|
1
|
Sarubbi S, Rogante E, Erbuto D, Cifrodelli M, Sarli G, Polidori L, Lester D, Berardelli I, Pompili M. The Effectiveness of Mobile Apps for Monitoring and Management of Suicide Crisis: A Systematic Review of the Literature. J Clin Med 2022; 11:5616. [PMID: 36233484 PMCID: PMC9573577 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11195616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Suicide risk is a multifaceted phenomenon, and many risk factors are involved in its complexity. In the last few decades, mental health apps have spread, providing economic and affordable strategies to prevent suicide. Therefore, the aim of this review is to identify original studies on mobile apps that target suicidal crises. The review follows PRISMA guidelines, searching through four major electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycInfo and Web of Science) for relevant titles/abstracts published from January 2010 to May 2022. It includes original studies that explicitly analyze mobile apps for suicide prevention. A total of 32 studies met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen studies assessed the feasibility and acceptability of mobile apps, ten studies assessed the efficacy of mobile apps in preventing suicide, and six studies described randomized control trial protocols not yet implemented. Generally, the apps were judged by participants to be acceptable and helpful, and several improvements to enhance the functionality of apps were suggested. The efficacy of mobile apps, although limited and assessed with very heterogenous methods, was confirmed by most of the studies. Mobile apps could represent a helpful supplement to traditional prevention tactics, providing real-time monitoring of at-risk persons, personalized tools to cope with suicidal crises, and immediate access to specific support.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Sarubbi
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Rogante
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Denise Erbuto
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - Mariarosaria Cifrodelli
- Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Psychiatry Unit, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sarli
- Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Psychiatry Unit, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Polidori
- Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Psychiatry Unit, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - David Lester
- Psychology Program, Stockton University, Galloway, New Jersey, NJ 08205, USA
| | - Isabella Berardelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|