Post on 08-Feb-2017
The role of health apps in mental health – meeting patient needs
Knut Schroeder
Hello!
Practising GP
Health literacy and self-care
Health information apps
Why mental health?
Common – 1 in 4 adults
Impact on people’s lives
Treatable
www.nhsconfed.org
Challenges
Need for information
Stigma and help-seeking
Ongoing support
British Psychological Society: bps.org.uk
Royal College of Psychiatrists: rcpsych.ac.uk
MIND: mind.org.uk
MH apps - benefits and uses
Source: JMIR Mental Health 2015;2(1):e10
Pros
• Convenience
• Anonymity
• Introduction to care
• Lower cost
• Service to more people
• Interest
• 24-hour service
• Consistency
• Support
Source: National Institute of Mental Health, 2016
Cons
• Effectiveness
• For whom and for what
• Guidance
• Privacy
• Regulation
• Overselling
Source: National Institute of Mental Health, 2016
‘WorkOut’ app
• Principles of CBT
• Increase well-being
• Manage problems better
‘Mind shift’ app
• Manage anxiety
• Change thinking
• Reduce stress
‘Mindfulness Coach’ app
• Exercises & reminders
• Tracking
• Focus on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Meeting user needs: ‘SAM’ app
Winner – Best Anxiety Apps 2016
Understand and manage anxiety
Monitor anxious thoughts and behaviour
Self-help exercises & mini games
Private reflection
Social cloud – anonymous SAM community
Over 500K downloads
I really like I can track my
anxiety…The best part there is chat…
SAM app – user feedback
Helps me put things in order
and relax
Why is the SAM app so successful?
•Meets user needs
•Developed by experts• Psychologists• User experience
•User input
Why involve users?
• Test assumptions
•New ideas
• Improvements
How to involve users?
•Make users part of your team
•Ask the right questions – often!
•Get a deep understanding• Virtual discussion groups• Interviews & focus groups• Questionnaires
Evaluating mental health apps
• No review boards
• Limited check-lists
• No rules
• Lack of peer-reviewed research
• No national standards
Source: National Institute of Mental Health, 2016
How to achieve and maintain standards?
NHS Guide for Developing Mobile Healthcare Applications
Future trends
• Self-management
• Improve thinking-skills
• Skills-training
• Illness management & supported care
• Passive symptom tracking
• Data collection
Source: National Institute of Mental Health, 2016
Involve users