Developing an anxiety management application for healthcare providers: a qualitative study on improving well-being

Healthcare providers are at high risk of anxiety due to their responsibilities and workplace conditions. This issue may worsen over time, especially when the work duration is prolonged. One innovative approach to reducing healthcare providers anxiety, while enhancing the quality of care and improving patient safety, is the implementation of educational programs and the utilization of these resources through a mobile application. This study aimed to develop an anxiety management application to enhance the quality of care and improve patient safety.

An application prototype was developed based on a systematic review and refined through semi-structured interviews with healthcare workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and medical informatics specialists. The application was developed using the Flutter framework in both web-based and mobile formats for Android and iOS. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.

A systematic review, along with interviews with treatment staff, psychologists, and psychiatrists, was conducted to develop the program. The application included strategies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), meditation, yoga, mindfulness, breathing therapy, and nature therapy. Additional features included a user chat room and a 'My Medications' section. The validated Beck Anxiety Inventory was used to assess the anxiety level.

This study led to the development of a specialized anxiety reduction application that provides evidence-based strategies to significantly reduce anxiety among healthcare providers. This application can greatly improve the mental health of healthcare staff, leading to enhanced patient care quality and safety. The findings of this research offer a valuable foundation for future studies and the development of similar applications to manage and reduce mental health disorders in diverse populations.