Development and Use of Mobile Applications for Patient Education in Postoperative Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review. (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Postoperative education is essential in cardiac surgery to promote self-management, adherence, and recovery. Mobile health (mHealth) applications have emerged as promising tools to support patient education; however, existing solutions vary widely in design, technological complexity, and validation rigor. OBJECTIVE Synthesize evidence on the process of developing, and validating mobile applications focused on post-operative patient education, considering key aspects of the construction methodology, considering design, content, technological components, and validation process. METHODS A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and registered in the Open Science Framework. Peer-reviewed studies were identified through major scientific databases and analyzed across multiple dimensions, including design methodology, technological features, validation approaches, and patient-related outcomes. RESULTS Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Most applications focused on education, self-care guidance, symptom monitoring, and cardiac rehabilitation. Development processes commonly followed user-centered and iterative approaches aligned with ADDIE or Design Science Research models. Usability and feasibility were the most frequently evaluated outcomes, often using the System Usability Scale, while clinical outcome assessments were less common and generally based on small samples. CONCLUSIONS Mobile applications show potential as supportive tools for postoperative cardiac education; however, methodological heterogeneity, limited validation, and urban-centered implementations highlight the need for more robust, context-aware, and scalable solutions. CLINICALTRIAL The systematic review protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework(OSF) website, with the registration number https://osf.io/9rt7j