Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40637497›Full record

ReviewBJPsych bulletin2025

Efficacy of mobile applications in treating depression: systemic review and meta-analysis.

Eiman Araib, Usama Khan, Umama Alam, Manahil Moazzam

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in BJPsych bulletin, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Eiman AraibInternal Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2609-9545
Usama KhanInternal Medicine, Nowshera Medical College, Nowshera, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5081-3881
Umama AlamInternal Medicine, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0456-022X
Manahil MoazzamInternal Medicine, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9096-9324

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

AIMS AND

methodPrevious meta-analysis of the efficacy of mobile phone applications (mHealth apps) for depression has several limitations, including high risk of bias and heterogeneity in effect sizes across studies, and gaps in understanding of variability in treatment outcomes. We aimed to provide more reliable and clinically relevant findings by conducting a systematic literature search on PubMed, Embase and PsycInfo, focusing on newer studies with minimal risk of bias.

resultsAnalysing 17 randomised controlled trials ( CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results underscore the clinical relevance of mHealth apps as scalable and accessible tools for bridging gaps in mental healthcare. Their effectiveness across age groups highlights their potential for broad implementation, with future research needed to refine personalisation, engagement strategies and methodological rigour.

Indexed as

depressive disordersevidence-based mental healthexperiment designMeta-analysisquality of life

Identifiers

PMID40637497
PMCPMC13150495

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.