Health Care Workers' Experience With a Psychological Self-Monitoring App During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mixed Methods...

Area of Science:

• Digital health interventions
• Mental health technology
• Occupational health psychology

Background:

• Healthcare workers (HCWs) faced significant psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Psychological self-monitoring apps may enhance emotional self-awareness, potentially reducing depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms.
• This study explored HCW experiences with a self-monitoring app in Quebec during the pandemic, focusing on adherence factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate HCWs' experiences with a psychological self-monitoring app.
• To determine if satisfaction, perceived contribution to self-awareness, and distress influenced app adherence.
• To identify factors affecting HCW engagement with digital mental health tools.

Main Methods:

• A convergent mixed-methods design was employed with 424 HCWs in Quebec.
• Data collection included weekly app-based well-being responses, a post-participation questionnaire, and 30 semistructured interviews.
• Statistical analyses involved correlations and hierarchical multiple regression; thematic analysis was used for qualitative data.

Main Results:

• Mean adherence was 74.5% and mean satisfaction was 80% over 12 weeks.
• App adherence was significantly predicted by user satisfaction (β=.16) and perceived contribution to self-awareness (β=.15).
• Qualitative themes revealed enhanced self-awareness and self-care, with participants finding the app practical but noting varied preferences and suggesting improvements.

Conclusions:

• A basic psychological self-monitoring app can be a valuable tool for HCWs seeking to improve self-awareness.
• These apps may aid in preventing psychological distress, especially during health crises like pandemics.
• User satisfaction and perceived benefits are key to promoting adherence to digital mental health interventions.