Mobile health for mental health
- Issue Areas
- Health and well-being
- Outcomes
- Supportive neighborhoods
Program overview
Mental health care services delivered via text or apps on mobile devices: Mobile health for mental health (also known as, “mHealth”) uses text messaging and mobile applications (“apps”) to provide healthcare services and support to people with mental health conditions. They can either be designed to deliver or supplement professional mental health services or as stand-alone mental health supports. There is some evidence that these interventions can improve users’ mental health.
Used to address a variety of mental health needs: Mobile health applications have been used to target a range of different conditions, including depression and anxiety (for which there is the strongest evidence of effectiveness), drug and alcohol use, PTSD, borderline personality disorder, and suicidal ideation.
Used in conjunction with medical professionals: Mental health apps can be used by patients who are also receiving traditional therapy from a mental health professional, often to supplement or enhance that treatment. Providers may communicate with patients or conduct therapy sessions via chat or video call, or ask patients to use apps to monitor thought patterns or behaviors between sessions. This allows providers to connect with patients remotely, enables more frequent contact between providers and patients, and allows patients and providers to regularly monitor symptoms and behaviors.
Used as stand-alone mental health support: Some mental health apps are designed to be used without the direct involvement of a mental health professional. These apps may send users messages with educational information, reminders to record behavior or mental states, or supportive notes. These apps can offer treatment options for low-level mental health concerns without the need for a medical provider.
Privacy policies vary across apps and services: There is currently no broadly accepted or utilized standard for privacy and security on Mobile health apps. Some apps include HIPAA-compliant messaging systems but many are not regulated by HIPAA and can collect data either for internal use or to share externally.
- Strategies
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Increasing access to health care
- Cost per Participant
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Not available
Multiple studies with rigorous designs provide some evidence for mobile health as a strategy to improve mental health.
- This assessment is based on evidence from a 2018 research synthesis.
Combine with traditional mental health treatment methods: Mobile health interventions have a greater effect on mental health when they are combined with support from a mental health professional as opposed to being accessed and utilized without traditional mental health treatment. Using an app in conjunction with psychotherapy or other behavioral health interventions makes it more likely to produce the intended outcomes.
Incorporate both evidence-based therapy and design strategies: Apps are most likely to be effective when they rely on established mental health treatment strategies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Apps are also most likely to be effective when they offer services through an engaging and appealing user interface.
Include safeguards in app design: Mobile health apps should have built-in methods to respond to emergency situations as well as systems to protect user privacy and secure information (e.g., HIPAA compliance, guarantee to not sell data to third parties). Involving researchers, patients, and medical providers during the app development process can help ensure that these safeguards address all possible concerns.
Rigorously evaluate options when selecting an existing mobile health intervention: Given the wide range of apps and services on the market and the lack of qualification or certification requirements, it is important for mental health professionals to select an app based on an established evaluation model. Healthcare providers should evaluate options thoroughly before recommending an app or incorporating it into their practice.