A systematic review of features and content quality of Arabic mental mHealth apps
IntroductionAnxiety and depression are major causes of disability in Arab countries, yet resources for mental health services are insufficient. Mobile devices may improve mental health care delivery (mental m-Health), but the Arab region's mental m-Health app landscape remains under-documented....
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Digital Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1472251/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850105685402976256 |
|---|---|
| author | Noorah Ibrahim S. Alnaghaimshi Noorah Ibrahim S. Alnaghaimshi Mona S. Awadalla Scott R. Clark Mathias Baumert |
| author_facet | Noorah Ibrahim S. Alnaghaimshi Noorah Ibrahim S. Alnaghaimshi Mona S. Awadalla Scott R. Clark Mathias Baumert |
| author_sort | Noorah Ibrahim S. Alnaghaimshi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionAnxiety and depression are major causes of disability in Arab countries, yet resources for mental health services are insufficient. Mobile devices may improve mental health care delivery (mental m-Health), but the Arab region's mental m-Health app landscape remains under-documented. This study aims to systematically assess the features, quality, and digital safety of mental m-Health apps available in the Arab marketplace. We also contrast a set of recommended Australian apps to benchmark current strategies and evidence-based practices and suggest areas for improvement in Arabic apps.MethodsFifteen Arab country-specific iOS Apple Stores and an Android Google Play Store were searched. Apps that met the inclusion criteria were downloaded and evaluated using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and the Mobile App Development and Assessment Guide (MAG).ResultsTwenty-two apps met the inclusion criteria. The majority of apps showed no evidence of mental health experts being involved in the app design processes. Most apps offered real-time communication with specialists through video, text, or audio calls rather than evidence-based self-help techniques. Standardized quality assessment showed low scores for design features related to engagement, information, safety, security, privacy, usability, transparency, and technical support. In comparison to apps available in Australia, Arabic apps did not include evidence-based interventions like CBT, self-help tools and crisis-specific resources, including a suicide support hotline and emergency numbers.DiscussionIn conclusion, dedicated frameworks and strategies are required to facilitate the effective development, validation, and uptake of Arabic mental mHealth apps. Involving end users and healthcare professionals in the design process may help improve app quality, dependability, and efficacy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e9feef06bb274f6f820d5ca1e6f68e4d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2673-253X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Digital Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-e9feef06bb274f6f820d5ca1e6f68e4d2025-08-20T02:38:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Digital Health2673-253X2024-12-01610.3389/fdgth.2024.14722511472251A systematic review of features and content quality of Arabic mental mHealth appsNoorah Ibrahim S. Alnaghaimshi0Noorah Ibrahim S. Alnaghaimshi1Mona S. Awadalla2Scott R. Clark3Mathias Baumert4Discipline of Biomedical Engineering, School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaDepartment of Computer and Information Science, Al-Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah, Riyadh Region, Saudi ArabiaSpecialist Community Mental Health Services, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaDiscipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaDiscipline of Biomedical Engineering, School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaIntroductionAnxiety and depression are major causes of disability in Arab countries, yet resources for mental health services are insufficient. Mobile devices may improve mental health care delivery (mental m-Health), but the Arab region's mental m-Health app landscape remains under-documented. This study aims to systematically assess the features, quality, and digital safety of mental m-Health apps available in the Arab marketplace. We also contrast a set of recommended Australian apps to benchmark current strategies and evidence-based practices and suggest areas for improvement in Arabic apps.MethodsFifteen Arab country-specific iOS Apple Stores and an Android Google Play Store were searched. Apps that met the inclusion criteria were downloaded and evaluated using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and the Mobile App Development and Assessment Guide (MAG).ResultsTwenty-two apps met the inclusion criteria. The majority of apps showed no evidence of mental health experts being involved in the app design processes. Most apps offered real-time communication with specialists through video, text, or audio calls rather than evidence-based self-help techniques. Standardized quality assessment showed low scores for design features related to engagement, information, safety, security, privacy, usability, transparency, and technical support. In comparison to apps available in Australia, Arabic apps did not include evidence-based interventions like CBT, self-help tools and crisis-specific resources, including a suicide support hotline and emergency numbers.DiscussionIn conclusion, dedicated frameworks and strategies are required to facilitate the effective development, validation, and uptake of Arabic mental mHealth apps. Involving end users and healthcare professionals in the design process may help improve app quality, dependability, and efficacy.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1472251/fullm-Healthmental healthArabsArabic appsdepressionanxiety |
| spellingShingle | Noorah Ibrahim S. Alnaghaimshi Noorah Ibrahim S. Alnaghaimshi Mona S. Awadalla Scott R. Clark Mathias Baumert A systematic review of features and content quality of Arabic mental mHealth apps Frontiers in Digital Health m-Health mental health Arabs Arabic apps depression anxiety |
| title | A systematic review of features and content quality of Arabic mental mHealth apps |
| title_full | A systematic review of features and content quality of Arabic mental mHealth apps |
| title_fullStr | A systematic review of features and content quality of Arabic mental mHealth apps |
| title_full_unstemmed | A systematic review of features and content quality of Arabic mental mHealth apps |
| title_short | A systematic review of features and content quality of Arabic mental mHealth apps |
| title_sort | systematic review of features and content quality of arabic mental mhealth apps |
| topic | m-Health mental health Arabs Arabic apps depression anxiety |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1472251/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT noorahibrahimsalnaghaimshi asystematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps AT noorahibrahimsalnaghaimshi asystematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps AT monasawadalla asystematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps AT scottrclark asystematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps AT mathiasbaumert asystematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps AT noorahibrahimsalnaghaimshi systematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps AT noorahibrahimsalnaghaimshi systematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps AT monasawadalla systematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps AT scottrclark systematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps AT mathiasbaumert systematicreviewoffeaturesandcontentqualityofarabicmentalmhealthapps |