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Accessibility and availability of smartphone apps for schizophrenia
Sam Kwon1, Joseph Firth2,3, Devayani Joshi1
1Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Schizophrenia (Heidelberg, Germany)
|November 17, 2022
Summary
Schizophrenia apps in research are expanding, but few are accessible to patients. Most publicly available apps lack clinical relevance and frequent updates, hindering effective care.
Area of Science:
- Digital health
- Psychiatry
- Mental health technology
Background:
- App-based interventions show promise for improving care access and quality for schizophrenia patients.
- Limited understanding exists regarding the current research landscape of schizophrenia apps and their translation to public availability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review schizophrenia apps in research literature and on app marketplaces, focusing on accessibility and availability.
- To assess the characteristics and clinical relevance of available schizophrenia-related mobile applications.
Main Methods:
- Searched academic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar) and gray literature in August 2022.
- Searched U.S. Apple App Store and Google Play Store in July 2022 for schizophrenia apps.
- Systematically screened eligible studies and apps for inclusion and analyzed their features, focusing on accessibility and update frequency.
Main Results:
- Identified 60 eligible research studies, with 51.7% of apps on psychosis-specific platforms and 83.3% offering monitoring. Only nine research apps were easily accessible.
- Uncovered 537 marketplace apps, but only six were eligible. 83.3% offered only psychoeducation, and all lacked frequent updates (average 1121 days since last update).
Conclusions:
- There is a significant gap between research on schizophrenia apps and their availability/clinical utility in commercial marketplaces.
- Improving the translation of research-based apps to accessible, sustainable, and clinically relevant interventions is crucial for patient care.
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