Using apps for bipolar disorder – An online survey of healthcare provider perspectives and practices
Abstract
Background Smartphone apps have recognized potential for improving access to evidence-based care in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD). Healthcare providers are well-positioned to play a role in guiding patients to access safe, evidence-supported, and trustworthy apps. However, little is known about whether and how clinicians use apps with people with BD: understanding practices and attitudes of healthcare providers is essential to support the implementation of mHealth interventions in a real-world context. Methods A web-based survey was used to explore clinicians' attitudes towards, and use of apps when working with people with BD. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize quantitative findings. Free text responses were investigated using qualitative content analysis. Results Eighty healthcare providers completed the survey. Approximately half of the respondents reported discussing or recommending apps in clinical practice with BD populations. Recommended apps were most commonly related to mood, sleep, and exercise. Barriers to discussing apps included a lack of healthcare provider knowledge/confidence, concerns about patients' ability to access apps, and beliefs that patients lacked interest in apps. Conclusion Although research suggests that people with BD are interested in using apps, uptake of such technology among clinicians is more limited. A lack of clinician knowledge regarding apps, combined with concerns about the digital divide and patient interest, may ac…
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A survey found that only 50% of clinicians have discussed or suggested apps to patients with BD.
“a survey found that only 50% of clinicians have discussed or suggested apps to patients with BD (Morton et al. 2021b).”
From Evaluating the quality, safety, and functionality of commonly used smartphone apps for bipolar disorder mood and sleep self-management (2022) · cites this paper as Morton et al. 2021b
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- Authors
- Morton, E., Torous, J., Murray, G., & Michalak, E. E.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
- Swinburne University of Technology (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Morton, Emma
- Venue
- Journal of Psychiatric Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-05
- Volume
- 137
- Pages
- 22-28
- ISSN
- 0022-3956 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3129468137
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3
- FWCI
- 4.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Psychiatric Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Keywords
- bipolar disorder, mobile application, mobile health, clinician attitudes, app recommendations, digital divide, clinician knowledge and confidence, exercise apps
- MeSH terms
- Bipolar Disorder, Health Personnel, Humans, Surveys and Questionnaires, Telemedicine, Mobile Applications
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