According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 8 people worldwide live with mental health issues, of whom more than 80% reside in low- or middle-income countries. Prevalence rates are even higher in children and adolescents, with However, only 25% of individuals in the United States with mental illness receive psychological help, whereas in low- and middle-income countries this number drops to 10%-11%.
A newly introduced policy by the World Health Organization recommends an increase in self-care tools using mobile devices. Mobile health apps can help diminish the stigma and discrimination related to mental health issues and overcome the problem of inaccessible or unaffordable therapies, especially among minority groups and immigrants. Hence, mobile health interventions are a promising avenue to bridge the gap between seeking help and accessing mental health resources, particularly in young people, who are experiencing the highest prevalence of psychological problems and who are also the heaviest smartphone users.
To determine the efficacy of mobile health apps in monitoring and assessing mental health among young people, Center Director Dr. K. Viswanath and Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Laura Marciano, among others, conducted the first umbrella review on the topic, including 30 reviews published between 2016 and 2022. They found that mobile health assessments are feasible and have many valuable uses and benefits.
Mobile Health Assessments and Interventions:
- Allow the collection of data on an individual’s momentary ill- and well-being in relation to different lifestyle factors such as media use, diet, sleep, and ongoing pharmacological treatment
- Measure cognitive markers that can predict future outcomes, thus increasing symptom predictability
- Allow daily monitoring, which is particularly important in the early stages of mental illnesses that might become chronic, such as in the case of psychotic symptoms, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder
- Are often more accurate and less intrusive than traditional health monitoring, allowing for “minimally disruptive medicine”
- May provide a means for treating and managing a range of mental illnesses and improve well-being in low- and middle-income countries, which is especially significant considering that approximately 80% of people with mental health issues reside in these countries but 90% of them do not have access to evidence-based treatments. By doing so, this approach is a promising way to reduce health inequity and disparities.
In summary, this umbrella review points to a promising shift towards digitalization in mental health care. Mobile assessments offer the potential for real-time, personalized interventions, enabling individuals to adapt their behaviors based on feedback. Nevertheless, while the digitalization of mental health assessments and interventions holds great promise for bridging existing treatment gaps, it is essential to carefully evaluate both the benefit and limitations of this approach. This evaluation should take into account various factors, including different population groups, their access to digital technologies, mental health conditions, healthcare settings, and the balance between quantity and quality of data collected.
Written by Ayla Fudala, Center Communications Coordinator