Abstract:

Mobile Health (mHealth) is a kind of information technology, which aims at delivering health services. First, the electronic health (eHealth) and mHealth were distinguished. Then, through a series of empirical studies, five major theories of mHealth, namely Cognitive Behavior Theory, Social Support Theory, Transtheoretical Model and Stages of Change, Behavioral Learning Theory and Grounded Theory were summarized in the present study. Further analysis found that mHealthto some extent contributed to solving psychological problems, managing physiological diseases, as well as promoting healthy behaviors. However, more evidences are needed to support the efficacy and effectiveness of mhealth. The possible factors and the mechanisms of mHealth interventions should be explored for achieving optimal effectiveness in the future.

Key words: mHealth, health services, evaluation