The use of mobile apps for mental health care
- 19 Jan
Smartphone applications are being created and used to treat various mental health conditions.
According to the Wall Street Journal, developers are creating smartphone applications which some health care providers have encouraged the use of, to treat and monitor patients' mental health conditions.
An app created by Ginger.io has been recommended by gynaecologists for patients who have come close to the end of their pregnancies. This app can help to track:
· How far the patients travel daily
· The amount of time they talk on their phones
· How often they talk on their phones
· How often they send text messages to their friends
The app was used to determine whether the above listed data could help to detect symptoms of postpartum depression. This was done by comparing patients' data to the weekly surveys given to diagnose depression.
Also, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has granted $2.42 million to the Harvard School of Public Health researchers. This is to develop a smartphone app that will monitor when patients with psychiatric conditions will lock and unlock their phones so their sleeping patterns can be tracked.
Furthermore, the University of Michigan researchers are developing an app that can record and analyse patient's vocal patterns to have more of an understanding of whether that person could be manic or depressive.
Although these apps have great potential and could also be beneficial internationally, some providers are wary about using them without concrete evidence that the benefits outweigh the cost in time and expense that these apps come with. Patient privacy and data security are also issues which have raised concerns.
What do you think of this? Tweet us your comments @suppsolutions
This blog post has been written by our sister company The Media Bubble who specialise in social media for the social sector.
Image source: http://www.freeimages.com/assets/183116/1831158564/mobile-phone-in-hand-1438236-3-m.jpg
Related articles
- 03 Nov
THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WHO WAIT LONG HOURS IN AMBULANCES BEFORE BEING ATTENDED TO
Reports by The Guardian shows details from the FOI requests which found that:According to the shadow health secretary, Jon Ashworth:"These figures show an ambulance service pushed to the brink by...
- 08 Aug
DATA REVEALS THAT OVER 40% OF MATERNITY WARDS IN ENGLAND REJECTED EXPECTANT MOTHERS AT LEAST ONCE LAST YEAR
The data which was the outcome of a Freedom of Information request reveals the following:Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow health secretary, said:"These findings show the devastating impact which Tory...
- 04 Aug
PARENTS AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS SERVICES ON THE "CHILDCARE CHOICES" WEBSITE
Many parents have reported problems while using the Childcare Choices website in May and struggled to register on it. However, HMRC apologised for the inconvenience, saying it had improved the...
- 01 Aug
HOSPITAL BUILDING PLANS TO CLOSE FOR A YEAR DUE TO FIRE SAFETY PROBLEMS
After a review of buildings, 52 inpatient beds will be moved from the trauma unit of John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, on the 4th of August.According to the NHS trust overseeing the site, a...
- 26 Jul
THERE IS INSUFFICIENT CARE AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN WITH SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
New figures on mental health showed the following:The author of an EPI report on children's mental health, Emily Frith, said:"Being in hospital for a mental health condition can be a disturbing...
- 20 Jul
REPORT WARNS THAT VULNERABLE ADULTS ARE BEING LET DOWN BY SOCIAL WORKERS AND CARE PROVIDERS
According to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman review:Local government and social care ombudsman, Michael King, said:"While I appreciate the complex emotional and practical decisions...
- 14 Jul
ONE OF SCOTLAND'S LARGEST HEALTH BOARDS HAS OVERSPENT ON CARE SERVICES
Prior to a meeting of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (IJB) today, the following figures emerged:The entire NHS Lothian budget shows a funding gap of £22.4m and the IJB agreed to savings of...
- 07 Jul
SURVEY FINDS THAT MENTAL HEALTH DEMANDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS YEAR
The poll by NHS Providers suggests the following:Louise Rubin of the charity, Mind, said:"We are concerned that people coming forward and seeking help for mental health problems are not getting the...
- 16 Jun
ADASS ISSUES GUIDANCE FOR SOCIAL WORKERS ON HOW TO PROTECT VULNERABLE ADULTS FROM SCAMS
The guidance by the ADASS includes the following:Vice President of ADASS, Glen Garrod, said:"Carers, families and neighbours need to be more aware of abuse, which can see older and disabled people...
- 07 Jun
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT PAYS BACK TO FAMILIES WHO WRONGLY PAID CARE HOME FEES
A Welsh Government spokesman said:"Earlier this year we introduced an amended process in order to accelerate the speed at which claims are processed."We have also developed common reporting criteria...
How to fund Housing Support and Social Care Services "Alot of information in a short time, good for me because I travelled a long way. So I feel the journey was worthwhile." C.T - People First Dorset
