Mobile Applications in Mood Disorders and Mental Health: Systematic Search in Apple App Store and Google Play Store and Review of the Literature (Preprint)

BACKGROUND There are thousands of health apps available, including for mood disorders. However, their access is unstructured, and most are never download nor used. Their outcomes are rarely systematically measured and therefore effectiveness is disputed, even potentially damaging. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed and continues to pose a significant burden on population mental health, yet it has also given rise to rapid eHealth development. However, despite increasing reliance on eHealth solutions, major knowledge gaps on their utility and effectiveness persist. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this work was to explore and characterize the current landscape of mobile applications available to treat mood disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and dysthymia. METHODS We developed a tool that makes both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store searchable using keywords and that facilitates the extraction of basic app information of the search results. All app results were filtered using various inclusion and exclusion criteria. We characterised all resultant applications according to their technical details. Furthermore, we searched for scientific publications on each app’s website and PubMed, to understand whether any of the apps were supported by any type of scientific evidence on their acceptability, validation, use, effectiveness, etc. RESULTS Thirty apps were identified that fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The literature search yielded 27 publications related to the apps. However, these did not exclusively concern mood disorders. 6 were randomised studies and the rest included a protocol, pilot-, feasibility, case-, or qualitative studies, among others. The majority of studies were conducted on relatively small scales and 9 of the 27 studies did not explicitly study the effects of mobile application use on mental wellbeing. CONCLUSIONS While there exists a wealth of mobile applications aimed at the treatment of mental health disorders, including mood disorders, this study has shown that only a handful of these are backed by robust scientific evidence. This result uncovers a need for further clinically-oriented and systematic validation and testing of such apps.

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Mobile Applications for Health Management of Older Adults: A Scoping Review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.22823 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nurul Asilah Ahmad ◽

Shahrul Azman Mohd Noah ◽

Arimi Fitri Mat Ludin ◽

Suzana Shahar ◽

Noorlaili Mohd Tohit

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Goal Setting ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Health Management ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Personalized Feedback ◽

Self Monitoring ◽

App Store ◽

Evidenced Based ◽

Google Play

BACKGROUND Currently, the use of smartphones to deliver health-related content has experienced a rapid growth, with more than 165,000 mobile health (mHealth) applications currently available in the digital marketplace such as iOS store and Google Play. Among these, there are several mobile applications (mobile apps) that offer tools for disease prevention and management among older generations. These mobile apps could potentially promote health behaviors which will reduce or delay the onset of disease. However, no review to date that has focused on the app marketplace specific for older adults and little is known regarding its evidence-based quality towards the health of older adults. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to characterize and critically appraise the content and functionality of mobile apps that focuses on health management and/or healthy lifestyle among older adults. METHODS An electronic search was conducted between May 2019 to December 2019 of the official app store for two major smartphone operating systems: iPhone operating system (iTunes App Store) and Android (Google Play Store). Stores were searched separately using predetermined search terms. Two authors screened apps based on information provided in the app description. Metadata from all included apps were abstracted into a standard assessment criteria form. Evidenced based strategies and health care expert involvement of included apps was assessed. Evidenced based strategies included: self-monitoring, goal setting, physical activity support, healthy eating support, weight and/or health assessment, personalized feedback, motivational strategies, cognitive training and social support. Two authors verified the data with reference to the apps and downloaded app themselves. RESULTS A total of 16 apps met the inclusion criteria. Six out of 16 (37.5%) apps were designed exclusively for the iOS platform while ten out of 16 (62.5%) were designed for Android platform exclusively. Physical activity component was the most common feature offered in all the apps (9/16, 56.3%) and followed by cognitive training (8/16, 50.0%). Diet/nutrition (0/16, 0%) feature, however, was not offered on all reviewed mobile apps. Of reviewed apps, 56.3% (9/16) provide education, 37.5% (6/16) provide self-monitoring features, 18.8% (3/16) provide goal setting features, 18.5% (3/16) provide personalized feedback, 6.3% (1/16) provide social support and none of the reviewed apps offers heart rate monitoring and reminder features to the users. CONCLUSIONS All reviewed mobile apps for older adults in managing health did not focused on diet/nutrition component, lack of functional components and lack of health care professional involvement in their development process. There is also a need to carry out scientific testing prior to the development of the app to ensure cost effective and its health benefits to older adults. Collaborative efforts between developers, researchers, health professionals and patients are needed in developing evidence-based, high quality mobile apps in managing health prior they are made available in the app store.

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m-Health solutions for perinatal mental health: a systematic search and appraisal following the App Evaluation Model (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.30724 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Benedetta Spadaro ◽

Nayra Anna Martin-Key ◽

Erin Funnell ◽

Sabine Bahn

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Evaluation Model ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Perinatal Mental Health ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Model Framework ◽

Mental Health Assessment ◽

App Store ◽

Google Play

BACKGROUND Currently, the screening of perinatal mental health symptoms is confined to maternity and primary care settings. Critically, the ever-increasing pressure on healthcare systems has resulted in under-recognition of perinatal mental disorders. Digital mental health tools, such as applications (apps) could provide an option for accessible perinatal mental health screening and assessments. However, there is a lack of information regarding the availability and effectiveness of perinatal app options. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the current state of diagnostic and screening apps for perinatal mental health available on the Google Play store (Android) and Apple App store (iOS), and to review their features following the App Evaluation Model framework. METHODS A systematic review approach was used to identify perinatal mental health assessment apps on the Apple App store and Google Play store. 14 apps met inclusion criteria, were downloaded, and reviewed in a standardized manner using the App Evaluation Model framework. The framework comprised 107 questions allowing for a comprehensive assessment of app origin, functionality, engagement features, security, and clinical use. RESULTS The majority of apps were developed by for-profit companies (n=10), followed by private individuals (n=2), and trusted healthcare companies (n=2). Three apps were only available on Android devices, four were available only on iOS devices, and seven on both platforms. Approximately a third of apps (n=5) had been updated within the last 180 days. Most apps did not have enough reviews to display average ratings. Twelve apps offered the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in its original version or in rephrased versions. Additionally, one app included screening scales for anxiety, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Engagement, input, and output features included reminder notifications, connection to therapists, and free writing features. Six apps offered psychoeducational information or references. Privacy policies were available for 11 of the 14 apps, with a median Flesch-Kincaid reading grade level of 12.3 One app claimed to be compliant with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act standards, two apps claimed to be General Data Protection Regulation compliant. Of the apps that could be accessed in full (n=10), all appeared to fulfil the claims stated in their description. Only one app referenced a relevant peer-reviewed study. All the apps provided a warning for use highlighting that the mental health assessment result should not be interpreted as a diagnosis nor as a substitute for medical care, hence all the apps were regarded as reference apps and not self-help tools. Only three apps allowed users to export or email their mental health test results. CONCLUSIONS These results support the view that there is space for designing and improving perinatal mental health applications. To this end, we recommend three areas of focus for app developers and clinicians looking to design apps for perinatal mental health assessment.

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Longitudinal trends in the quality, effectiveness and attributes of highly rated smartphone health apps

Evidence-Based Mental Health ◽

10.1136/ebmental-2019-300137 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 107-111 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mara Mercurio ◽

Mark Larsen ◽

Hannah Wisniewski ◽

Philip Henson ◽

Sarah Lagan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Physical Health ◽

High Rate ◽

Health Conditions ◽

High Turnover ◽

Medical Claims ◽

Health Apps ◽

App Store ◽

Google Play

BackgroundWhile there are numerous mental health apps on the market today, less is known about their safety and quality. This study aims to offer a longitudinal perspective on the nature of high visibility apps for common mental health and physical health conditions.MethodsIn July 2019, we selected the 10 top search-returned apps in the Apple App Store and Android Google Play Store using six keyword terms: depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, addiction, high blood pressure and diabetes. Each app was downloaded by two authors and reviewed by a clinician, and the app was coded for features, functionality, claims, app store properties, and other properties.ResultsCompared with 1 year prior, there were few statistically significant changes in app privacy policies, evidence and features. However, there was a high rate of turnover with only 34 (57%) of the apps from the Apple’s App Store and 28 (47%) from the Google Play Store remaining in the 2019 top 10 search compared with the 2018 search.DiscussionAlthough there was a high turnover of top search-returned apps between 2018 and 2019, we found that there were few significant changes in features, privacy, medical claims and other properties. This suggests that, although the highly visible and available apps are changing, there were no significant improvements in app quality or safety.

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Mobile-Assisted Pronunciation Training: The Google Play Pronunciation and Phonetics Application

Script Journal Journal of Linguistic and English Teaching ◽

10.24903/sj.v5i2.487 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 70-88

Author(s):

Fitria Meisarah

Keyword(s):

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Application ◽

Video Camera ◽

App Store ◽

Suprasegmental Features ◽

English Pronunciation ◽

Android App ◽

The University ◽

Google Play

Background: Several obstacles to pronunciation have been proposed and urged students to practice pronunciation deliberately. Regardless of these problematic, mobile applications can be a great assistant in pronunciation training. However, considering that Google Play is the most prominent android app store with 227,970 instructional devices, it is challenging to find and select pronunciation and phonetics applications. Students should be conscious of their needs by recognizing the proper mobile application for pronunciation learning. This study explores the pronunciation applications utilized by students for pronunciation learning in and out of the classroom. Methodology: This study administered the data with paper reports and interviews accompanying students. This study involved 41 students who were taking a pronunciation and phonetics course at the University of Kutai Kartanegara Tenggarong. Findings: Nine such applications, as reviewed in this study, are divided into two categories: English pronunciation special purpose (EPSP) application and English dictionary assisted pronunciation (EDAP) application. Noteworthy findings were not all of the applications fulfill the content and design approaches such the suprasegmental features, audio playback, and video camera recorder. Conclusion: This study endeavors to have a critical look at four applications recommended after concerning the term of Mobile Assisted Pronunciation Training (MAPT). They are AV Phonetic, English Phonetic Pronunciation, Listening Practice, English Pronunciation developed by Kepham, and U-Dictionary to assist pronunciation learning in and out of the classroom. Keywords: Pronunciation and phonetics; mobile application; MAPT

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Mobile Applications for Allergic Rhinitis

Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology ◽

10.1177/0003489418798385 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 127 (11) ◽

pp. 836-840 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Albert H. Zhou ◽

Varesh R. Patel ◽

Soly Baredes ◽

Jean Anderson Eloy ◽

Wayne D. Hsueh

Keyword(s):

Allergic Rhinitis ◽

Operating Systems ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

App Store ◽

Search Terms ◽

Pollen Forecast ◽

Google Play

Objective: To study and review the currently available mobile applications relating to allergic rhinitis. Methods: The Apple and Google mobile app stores were queried with search terms relating to allergic rhinitis. Apps were assigned to categories and analyzed based on description and characteristics such as popularity, reviews, cost, platform, and physician involvement in development. Results: A total of 72 apps related to allergic rhinitis were identified. Fifty-four apps were unique, with 18 apps found on both operating systems. Forty (55.5%) apps were available in the Apple App store, and 32 (44.4%) apps were available in the Google Play app store. They were grouped into the following categories: patient education (18; 25%), journals (15; 20.8%), symptom tracking (14; 19.4%), clinical/private practice (13; 18.1%), pollen forecast (7; 9.7%), medical education (4; 5.6%), and other (1; 1.4%). The majority of apps were free of charge (67; 93.1%), with paid apps ranging from $1.47 to $4.99. Apps that were reviewed had an average rating of 3.9 out of 5. Physicians were involved in the development of 37 (51.4%) apps. Conclusions: The collection of mobile apps developed for allergic rhinitis includes those for both educational and clinical use. Mobile apps may have an increasing role in otolaryngic allergy and rhinology practices in the future. Thus, continued research is warranted to determine the best way to ensure the accuracy and quality of app content as well as the extent mobile apps can benefit allergic rhinitis patients.

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Digital Interventions to Support Population Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.26550 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Gillian Strudwick ◽

Sanjeev Sockalingam ◽

Iman Kassam ◽

Lydia Sequeira ◽

Sarah Bonato ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Economic Status ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Evaluation Framework ◽

Rapid Review ◽

Digital Interventions ◽

Health Related ◽

Population Mental Health ◽

Standard Quality

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a number of negative health related consequences, including impacts on mental health. More than 22% of Canadians reported that they had felt depressed in the last week, in response to a December, 2020 national survey. Given the need to physically distance during the pandemic, and the increase in demand for mental health services, digital interventions that support mental health and wellness may be beneficial. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this research was to identify digital interventions that could be broadly used to reduce the potential mental health impacts of COVID-19 . The objectives were to identify : 1) the populations these interventions were developed for, inclusive of exploring areas of equity such as socio-economic status, sex/gender, race/ethnicity/culture and relevance to Indigenous People’s and communities; 2) the efficacy of the interventions; and 3) any barriers or facilitators to the use of the intervention. METHODS This study was completed using a Cochrane Rapid Review methodology. A search of Embase, Psycinfo, Medline and Web of Science, along with Google, Millionshort and popular mobile application libraries, was conducted. Two screeners were involved in applying inclusion and exclusion criteria using Covidence software. Academic articles and mobile applications identified were screened using the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria for Evaluating Primary Research Papers from a Variety of Fields resource, and the American Psychiatric Association App Evaluation Framework along with the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s guidance on application assessment and selection, respectively. RESULTS The searches of the academic and grey literature identified a total of 25 primary studies, 31 mobile applications and 114 web based resources. These resources have been listed on a publicly available website, along with search tags that may support an individual in identifying a suitable selection. CONCLUSIONS A number of digital interventions have been developed or augmented to support population mental health during the global COVID-19 pandemic. These interventions vary significantly in their purpose, approach, design, cost and targeted user group. While some research and digital interventions addressed equity related considerations, more research and focused attention should be paid to this area, especially as it relates to supports for Indigenous People’s and communities.

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P125 The effect of wellbeing mobile-applications on the Mental and Physical Health of Healthcare workers: A Systematic Review

BJS Open ◽

10.1093/bjsopen/zrab032.124 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Natasha Alford ◽

Michael Okocha ◽

Conor Jones ◽

Natasha Alford

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Smartphone Apps ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Physical Wellbeing ◽

Mindfulness Practices ◽

Mental And Physical Health

Abstract Introduction The growing pressure on Healthcare workers (HCWs) can lead to worsening physical and mental wellbeing. Use of traditional support systems is limited and whilst there are a significant number of mental health platforms, few are targeted towards HCWs. Objective This review aimed to assess the available literature and platforms focused on supporting HCWs mental health and wellbeing. Methods A systematic search, following PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Abstracts were included if they targeted HCWs and used smartphone apps to support wellbeing. A further comprehensive application search of IOS and Android stores was performed to identify HCW wellbeing applications. Results In total 725 abstracts were identified. 10 publications, with a total of 683 participants, relating to wellbeing applications in HCWs met the inclusion criteria. 87% of the HCWs included in the studies were female. The majority (9/10) of the studies reported improved wellbeing of HCWs following the use of app-based interventions. A total of 1656 mobile applications were identified and met the inclusion criteria if they focused on HCWs wellbeing. The majority of the studies and apps focused on increasing mindfulness practices and yielded statistically significant results compared to traditional interventions. Conclusion Wellbeing programmes delivered through an app provide convenience and can improve the mental and physical wellbeing HCW’s. This is particularly key during challenging times. Given the limited number of published studies on smartphone apps and the limited number of apps for HCWs, it is clear that there is a deficit that requires urgent addressing despite two promising candidates.

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Gambling Prevention Mobile Applications: Understanding the Inclusion and Use of Behaviour Change Techniques

Journal of Gambling Issues ◽

10.4309/jgi.2021.48.5 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 110-121

Author(s):

Tom St Quinton ◽

Ben Morris

Keyword(s):

Behaviour Change ◽

Health Behaviour ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Online Gambling ◽

Behaviour Change Techniques ◽

Gambling Problems ◽

Behaviour Change Technique ◽

App Store ◽

Google Play ◽

Gambling Prevention

Online gambling is emerging as a significant health behaviour of concern at a population level. Mobile applications (apps) are a popular tool to target change in health behaviour. Behaviour change techniques (BCTs) can be included within such apps to change relevant psychological mechanisms along established pathways, yet the content of apps targeting gambling problems specifically is not currently known. The purpose of the review was to identify the BCTs included in gambling prevention apps. Apps were downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in October 2020. Apps were included if they related to gambling problems, were freely downloadable, and available in English. Once downloaded, two researchers independently coded the apps in November 2020 using the behaviour change technique taxonomy version 1 (Michie et al., 2013). The screening led to forty apps meeting the inclusion criteria (12 Apple App Store, 28 Google Play). The analyses identified 32 BCTs (20 Apple apps, 28 Google Play apps), with apps including between 0 and 9 BCTs (mean = 2.82, median = 2). The BCTs included most frequently were “3.1. Social support (unspecified),” “2.3. Self-monitoring of behaviour,” and “7.4. Remove access to the reward.” The review provides important information on the BCTs used in apps developed to reduce gambling-related problems. A limited number of BCTs were adopted within apps. Developers of apps seeking to develop effective gambling reduction products should draw upon a greater variety of BCTs.

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“Bagels and doughnuts … round food for every mood” food advertising discourses

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-04-2015-0136 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 118 (2) ◽

pp. 327-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sarah Maddock ◽

Beverley Hill

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Consumer Information ◽

Food Advertising ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Exploratory Research ◽

Content Type ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Typical Food ◽

The Relationship

Purpose – The relationship between food and mood has been discussed for many years. The purpose of this paper is to extend that debate by exploring how food advertising, a key source of consumer information about food, utilises and implies varied associations between food and mood. Design/methodology/approach – The research combines a textually oriented analysis with an analysis of the visual images in a sample of typical food advertisements drawn from women’s magazines. Findings – Although healthy foods have the potential to enhance mood this is not often used as a key advertising message. Conversely, advertisements for foods that can depress mood frequently adopt messages of happiness and wellbeing. Research limitations/implications – This exploratory research provides an initial investigation of advertising discourses of food and mood at a snapshot in time. Based on the findings derived from this limited sample, further research is suggested which would provide a more comprehensive survey of food advertising. Practical implications – The research is of value to food promoters in suggesting that they review food messages and the use of emotional appeals in the light of developing scientific research on the link between food and mental wellbeing. Social implications – The growing interest in promoting mental health and wellbeing means that consumers and governments are keen to understand the relationship between food and mood and its potential influence on consumer food choices. Originality/value – This research indicates that some food advertising diverges from the scientific evidence on food and mental health and wellbeing. The research is therefore of value to food promoters and advertising regulators.

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Socioeconomic Status and Mental Health among Low-income Employees: A Systematic Literature Review

Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities ◽

10.47836/pjssh.29.3.20 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Errna Nadhirah Kamalulil ◽

Siti Aisyah Panatik

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Low Income ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Data Retrieval ◽

Comprehensive Understanding ◽

Exclusion Criteria ◽

Global Issue ◽

The Impact

Low-income employees are among the focus individuals whose socioeconomic status plays a major role in determining positive or negative mental health status. Mental health among low-income employees is a global issue that requires a comprehensive understanding of its determinant. The objective of this study is to systematically review scientific evidence on the impact of socioeconomic status on mental health among low-income employees. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, and data retrieval was done on 7th October 2020 using Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study, a total of 19 studies were included. Results indicate that the majority of the included studies revealed that socioeconomic status influences mental health, while two studies showed no influence. In conclusion, the findings from the review can provide guidelines to promote better mental health among low-income employees.

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