ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2020
Mobile Mental Health Apps in China: Systematic App Store Search.
Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Smartphone apps for mental health: systematic review of the literature and five recommendations for clinical translation.BMJ open · 2025Pooled it
- Design and effectiveness evaluation of a web-based microplatform for mindfulness intervention for organ donor family members.Internet interventions · 2026Article
- Digital mental health apps for young people in Europe: A systematic cross-country analysis.PLOS digital health · 2026Article
- Exploring Chinese older adults' acceptance of digital mental health interventions: a qualitative study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Depression Self-Care Apps' Characteristics and Applicability to Older Adults: Systematic Assessment.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- What Chinese Women Seek in Mental Health Apps: Insights from AnalyzingHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Digital psychiatry in low-and-middle-income countries: New developments and the way forward.World journal of psychiatry · 2024Review
- Designing High-Fidelity Mobile Health for Depression in Indonesian Adolescents Using Design Science Research: Mixed Method Approaches.JMIR formative research · 2023Article
- Problems and Barriers Related to the Use of Digital Health Applications: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Article
- Technology use and attitudes towards digital mental health in people with severe mental health problems: a survey study in China.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2023Article
- Mental health professionals views and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on implementing digital mental health in China: A nationwide survey study.Internet interventions · 2022Article
- Separating Features From Functionality in Vaccination Apps: Computational Analysis.JMIR formative research · 2022Article
- Review
- Mobile Applications in Mood Disorders and Mental Health: Systematic Search in Apple App Store and Google Play Store and Review of the Literature.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Review
- Multipurpose Mobile Apps for Mental Health in Chinese App Stores: Content Analysis and Quality Evaluation.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2022Article
- Effective Prediction and Important Counseling Experience for Perceived Helpfulness of Social Question and Answering-Based Online Counseling: An Explainable Machine Learning Model.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- IMPROVE 1.0: Individual Monitoring of Psoriasis Activity by Regular Online App Questionnaires and Outpatient Visits.Frontiers in medicine · 2021Article
- Article
- Acceptability and usability of a WeChat-based intervention for depression in China: A mixed-methods study.Digital healthArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSmartphones have become ubiquitous in China, offering a promising way to deliver mental health interventions; however, little is known about the current use and characteristics of smartphone apps for mental health.
objectiveThe purpose of this study was to gain insight into mobile mental health apps available in China as of December 2018.
methodsA systematic search was conducted to identify and evaluate the most downloaded apps from iOS and Android platforms. Apps were categorized according to their main purpose and downloaded to evaluate their content. Each app's affiliation, cost, target users, information security, and evidence-based nature were evaluated.
resultsOf the 172 unique apps that were identified, there were 37 apps (21.5%) for psychological counseling, 50 apps (29.1%) for assessment, 12 apps (7.0%) to relieve stress, 24 apps (14.0%) for psychoeducation, and 49 (28.4%) multipurpose apps (ie, a combination of counseling and assessment). Most apps were developed for adults in the general population (166/172, 96.5%), rather than for psychiatric patients. App-based counseling was mostly provided by psychologists, and of the assessed apps, only 40% (70/172) used evidence-based scales to assess mental health problems such as anxiety or depressed mood. Guided meditation was used as the main technique in stress-relieving apps.
conclusionsMany apps contained useful and evidence-based elements, such as good quality information, validated measurements, and useful meditation methods; however, for mobile apps to contribute significantly to mental health care in China, considerable challenges remain, including the need for more patient-focused apps that can actually take on the role of a health care provider. In addition, efficacy studies are needed.
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