lifesaving smartphone app. Read the full story