Approximately two billion individuals worldwide are affected by anemia, a condition characterized by a lower than normal count of red blood cells or hemoglobin (Hgb). This results in decreased oxygen transport throughout the body.
Chronic anemia can lead to severe health complications, including heart attacks and damage to vital organs. Pregnant women face an even greater risk.Traditionally, diagnosing anemia has required visits to healthcare facilities for tests like complete blood counts (CBC), hemoglobin and hematocrit evaluations, or peripheral blood smears.
Innovative Anemia Detection
Imagine being able to take a selfie of your nails and receive an analysis indicating whether you have anemia. Researchers at Chapman University have created an app that does just that. This mobile application provides a non-invasive and user-amiable method for detecting signs of anemia with extraordinary accuracy.
How Effective Is It?
The app has been utilized by over 200,000 users across the United States and has conducted more than one million assessments as part of medical research. According to the developers, this tool can serve as an effective means for monitoring anemia on a large scale.
The research team reported that their app's performance is comparable to standard laboratory tests, achieving sensitivity rates of 89% and specificity rates of 93%. Additionally,it features an AI-driven personalization option for those already diagnosed with anemia.
This personalized approach further reduces error rates. Such accessible technology allows millions of patients to monitor their hemoglobin levels quickly without needing costly lab visits.
Sanguina also introduced AnemoCheck in 2020 for individuals dealing with chronic anemia. At that time,they indicated they were not seeking regulatory approval as it was intended more as a lifestyle aid. A similar application was trialed in India two years ago and was found suitable for screening purposes within public health services.
Main Advantages
The experts at Chapman University emphasize that this app should not replace formal medical testing nor be used for self-diagnosis. Rather, it acts as an alert system prompting users to seek medical advice if symptoms worsen or if they notice concerning changes in their condition.
This tool is especially beneficial for those suffering from chronic forms of anemia—such as patients with kidney disease or cancer—who often need regular monitoring. The personalization feature significantly improved accuracy among these users by up to 50% when activated.
The primary aim is enabling self-monitoring while facilitating early intervention from healthcare professionals without waiting long periods for lab results. Notably, the app includes geolocation capabilities which led to creating what researchers call “the first county-level map showing prevalence rates of anemia in the U.S.”
Aiming For Better Public Health
The project’s creators hope this application will enhance public health initiatives through widespread screening combined with regional data mapping on anemia prevalence across populations. More information about this innovative project can be found in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal.
