JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Disasters are becoming more frequent due to the impact of extreme weather events attributed to climate change, causing loss of lives, property and psychological trauma. Mental health response to disasters emphasizes prevention and mitigation, and mobile health (mHealth) applications have been used for mental health promotion and treatment. However, little is known about their use in the mental health components of disaster management.

Objective:

This scoping review was conducted to explore the use of mobile phone applications (apps) for mental health responses to disasters and to identify gaps in the literature.

Methods:

We identified relevant keywords and subject headings and conducted comprehensive searches in six electronic databases. Studies in which participants were exposed to a man-made disaster were included if the sample also included some participants exposed to a natural hazard. Only full-text studies published in English were included. Two independent review authors screened the initial titles and abstracts of the unique articles. The two independent reviewers reviewed full texts of the selected articles which met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted from each selected full-text article and synthesized using a narrative approach based on the outcome measures, duration, and frequency of use of the mobile phone apps, and the outcomes. This scoping review was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).

Results:

Of the 1398 articles retrieved, three were included in this review. All three studies were conducted on participants exposed to psychological stress following a disaster. The mobile phone apps for the interventions included Training for Life Skills (TLS), Sonoma Rises, and Headspace. The different studies assessed the effectiveness or efficacy of the mobile app, feasibility, acceptability, and characteristics of app utilization or predictors of usage. Different measures were used to assess the effectiveness of the apps’ usage as either the primary or secondary outcome.

Conclusions:

A limited number of studies are exploring the use of mobile phone apps for mental health responses to disasters. The three studies included in this review showed promising results. Mobile apps have the potential to provide effective mental health support before, during and after disasters. However, further research is needed to explore the potential of mobile phone apps in mental health responses to all hazards.