The use of mobile devices and technology has spread to all areas of life, and mental health has not been ignored. Just as there are applications that help manage diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, there are also applications that help deal with depression and its symptoms.Meta-analyses published in journals JAMA network open found a “significant reduction in severity” in sick patients who used 16 apps. Researchers at Seoul National University in South Korea believe that these apps could lead to improved treatments for depression.
The function of these applications is to use tests to assess the patient’s mood and send guidelines and messages to help improve symptoms such as passivity, apathy, and decreased motivation, says Spanish Spirit. said Luis Gutierrez, a member of the medical society. Society for Mental Health (SEPSM). Additionally, some apps also have tools that allow remote consultations with therapists, adds Carme Carrión, principal researcher at his eHealth Lab group at the Universidad de la Radio de Catalunya (UOC).
The authors state that such applications offer more flexibility in terms of time and patient movement. However, they also advocate the need to further develop and refine these cell device-based therapies to “adapt them to socially disadvantaged populations.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3.8% of the world’s population (approximately 280 million people) suffer from depression. In low- and middle-income countries, more than 75% receive no treatment at all, despite the availability of many effective treatments. The authors of the study attribute this to the high cost of treatment, fear of stigmatization, and lack of awareness about the effectiveness of treatment.
The interventions analyzed lasted between 3 and 24 weeks and included both those receiving treatment and those not receiving treatment. After this study, the study authors concluded that for cell phone depression treatment to be as effective as possible, treatment should not be extended beyond eight weeks. The text added that this also reduced the “economic and psychological burden” on patients. They also observed that the severity was more reduced in people who were not receiving other depression treatments. Gutierrez believes it will take at least nine months to a year for patients to fully recover.
The psychiatrist said patients with moderate to severe depression are likely to notice improvement in their symptoms within eight weeks. “If I’m really depressed, I just do a few things and my symptoms improve quickly,” Gutierrez added. What would be of real interest to him would be to follow patients over time to “prevent relapse and ensure that initial improvements are maintained over time.”
They are not worth replacing psychologists.
Carme Carrion and Luis Gutiérrez say this type of application can never replace a therapist. While the app provides value, Carrion adds that what really matters is “how the treatment process is designed and how this tool is incorporated to be effective.” Gutierrez emphasized that they can complement a psychiatrist or psychologist in cases where they are not already seeing them: “These applications provide guidelines and recommendations on a daily basis. ” states.
Miguel Ángel López, clinical psychologist at Jaén Hospital and member of the steering committee of the Spanish Society of Clinical and Health Psychology (SEPCyS), says that the treatment approach for depression is multidisciplinary and individualized for each patient. explain. The same expert doubts the effectiveness of apps to treat depression, as the Seoul National University study states, depression can be “addressed and treated by entering the application. ” could be confusing and frustrating for patients.
The study analyzed 13 studies that evaluated 16 apps with a total of 1,470 participants between the ages of 20 and 40. Gutiérrez (from SEPSM) and López (from SEPCyS) agree that the sample is too small and homogeneous to generalize the results to the entire population, and the authors acknowledge this in the text itself.UOC survey results announced last September JMR PublicationsThe research team, which included Carrion, concluded that a hybrid intervention that combined the use of these applications with traditional treatments was more effective. The authors say the treatment is more economical for patients and can expand therapists’ ability to treat more people.
Trust apps for treatment
UOC researchers believe that suitable mobile applications to treat depression must be based on scientific evidence, involve medical professionals in their development, and clearly specify everything regarding the use of patient data. That’s what I think. Furthermore, it would be interesting to have an app that can be integrated with the information networks of public health systems. The data will therefore be transferred directly to the patient’s medical history, Carrion emphasizes.
Gutierrez said there are some examples of this kind of application not only in treating depression, but also bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. One way he distinguishes between effective and ineffective applications is to see if the application has the hallmarks of a healthcare provider. For example, in Spain, the Andalucía Health Quality Agency issues the Health App Seal, and Catalonia publishes his AppSalut, a catalog with certified and safe applications for therapeutic use. In the United States, the American Psychological Association (APA) has developed a five-point rating model that takes into account factors such as data processing, ease of use, and the presence or absence of clinical trials proving effectiveness.
Research like this has made it clear that transforming the health care system requires more than simply increasing the number of people working. According to Carmen Carrion, everything needs to be more efficient, and this includes the use of these tools to accompany people in real time during therapist visits. Stressing the importance of investing in mental health, UOC researchers said, “We’re not just talking about a lot of new people joining the health system, we’re talking about tools that can help these people.” ” she concludes.
sign up Get more English news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition with our weekly newsletter.