App review of anxiety and depression chatbots and their self-care features (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arfan Ahmed ◽  
Nashva ALi ◽  
Sarah Aziz ◽  
Alaa A Abd-Alrazaq ◽  
Asmaa Hassan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Conversational Agents ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
On Demand ◽  
User Ratings ◽  
Google Play

BACKGROUND Anxiety and depression rates are at an all-time high along with other mental health disorders. Smartphone-based mental health chatbots or conversational agents can aid psychiatrists and replace some of the costly human based interaction and represent a unique opportunity to expand the availability and quality of mental health services and treatment. Regular up-to-date reviews will allow medics and individuals to recommend or use anxiety and depression related smartphone based chatbots with greater confidence. OBJECTIVE Assess the quality and characteristics of chatbots for anxiety and depression available on Android and iOS systems. METHODS A search was performed in the App Store and Google Play Store following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocol to identify existing chatbots for anxiety and depression. Eligibility of the chatbots was assessed by two individuals based on predefined eligibility criteria. Meta-data of the included chatbots and their characteristics were extracted from their description and upon installation by 2 reviewers. Finally, chatbots quality information was assessed by following the mHONcode principles. RESULTS Although around 1000 anxiety and depression related chatbots exist, only a few (n=11) contained actual chatbots that could provide the user a real substitute for a human-human based interaction, even with today's Artificial Intelligence advancements, only one of these chatbots had voice as an input/output modality. Of the selected apps that contained chatbots all were clearly built with a therapeutic human substitute goal in mind. The majority had high user ratings and downloads highlighting the popularity of such chatbots and their promising future within the realm of anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS Anxiety and depression chatbot apps have the potential to increase the capacity of mental health self-care providing much needed assistance to professionals. In the current covid-19 pandemic, chatbots can also serve as a conversational companion with the potential of combating loneliness, especially in lockdowns where there is a lack of social interaction. Due to the ubiquitous nature of chatbots users can access them on-demand at the touch of a screen on ones’ smartphone. Self-care interventions are known to be effective and exist in various forms and some can be made available as chatbot features, such as assessment, mood tracking, medicine tracking, or simply providing conversation in times of loneliness.

Evaluation of Persian language epilepsy-related mobile apps: A systematic review and quality assessment with a focus on content (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mina Zibaei ◽  
Reza Khajouei
Keyword(s):  
Information Quality ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Keywords Epilepsy ◽  
Limited Health Literacy ◽  
Persian Language ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Limited Health ◽  
Google Play

BACKGROUND In Iran, around 0.05 of population suffer from epilepsy. Poorer health outcomes stem from limited health literacy. The use of mHealth, especially for educating patients in terms of self-care can be very effective. But the important thing is the content that is presented by apps, especially when unreliable or biased information can negatively affect the patient-doctor relationship, causing anxiety or stress. Also, usability of mHealth apps and their impact on behavior change are the other important issues that should be considered. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of Persian language epilepsy-related mobile applications in terms of functionality and quality with a focus on content. METHODS The Persian equivalent of the keywords 'epilepsy' and 'seizure' were searched in the Google Play, Cafe Bazaar and IranApps app stores and the Persian language applications about epilepsy were extracted. These apps were evaluated by two trained reviewers independently using the uMARS scale and DISCERN instrument. Also apps’ prices and the number of installations were assessed. RESULTS A total of 659 applications were retrieved, 78 of which were epilepsy-related. After exclusion of non-Persian language and duplicate apps, there remained 11 relevant apps. The overall mean uMARS score was 2.8 out of 5 while six out of 11 apps (54%) scored higher than 3. The mean figures for the section-specific scores were as follows: engagement 2.2, functionality 4.0, aesthetics 3.3, and information 2.3. The overall DISCERN scores ranged from 26 to 40 out of 80, while the mean score was 34.5. The mean score of reliability was 18.5. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that the overall information quality of the epilepsy apps is poor. The most important missing characteristics of these apps include lack of functionalities for self-care, missing entry date, lack of details about additional sources and inexistence of the risks/benefits of each treatment. The findings suggest that more efforts should be made to develop evidence-based epilepsy-related apps to cover broader domains of self-care and behavioral change techniques.

Effects of music-based movement therapy on motor function, balance, gait, mental health, and quality of life for patients with Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 026921552199052
Author(s):  
Zonglei Zhou ◽  
Ruzhen Zhou ◽  
Wen Wei ◽  
Rongsheng Luan ◽  
Kunpeng Li
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Freezing Of Gait ◽  
Movement Therapy ◽  
Walking Velocity

Objective: To conduct a systematic review evaluating the effects of music-based movement therapy on motor function, balance, gait, mental health, and quality of life among individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Data sources: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database was carried out to identify eligible papers published up to December 10, 2020. Review methods: Literature selection, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment were independently performed by two investigators. Publication bias was determined by funnel plot and Egger’s regression test. “Trim and fill” analysis was performed to adjust any potential publication bias. Results: Seventeen studies involving 598 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Music-based movement therapy significantly improved motor function (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale motor subscale, MD = −5.44, P = 0.002; Timed Up and Go Test, MD = −1.02, P = 0.001), balance (Berg Balance Scale, MD = 2.02, P < 0.001; Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test, MD = 2.95, P = 0.001), freezing of gait (MD = −2.35, P = 0.039), walking velocity (MD = 0.18, P < 0.001), and mental health (SMD = −0.38, P = 0.003). However, no significant effects were observed on gait cadence, stride length, and quality of life. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that music-based movement therapy is an effective treatment approach for improving motor function, balance, freezing of gait, walking velocity, and mental health for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

scholarly journals The Prevalence of TET2 Gene Mutations in Patients with BCR-ABL-Negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3078
Author(s):  
Yuh Cai Chia ◽  
Md Asiful Islam ◽  
Phil Hider ◽  
Peng Yeong Woon ◽  
Muhammad Farid Johan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Regional Differences ◽  
Myeloproliferative Neoplasms ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Gene Mutations ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Critical Appraisal Tool ◽  
Appraisal Tool

Multiple recurrent somatic mutations have recently been identified in association with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). This meta-analysis aims to assess the pooled prevalence of TET2 gene mutations among patients with MPN. Six databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Web of Science and Embase) were searched for relevant studies from inception till September 2020, without language restrictions. The eligibility criteria included BCR-ABL-negative MPN adults with TET2 gene mutations. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses explored results among different continents and countries, WHO diagnostic criteria, screening methods and types of MF. Quality assessment was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020212223). Thirty-five studies were included (n = 5121, 47.1% female). Overall, the pooled prevalence of TET2 gene mutations in MPN patients was 15.5% (95% CI: 12.1–19.0%, I2 = 94%). Regional differences explained a substantial amount of heterogeneity. The prevalence of TET2 gene mutations among the three subtypes PV, ET and MF were 16.8%, 9.8% and 15.7%, respectively. The quality of the included studies was determined to be moderate–high among 83% of the included studies. Among patients with BCR-ABL-negative MPN, the overall prevalence of TET2 gene mutations was 15.5%.

scholarly journals Blockade of the angiotensin system improves mental health domain of quality of life: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J Brownstein ◽  
Estela Salagre ◽  
Cristiano Köhler ◽  
Brendon Stubbs ◽  
João Vian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Angiotensin System ◽  
Health Domain

scholarly journals Scoping review of mental health in prisons through the COVID-19 pandemic

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e046547
Author(s):  
Luke Johnson ◽  
Kerry Gutridge ◽  
Julie Parkes ◽  
Anjana Roy ◽  
Emma Plugge
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Prison Staff ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveTo examine the extent, nature and quality of literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of imprisoned people and prison staff.DesignScoping review.Data sourcesPubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Global Health, Cochrane, PsycINFO, PsychExtra, Web of Science and Scopus were searched for any paper from 2019 onwards that focused on the mental health impact of COVID-19 on imprisoned people and prison staff. A grey literature search focused on international and government sources and professional bodies representing healthcare, public health and prison staff was also performed. We also performed hand searching of the reference lists of included studies.Eligibility criteria for selection of studiesAll papers, regardless of study design, were included if they examined the mental health of imprisoned people or prison staff specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Imprisoned people could be of any age and from any countries. All languages were included. Two independent reviewers quality assessed appropriate papers.ResultsOf 647 articles found, 83 were eligible for inclusion, the majority (58%) of which were opinion pieces. The articles focused on the challenges to prisoner mental health. Fear of COVID-19, the impact of isolation, discontinuation of prison visits and reduced mental health services were all likely to have an adverse effect on the mental well-being of imprisoned people. The limited research and poor quality of articles included mean that the findings are not conclusive. However, they suggest a significant adverse impact on the mental health and well-being of those who live and work in prisons.ConclusionsIt is key to address the mental health impacts of the pandemic on people who live and work in prisons. These findings are discussed in terms of implications for getting the balance between infection control imperatives and the fundamental human rights of prison populations.

scholarly journals Burden of predominant psychological reactions among the healthcare workers and general during COVID-19 pandemic phase: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhaskar Thakur ◽  
Mona Pathak
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Psychological Reactions ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
Anxiety Depression

ABSTRACTAimPresent systematic review and meta-analysis examined the burden of psychological reactions predominantly anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia during novel COVID-19 pandemic phase among the frontline healthcare, non-frontline healthcare and general.MethodologyPubMed, EMBASE and SCOPUS were searched for studies between Jan 1, 2020 to May 25, 2020. Brief protocol of the systematic review was registered with the PROSPERO database, (CRD42020186229).Any study that reported the burden of at least one of psychological reactions including anxiety or depression or stress or insomnia was eligible. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistic and results were synthesized using random effect meta-analysis.ResultsOut of 52eligible studies, 43 reported anxiety, 43 reported depression, 20 reported stress and 11 reported insomnia. Overall prevalence for anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia were 26.6%, 26.2%,26.2% and 34.4% respectively. Anxiety and depression were found highest among the COVID-19 patients (43.3% and 51.75 respectively). Apart from COVID-19 patients, prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia were found highest among the frontline healthcare (27.2%, 32.1%,55.6% and 34.4% respectively) as compared to general healthcare workers (26.9%, 15.7%, 7.0% and 34.0% respectively) and general population (25.9%, 25.9%,25.4% and 29.4% respectively).ConclusionAnxiety and depression were found highest among the COVID-19 patients. Apart from COVID-19 patients, the anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia were more prevalent among frontline healthcare workers compared to general. Such increased prevalence is prompting towards the global mental health emergency. Therefore a call of urgent attention and pan-region effective mental-health intervention are required to mitigate these psychological reactions.

scholarly journals Web-Based Mindfulness Interventions for Mental Health Treatment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

10.2196/10278 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. e10278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Sevilla-Llewellyn-Jones ◽  
Olga Santesteban-Echarri ◽  
Ingrid Pryor ◽  
Patrick McGorry ◽  
Mario Alvarez-Jimenez
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Mindfulness Skills ◽  
Mindfulness Interventions ◽  
Depression Disorder

Background Web-based mindfulness interventions are increasingly delivered through the internet to treat mental health conditions. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions in clinical mental health populations. Secondary aims were to explore the impact of study variables on the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions. Methods We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating the effects of web-based mindfulness interventions on clinical populations. Results The search strategy yielded 12 eligible studies. Web-based mindfulness interventions were effective in reducing depression in the total clinical sample (n=656 g=−0.609, P=.004) and in the anxiety disorder subgroup (n=313, g=−0.651, P<.001), but not in the depression disorder subgroup (n=251, P=.18). Similarly, web-based mindfulness interventions significantly reduced anxiety in the total clinical sample (n=756, g=−0.433, P=.004) and the anxiety disorder subgroup (n=413, g=−0.719, P<.001), but not in the depression disorder group (n=251, g=−0.213, P=.28). Finally, web-based mindfulness interventions improved quality of life and functioning in the total sample (n=591, g=0.362, P=.02) in the anxiety disorder subgroup (n=370, g=0.550, P=.02) and mindfulness skills in the total clinical sample (n=251, g=0.724, P<.001). Conclusions Results support the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions in reducing depression and anxiety and in enhancing quality of life and mindfulness skills, particularly in those with clinical anxiety. Results should be interpreted with caution given the high heterogeneity of web-based mindfulness interventions and the low number of studies included.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Preeclampsia Results after Use of Metformin in Gestation: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. 713-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iramar Nascimento ◽  
Guilherme Dienstmann ◽  
Matheus de Souza ◽  
Raquel Fleig ◽  
Carla Hoffmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cochrane Collaboration ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Time Segment ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Cochrane Collaboration ◽  
Lower Correlation

Objective Does the use of metformin have an influence on the outcomes of preeclampsia (PE)? Sources of Data The descriptors pregnancy, metformin, treatment, and preeclampsia associated with the Boolean operators AND and OR were found in the MEDLINE, LILACS, Embase and Cochrane databases. A flowchart with exclusion criteria and inclusion strategy using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, and eligibility criteria was used. Data were extracted regarding the type of study, the applied dosage, treatment time, segment, bias risks, and the Patient, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) strategy to identify the quality of the study. Selection of Studies Total number of journals in the initial search (n = 824); exclusions from repeated articles on different search engines (n = 253); exclusions after reading the titles, when the title had no correlations with the proposed theme (n = 164); exclusions due to incompatibility with the criteria established in the methodological analysis (n = 185), exclusion of articles with lower correlation with the objective of the present study (n = 187); and final bibliographic selection (n = 35). Data Collection At first, a systematic review of the literature was performed. Subsequently, from the main selection, randomized and non-randomized trials with metformin that presented their results in absolute and relative numbers of PE outcomes were selected. The variables were treated statistically in the meta-analysis with the Review Manager software (RevMan), version 5.3. Copenhagen: Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration. Denmark in the Hovedistaden region. Synthesis of Data The study showed that metmorfin presented greater preventive effects for pregnancy-induced hypertension and was less effective for PE. Conclusion Metformin may gain place in preventive treatments for PE, once the dosages, the gestational age, and treatment time are particularly evaluated. A methodological strategy with an improved perspective of innovative and/or carefully progressive dosages during pregnancy to avoid side effects and the possibility of maternal-fetal risks is suggested.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between periodontitis and oral high-risk human papillomavirus infection

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Ali ◽  
Zohra S Lassi ◽  
Kostas Kapellas ◽  
Lisa Jamieson ◽  
Alice R Rumbold
Keyword(s):  
Human Papillomavirus ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Hpv Infection ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Oral Hpv ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Background The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs) is increasing globally. Common oral conditions such as periodontitis may contribute. We undertook a meta-analysis to quantify the association between periodontitis, oral HPV and OPSCCs. Methods Multiple electronic databases were searched until 12 February 2020. Studies conducted in males and/or females aged ≥ 18 years that examined periodontitis, periodontal procedures, oral HPV infection, and where possible, oral cancers, were eligible. Meta-analyses were conducted and the GRADE approach was used to examine the quality of evidence. Results Of 2709 studies identified, 13 met the eligibility criteria. Five studies could be included in the meta-analyses. There was no significant increase in the odds of high-risk oral HPV infection among individuals with confirmed periodontitis (odds ratio 4.71, 95% confidence interval 0.57–38.97). Individuals with periodontitis had a 3.65 times higher odds of having any type of oral HPV infection compared with those without periodontitis (95% confidence interval 1.67–8.01). The overall body of evidence was rated as low to very-low certainty. Conclusion Meta-analysis confirms there is a positive association between periodontitis and oral HPV infection, although the overall quality of this evidence is low. Evidence for an association between periodontitis and high-risk oral HPV infection is inconclusive.

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