DIGITAL MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS FOR CHRONIC PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS

Abstract

Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) are an accessible, scalable, cost-effective solution in the treatment of chronic psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The effectiveness of various digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) such as mobile health applications, web-based cognitive behavioral therapy platform, telepsychiatry services, wearables-based monitoring systems, and AI-based decision support tools, was assessed over a long period of time focusing on clinical and functional outcomes. The quantitative analyses showed significant decreases in scores for the symptom severity in each significant diagnostic category. In the long-term follow-up, there were also continuous changes in the depression, anxiety and relapse prevention measures. The qualitative results showed that the patients were more involved in their treatment, more likely to follow the treatment plans and more likely to control their health better, when the interventions were personalized to the patients, and when they included clinician supervision. Comparative analyses revealed that models of blended care that involve the use of digital technology in addition to traditional face-to-face therapy are more effective than either of the two therapies. It also assisted these people, who have no access to health care or reside far from the health care, to get the health care they needed due to the digital interventions. The overall results suggest that the long-term psychiatric treatment may find DMHIs to be highly beneficial if implemented within an evidence-based treatment, if users' consent is gathered, and if the data is secured in a high-quality manner and presented in an easy-to-use format. Nevertheless, they are not always able to work as well, depending on the situation and platform. The findings support the use of digital mental health technology in everyday clinical care as an extra tool to help manage patients' long-term care and disease.