Mental health mobile apps for patients: Psychiatrists’ concerns (original) (raw)
Related papers
Mental Health Apps in Psychiatric Treatment: A Patient Perspective on Real World Technology Usage
JMIR Mental Health, 2019
For many people who use mobile apps, the primary motivations are entertainment, news, gaming, social connections, or productivity. For those experiencing health problems, particularly those with chronic conditions such as psychiatric disorders, the stakes are much higher. The digital tools that they select may be the difference between improvement and decompensation or even life and death. Although there has been a wide expansion of mental health apps with promise as well as hype, the current means of researching, evaluating, and deploying effective tools have been problematic. As a means of gaining a perspective that moves beyond usability testing, surveys, and app ratings, the primary objective of this patient perspective is to question the killer app and condition-specific mentality of current mental health app development. We do this by reviewing the current mobile mental health app literature, identifying ways in which psychiatric patients use apps in their lives, and then expl...
JMIR Mental Health, 2019
For many people who use mobile apps, the primary motivations are entertainment, news, gaming, social connections, or productivity. For those experiencing health problems, particularly those with chronic conditions such as psychiatric disorders, the stakes are much higher. The digital tools that they select may be the difference between improvement and decompensation or even life and death. Although there has been a wide expansion of mental health apps with promise as well as hype, the current means of researching, evaluating, and deploying effective tools have been problematic. As a means of gaining a perspective that moves beyond usability testing, surveys, and app ratings, the primary objective of this patient perspective is to question the killer app and condition-specific mentality of current mental health app development. We do this by reviewing the current mobile mental health app literature, identifying ways in which psychiatric patients use apps in their lives, and then exploring how these issues are experienced by a software engineer who has struggled with her bipolar disorder for many years. Her lived experience combined with a technology perspective offers potential avenues for using technology productively in psychiatric treatment. We believe that this responds to JMIR Publications' call for patient perspective papers and provides encouragement for patients to share their views on mental health and technology.
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 2013
Background: Despite the increasing pervasiveness of mobile computational technologies, knowledge about psychiatric patients' preferences regarding the design and utility of mobile applications is very poor. This paper reports on a pilot-study that involved 120 psychiatric patients in the development of a mobile application (app) that is being used for data entry into the Signature Project data bank at the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal (IUSMM), Canada. Participants were invited to comment on the 'look and feel' of the Signature App. Their input also extended the procedures for data collection. These suggestions may contribute to increased mental health literacy and empowerment of persons with mental illness receiving services at the IUSMM. Methods: Participants were recruited to fill out a questionnaire on a tablet computer while waiting at the Emergency Room (ER, n = 40), Psychotic Disorders outpatient clinic (n = 40) or Anxiety and Mood Disorders outpatient clinic (n = 40) of IUSMM. Nine patients from each of these subgroups participated in a focus group to review the results and to discuss how the design and use of the Signature App could be improved to better meet the needs of patients. Results: This study (n = 120) indicated that psychiatric patients are clearly capable of using a tablet computer to fill out questionnaires for quantitative data entry, and that they enjoyed this experience. Results from the focus groups (n = 27) highlight that the app could also be used by patients to communicate some personal and contextual qualitative information. This would support a holistic and person-centered approach, especially at the ER where people acutely need to describe their recent history and receive emotional support. Conclusions: This pilot-study has confirmed the necessity of involving patients not only in the testing of a new mobile application, but also as active contributors in the entire research and development process of a person-centered information and communication technology infrastructure. The input of participants was essential in designing the Signature Project computational procedure and making use of the app a positive and empowering experience. Participants also gave critical feedback remarks that went beyond the initial scope of the pilot-study, for example they suggested the addition of a client-clinician component.
JMIR Mental Health, 2014
Background Despite growing interest in mobile mental health and utilization of smartphone technology to monitor psychiatric symptoms, there remains a lack of knowledge both regarding patient ownership of smartphones and their interest in using such to monitor their mental health. Objective To provide data on psychiatric outpatients’ prevalence of smartphone ownership and interest in using their smartphones to run applications to monitor their mental health. Methods We surveyed 320 psychiatric outpatients from four clinics around the United States in order to capture a geographically and socioeconomically diverse patient population. These comprised a state clinic in Massachusetts (n=108), a county clinic in California (n=56), a hybrid public and private clinic in Louisiana (n=50), and a private/university clinic in Wisconsin (n=106). Results Smartphone ownership and interest in utilizing such to monitor mental health varied by both clinic type and age with overall ownership of 62.5% ...
2020
Awareness of the importance of mental health is growing rapidly in modern society; however, the rates of depression, anxiety, and stress have also grown exponentially. In recent years, there have been tremendous strides in mental health apps on mobile devices; yet, very little research has been done to determine if mobile apps could help the general population decrease mental health issues. Considering new health-related devices, most of the recent developments concern symptoms relating to physical exercise. Devices targeting proper mental health care are not nearly as well known. This honors senior project reviews the findings of recent empirical studies as well as review the userreviews of specified mental health apps. An experimental study was also conducted on people's perception of mental health apps being used as a primary form of treatment for people who may suffer from minor mental health issues. This paper (1) collectively evaluates and compares the perception of mental health apps and (2) overviews the effects of using mental health mobile apps as a way to decrease stress, depression and anxiety symptoms to improve mental well being.
Original Research Article: Mobile Apps for Mental Health: a content analysis
Indian Journal of Mental Health, 2020
Background: The mobile phone is arguably one of the fastest spreading and adopted technologies in the world. Various applications (Apps) and their uses are relatively new in health care, their usages are increasing phenomenally. This paper is aimed at analyzing different features of mental health-related apps. Methodology: This study examines multiple dimensions of mental health-related apps available in Google Play Store for four years between 2016 and 2020. We used a set of keywords such as mental health, mental illness, mental disorders, and the cure of mental disorder and the healing of mental illness to search apps available on the play store. We scrapped the data using various software and programming tools. Results: Our results show that mental health Apps mainly deal with following symptoms: depression, anxiety, general mental health, stress, post traumatic-stress disorder, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, sleep disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance abuse (drug and alcohol), addiction (technology, etc). On the other hand, Apps offer various approach to improve mental health. The approaches include relaxation, stress management, symptom tracking, calming audio, keeping a diary, connect with mental health resources, interpersonal support, meditation, and mood tracking. Conclusion: These easy to use and interactive mental health apps dealt with specific mental health concerns. Relaxation was the common technique used to deal with these concerns. It was difficult to predict the trustworthiness these apps by looking at their rating and the number of people who rated.
2020
The number of electronic health applications is increasing, including those that can be used for mental health. Previous studies showed that, use of several applications provides great benefits for mental health and greatly increases accessibility to mental health services. The objectives of this study were to assess needs and expectations of patients with mental disorder and a broad group of stakeholders with the expected end product being a well-functioning user-centered technology-based tool for mental disorders. The research was carried out by involving 80 patients with schizophrenia and 74 family’s caregivers in health services and local offices of health services in five cities of Indonesian capital city, Jakarta. This study was conducted through self-administered questionnaires and interviews where possible from December 2017 to July 2018. A descriptive statistic using proportion was used to present the data. The results indicated that patients needed information relevant to ...
Mobile Health Apps in OB-GYN-Embedded Psychiatric Care: Commentary
JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2017
This paper explores the potential benefits of the use of mobile health (mHealth) apps in obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN)-embedded psychiatric clinics in the United States. First, we highlight the increasing trend of integrating mental health care within the OB-GYN context. Second, we provide examples of successful uses of mHealth in the global health context and highlight the dearth of available research in the United States. Finally, we provide a summary of the shortcomings of currently available apps and describe the upcoming trial of a novel app currently underway at the Mother-Child Wellness Clinical and Research Center at Boston Medical Center.
International Journal of Bipolar Disorders
There has been increasing interest in the use of smartphone applications (apps) and other consumer technology in mental health care for a number of years. However, the vision of data from apps seamlessly returned to, and integrated in, the electronic medical record (EMR) to assist both psychiatrists and patients has not been widely achieved, due in part to complex issues involved in the use of smartphone and other consumer technology in psychiatry. These issues include consumer technology usage, clinical utility, commercialization, and evolving consumer technology. Technological, legal and commercial issues, as well as medical issues, will determine the role of consumer technology in psychiatry. Recommendations for a more productive direction for the use of consumer technology in psychiatry are provided.
Mental Health Apps: Innovations, Risks and Ethical Considerations
2014
The purpose of this article is to briefly review some of the innovations that mobile mental health apps present to consumers and mental health practitioners. Particular attention was given to understanding some of the important risks and the potential ethical dilemmas which may arise for counselors and psychologists who embrace them in their practice. Key considerations of issues pertinent to regulations, privacy concerns, and research are being discussed.