ArticlePloS one2018
Mobile and traditional cognitive behavioral therapy programs for generalized anxiety disorder: A cost-effectiveness analysis.
Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 49 citations in OpenAlex.
- Economic Evaluation Associated With Clinical-Grade Mobile App-Based Digital Therapeutic Interventions: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Pooled it
- Modelling in economic evaluation of mental health prevention: current status and quality of studies.BMC health services research · 2022Pooled it
- The cost-effectiveness of digital health interventions: A systematic review of the literature.Frontiers in public health · 2022Pooled it
- Digital interventions in mental health: evidence syntheses and economic modelling.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2022Pooled it
- Cost-effectiveness evidence of mental health prevention and promotion interventions: A systematic review of economic evaluations.PLoS medicine · 2021Pooled it
- Systematic Review and Critique of Methods for Economic Evaluation of Digital Mental Health Interventions.Applied health economics and health policy · 2021Pooled it
- Smartphone Apps for the Treatment of Mental Disorders: Systematic Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Pooled it
- Digital Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2025Trial
- Initial assessment of the feasibility and efficacy of a scalable digital CBT for generalized anxiety and associated health behaviors in a cardiovascular disease population.Contemporary clinical trials · 2023Trial
- Artificial intelligence, intellectual property, and human rights: mapping the legal landscape in European health systems.npj health systems · 2025Article
- Anxiety and self-efficacy in Chinese lung cancer patients: cross-lagged effects and the mediation of resilience.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Observational
- Recommendations for the Development of Psychological Smartphone Applications in the Context of Bariatric Surgery: Focus Groups with Professionals and Patients.Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings · 2025Article
- Digital Reimbursement Systems in a Student-Run Clinic.Journal of community health · 2025Article
- Aligning large language models for cognitive behavioral therapy: a proof-of-concept study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Cost-effectiveness of automated digital CBT (Daylight) for generalized anxiety disorder: A Markov simulation model in the United States.PLOS mental health · 2024Article
- Compassion apps for better mental health: qualitative review.BJPsych open · 2023Article
- Evaluation of a Web-Based Self-Help Intervention for Patients With Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2023Article
- Cost Effectiveness of Digital Interventions for Generalised Anxiety Disorder: A Model-Based Analysis.PharmacoEconomics - open · 2022Article
- Article
- The Effects of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak on Medical Students.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGeneralized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a debilitating mental health illness that affects approximately 3.1% of U.S. adults and can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). With the emergence of digital health technologies, mobile CBT may be a cost-effective way to deliver care. We developed an analysis framework to quantify the cost-effectiveness of internet-based CBT for individuals with GAD. As a case study, we examined the potential value of a new mobile-delivered CBT program for GAD.
methodsWe developed a Markov model of GAD health states combined with a detailed economic analysis for a cohort of adults with GAD in the U.S. In our case study, we used pilot program efficacy data to evaluate a mobile CBT program as either prevention or treatment only and compared the strategies to traditional CBT and no CBT. Traditional CBT efficacy was estimated from clinical trial results. We calculated discounted incremental costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) over the cohort lifetime. CASE STUDY
resultsIn the base case, for a cohort of 100,000 persons with GAD, we found that mobile CBT is cost-saving. It leads to a gain of 34,108 QALYs and 81,492 QALYs and a cost reduction of $2.23 billion and $4.54 billion when compared to traditional CBT and no CBT respectively. Results were insensitive to most model inputs and mobile CBT remained cost-saving in almost all scenarios. LIMITATIONS: The case study was conducted for illustrative purposes and used mobile CBT efficacy data from a small pilot program; the analysis should be re-conducted once robust efficacy data is available. The model was limited in its ability to measure the effectiveness of CBT in combination with pharmacotherapy.
conclusionsMobile CBT may lead to improved health outcomes at lower costs than traditional CBT or no intervention and may be effective as either prevention or treatment.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.