The Efficacy of Mobile Phone-Based Interventions for the Treatment of Depression : A Systematic Meta-Review of Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND: Depression is ranked by the World Health Organization as the single largest contributor to global disability. The shortage of health care resources, conditions of social distancing during the present pandemic, and the continuing need of patients with subclinical depression and in remission for supportive therapies, all together motivate a search for new approaches to deliver appropriate and timeous treatment for depression. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature search of meta-analyses and systematic reviews on the topic of mobile apps for the treatment of depression using the Medline (Pubmed) database during the period ending March 30th, 2022. This review was managed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and entailed a search strategy using key-words related to depressive states and mobile phone apps for depression treatment and management. RESULTS: A total of 15 full-text articles met the inclusion criteria for the current systematic review. 13 of the 15 studies reported on the effectiveness of mobile apps for treating depression, finding a significant reduction in depressive symptoms with small-to-medium positive effect size. Patients with severe depression experienced greater benefits from a behavioral activation app, whereas those with mild depression responded better to a mindfulness app. The impact of clinicians' support is difficult to isolated completely from the particular interventions' effects. CONCLUSIONS: Mobile-based intervention apps present a convenient tool for prevention and supportive therapy of depression. The use of mobile apps may act as an efficient intervention to reduce depression in adult patients regardless the potential contributing factors of gender or co-morbidities, but the role of mobile apps should be contrasted with other digital interventions.