Table 1 Study characteristics
From: Patients’ adherence to smartphone apps in the management of bipolar disorder: a systematic review
Author, year, location | Study design | Primary outcome | Study length (Weeks) | Main findings | Additional intervention |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Van Til et al.; 2020, US (Til et al. 2020) | Randomised Control Trial | To identify how to best engage individuals with BD in monitoring their symptoms using mobile and wearable technology | 6 | No statistical difference in adherence between the two groups (passive and active monitoring) | |
Faurholt-Jepsen et al.; 2020, Denmark (Faurholt-Jepsen et al. 2020) | Randomised Control Trial | To assess the effect of smartphone-based monitoring and mood prediction on depressive and manic symptoms in patients with BD | 36 | No differences between the intervention group and the control group in levels of depressive and manic symptoms | |
Depp et al.; 2015; US (Depp et al. 2015) | Randomised Control Trial | To assess the effect of the PRISM programme on depressive symptoms using an app or paper and pencil in patients with BD | 24 | Significant effect on depressive symptoms, greater in the app group compared to the paper and pencil group | In-person psycho-educational programme associated with the use of the app |
Stanislaus et al.; 2020, Denmark (Stanislaus et al. 2020) | Observational | To compare frequency of mood instability between BD patients and healthy control using a smartphone app | Up to 800 days | Mood instability score was statistically significantly higher for patients with BD compared with HC | |
Hidalgo-Mazzei et al.; 2018, Spanish language countries (Hidalgo-Mazzei et al. 2018) | Observational, Feasibility study | To evaluate the long-term retention, usability, perceived helpfulness, and satisfaction among the first 201 users of the SIMPLE programme | 24 | More than 30% of the participants continued to use the programme after 6 months. Positive outcomes regarding satisfaction, usability, and perceived helpfulness | |
Tsanas et al.; 2016, UK (Tsanas et al. 2016) | Observational | To introduce and validate a novel clinical questionnaire used for daily mood monitoring of BD and borderline personality disorder patients as part of a smartphone application | 12 to 48 | Daily MZ items of negative mood correlated highly with the clinical scores. Correlations were weaker between the daily ratings of positive mood clinical scores | |
Schwartz et al., 2016, US (Schwartz et al. 2016) | Observational | To measure completion rates of surveys of mood symptoms on smartphone in BD and healthy control participants | 2 | Median completion rates did not differ between groups | |
Wenze et al.; 2016; US (Wenze et al. 2016) | Observational, Feasibility study | To assess feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week adjunctive, smartphone assisted intervention to improve treatment adherence in bipolar disorder | 12 | Average Credibility and Expectancy Scale total score was 42.13 (SD = 9.64) out of a possible total of 54. Good adherence to the intervention overall. High satisfaction in qualitative feedbacks | In-person psycho-educational programme associated with the use of the app |
Hidalgo-Mazzei et al.; 2016; Spain (Hidalgo-Mazzei et al. 2016) | Observational, Feasibility study | To evaluate acceptability, safety, and satisfaction of the simple app | 12 | The SIMPLe app represents a satisfactory and acceptable instrument as an add-on to the usual treatment | |
Beiwinkel et al.; 2016; Germany (Beiwinkel et al. 2016) | Observational, Pilot study | To investigate whether smartphone data predict impending clinical symptoms in bipolar disorder | 48 | Self-reported mood was found to predict depressive symptom levels above the clinical threshold but not manic symptoms | |
Faurholt-Jepsen et al.; 2015; Denmark (Faurholt-Jepsen et al. 2015) | Observational | To determine indicator of illness activity to investigate differences between Bipolar 1 and Bipolar II patients using smartphone self-monitoring | 24 or more, | Patients with Bipolar II experienced more severe depressive symptoms and spent almost half of their time with depressive symptoms whereas patients with Bipolar I were euthymic during 75% of their time | |
Wenze et al. 2014, US (Wenze et al. 2014) | Observational, Feasibility study | To establish the feasibility and acceptability of using mobile technology to target adherence in BD | 2 | Participants voiced satisfaction with study procedures. Adherence with EMI sessions was high | |
Faurholt -Jepsen et al.; 2014, Denmark (Faurholt-Jepsen et al. 2014) | Observational, Pilot study | To investigate possible correlations between clinically rated depressive and manic symptoms of bipolar disorder and subjective and objective smartphone data | 12 | Increasing depressive symptoms correlated with decreasing amounts of movement per day. No correlation between smartphone measures and manic symptoms identified |