Examining the Feasibility of the Ask RoSE Mobile Mental Health Application

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% (200/320), which is slightly higher than the average United States’ rate of ownership of 58% in January 2014. Overall patient interest in utilizing smartphones to monitor symptoms was 70.6% (226/320). Conclusions These results suggest that psychiatric outpatients are interested in using their smartphones to monitor their mental health and own the smartphones capable of running mental healthcare related mobile applications.

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mHealth in the Wild: Using Novel Data to Examine the Reach, Use, and Impact of PTSD Coach

JMIR Mental Health ◽

10.2196/mental.3935 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. e7 ◽

Cited By ~ 88

Author(s):

Jason E Owen ◽

Beth K Jaworski ◽

Eric Kuhn ◽

Kerry N Makin-Byrd ◽

Kelly M Ramsey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

Health Impact ◽

Management Tool ◽

Public Health Impact ◽

User Reviews ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Health Apps ◽

Mobile Mental Health ◽

First Time

Background A majority of Americans (58%) now use smartphones, making it possible for mobile mental health apps to reach large numbers of those who are living with untreated, or under-treated, mental health symptoms. Although early trials suggest positive effects for mobile health (mHealth) interventions, little is known about the potential public health impact of mobile mental health apps. Objective The purpose of this study was to characterize reach, use, and impact of “PTSD Coach”, a free, broadly disseminated mental health app for managing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods Using a mixed-methods approach, aggregate mobile analytics data from 153,834 downloads of PTSD Coach were analyzed in conjunction with 156 user reviews. Results Over 60% of users engaged with PTSD Coach on multiple occasions (mean=6.3 sessions). User reviews reflected gratitude for the availability of the app and being able to use the app specifically during moments of need. PTSD Coach users reported relatively high levels of trauma symptoms (mean PTSD Checklist Score=57.2, SD=15.7). For users who chose to use a symptom management tool, distress declined significantly for both first-time users (mean=1.6 points, SD=2.6 on the 10-point distress thermometer) and return-visit users (mean=2.0, SD=2.3). Analysis of app session data identified common points of attrition, with only 80% of first-time users reaching the app’s home screen and 37% accessing one of the app’s primary content areas. Conclusions These findings suggest that PTSD Coach has achieved substantial and sustained reach in the population, is being used as intended, and has been favorably received. PTSD Coach is a unique platform for the delivery of mobile mental health education and treatment, and continuing evaluation and improvement of the app could further strengthen its public health impact.

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Advances in Mobile Mental Health: Opportunities and Implications for the Spectrum of E-Mental Health Services

FOCUS The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry ◽

10.1176/appi.focus.16301 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 314-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Donald M. Hilty ◽

Steven Chan ◽

Tiffany Hwang ◽

Alice Wong ◽

Amy M. Bauer

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Mobile Mental Health

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Free, Discreet, Accessible: VA's Mobile Mental Health Apps in Care

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e503442021-001 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tim Avery ◽

Colleen Becket-Davenport

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Apps ◽

Mobile Mental Health

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Mobile Mental Health for Depression Assistance

10.4018/978-1-7998-8634-1.ch002 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 21-40

Author(s):

Jorge Magalhães Rodrigues ◽

Frédéric Oliveira ◽

Carolina Porto Ribeiro ◽

Regina Camargo Santos

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Mobile Health ◽

Medical Illness ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Promising Tool ◽

Key Concepts ◽

Mobile Mental Health ◽

Effective Treatments

Depression is a prevalent and severe medical illness that negatively affects how people feel, think, and act, with estimates pointing towards more than 300 million suffering from depression worldwide. Although effective treatments exist, about 80% of people in low and middle-income countries do not receive therapy. Therefore, technology has become a promising tool to assist in reducing disparities. This study aims to identify and map the available evidence on mobile health applied to depression and clarify key concepts. The authors analyzed clinical trials developed over the last five years. EBSCO and PubMed were searched, and a total of 14 conducted RCTs were selected and reviewed. Despite some limitations regarding dropout rates and several ethical and safety concerns, the mobile mental health future seems promising.

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