Education on Depression in Mental Health Apps: Systematic Assessment of Characteristics and Adherence to Evidence-Based Guidelines.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Suboptimal understanding of depression and mental health disorders by the general population is an important contributor to the wide treatment gap in depression. Mental health literacy encompasses knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders and supports their recognition, management, and prevention. Besides knowledge improvement, psychoeducational interventions reduce symptoms of depression, enhance help-seeking behavior, and decrease stigma. Mental health apps often offer educational content, but the trustworthiness of the included information is unclear.

Objective

The aim of this study is to systematically evaluate adherence to clinical guidelines on depression of the information offered by mental health apps available in major commercial app stores.

Methods

SUBMITTER: Martinengo L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8943550 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature