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Table 3 Review articles on quality and effectiveness of apps in English related to mental health

From: Smartphones in mental health: a critical review of background issues, current status and future concerns

Category

Source

Country of search

Dates of search

Number apps from search

Number apps evaluated, downloaded, included

Conclusion

Study

Medication adherence

Google Play, Apple App store

UK

Apr 2015

5888

805 evaluated;

681 included;

420 free downloaded

“the vast majority of current adherence app offerings on repositories lack any evidence base of effectiveness”

Ahmed et al. (2018)

Prevent driving after drinking

Google Play, Apple App store

Australia

Jun 2015

2907

70 evaluated;

58 included.

“Most apps for drink driving prevention are not engaging, and none have as yet been tested in trials to determine their effectiveness in reducing drink driving behavior”

Wilson et al. (2016)

Suicide prevention

Google Play, Apple iTunes store

Australia

Unspecified

1271

856 evaluated

123 downloaded;

49 included.

“Clinicians should be wary in recommending apps, especially as potentially harmful content can be presented as helpful”

Larsen et al. (2016a)

Crystal methamphetamine

Google Play, Apple iTunes store

Australia

Apr 2017

2205

1983 evaluated;

30 downloaded;

18 included.

“This study demonstrates a shortage of high-quality educational and engaging smartphone apps specifically related to methamphetamine”

Chapman et al. (2018)

Sleep self-management

Google Play, Apple iTunes store, Amazon Appstore, Microsoft Appstore

US

Apr 2017

2431

1981 evaluated;

148 downloaded;

73 included.

“few apps meet prespecified criteria for quality, content, and functionality for sleep self-management. Despite the rapid evolution of sleep self-management apps, lack of validation studies is a significant concern that limits the clinical value of these apps”

Choi et al. (2018)

Bipolar Disorder

Google Play, Apple App store

Australia

Jul 2014

571

438 evaluated;

82 included.

“In general, the content of currently available apps for BD is not in line with practice guidelines or established self-management principles”

Nicholas et al. (2015)

Depression - CBT or behavioral activation apps

Google Play, Apple App store, literature

Canada

Nov 2015

310

117 evaluated;

12 included.

“Despite the growing public demand, there is a concerning lack of appropriate CBT or BA apps, especially from a clinical and legal point of view”

Huguet et al. (2016)

Attention and cognitive bias modification apps

Google Play, Apple iTunes store

Singapore

Sept, 2017

98

17 included.

“only 1 commercial app had been evaluated in the published literature”

Zhang et al. (2018)

Physical activity

Google Play, Apple iTunes store

UK

Oct, 2016

400

156 evaluated;

65 included.

“..there were substantial shortcomings in the areas of data safety and likelihood of effectiveness of the apps assessed”

Bondaronek et al. (2018)

Social anxiety

Google Play, Apple iTunes, Windows store

New Zealand

June, 2016

1154

73 identified

38 randomly included.

“none of the apps identified have had studies on their effectiveness published”

Alyami et al. (2017)

Anxiety

Google Play, Apple App store

European app stores

Jan, 2017

5078

4404 evaluated;

73 downloaded;

52 included.

“there is a marked discrepancy between the wealth of commercially available apps, and the paucity of data regarding their efficacy and effectiveness”

Sucala et al. (2017)

Smoking cessation for those with psychosis

Google Play, Apple iTunes store

US

July, 2013

766

100 evaluated;

73 included,

9 further analyzed.

“ongoing poor quality of most apps”. “smoking cessation apps may be inaccessible or ineffective for most smokers with psychotic disorders”

Ferron et al. (2017)

Weight management

Google Play, Apple iTunes store

Australia

Aug, 2014

800 most popular

55 evaluated;

28 included.

“Overall, the most popular commercial apps for weight management are suboptimal in quality, given the inadequate scientific coverage and accuracy of weight-related information…”

Chen et al. (2015)

Insomnia

Google Play, Apple iTunes store

US

Nov, 2016

355

12 included.

“despite the hundreds of apps available,…few are adherent to the evidence-based skills and strategies that have been shown effective in managing insomnia”

Yu et al. (2019)