Wiki1001 app is compatible with iOS and Android devices. It comes with a tag-line: “You are offline, alone or embarrassed to ask. Then what?”
Basically, Wiki1001 is compact offline encyclopedia of health and sexuality related topics that is available in two languages, English and Turkish. The team behind this app is Caredir.com – founded by M. Okucu and M. K. Calik, two physicians with decades of experience, who started up with an idea to provide reliable medical information to the public and to keep it simple and accurate. Wiki1001 is the newest step into that direction.
Wiki1001 is aimed at teenagers and adolescents, and the main concept is to provide answers to questions most young people may feel embarrassed to ask either parents, peers or professional.
The app has a rather simple interface, but it still needs a few minutes to get used to. Essentially, the main area offers a list of categories in colorful bars. Choosing one, the user is given 15 seconds to scroll through various sub–categories and concrete questions to find what he or she is looking for. The reason for this timeframe is not well defined, but it seems to have something to do with the fact most physicians rarely spend more than half a minute with young patients.
The categories include: Appearance & Wellness, Disease & Doctor Visits, Drugs & Alcohol, Emotions & The Mind, My Body, Safe Sex & Pregnancy & Abortion, Sexual Assault & Violence & Bullying, Sexual Orientation, and Sexuality. Some of the more sensitive categories include HELP options which provide the user with a list of websites and hotlines and institutions to consult for help. However, most answers are given in the form of two bubbles, one giving the short, informative answer in one or few sentences, and the other with Tips and Suggestions to help the user further. The user is also given the option to share his time and Challenge friends over social networks.
Other features of the app include:
NEWS FOR YOU, which offers to filter relevant online news based on the users age range, sex and sexual orientation.
HOTLINES, which include relevant contact information for various emergency services.
CHECK YOUR SYMPTOM, which is a quiz-like area where the user can choose from a list or type in their physical and mental symptoms and get direct access to health suggestions.
To Unlock the app you need to pay $1.72 dollars. It is not certain what are the benefits of unlocking it.
PROS
- Innovative approach to providing health information to wider public and sensitive age groups.
- Wide variety of topics, categories and problems to access.
- Interesting and colorful interface.
- Punctual if brief answers.
- “Check your symptom” quiz.
CONS
- Need some time to get to know the interface.
- Time-challenge access may prove to be more frustrating than challenging.
- Benefits from unlocking the app are not well defined.
FINAL VERDICT
A commendable effort by a dedicated team of professionals, the Wiki1001 app is recommended not only to confused teenagers but also to their parents and teacher who might benefit from reminding themselves about some of these problems, as well as to dispel some common misconceptions.
Worth Having App – Download the App
