Capturing depression with your smartphone: Validity and utilization of iHOPE for depressed patients in Taiwan

Abstract

Introduction

Clinical assessment for depression, to date, has relied heavily on patients’ retrospective report, which is liable to recall bias.

Objectives

A number of mobile applications for ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of depressive disorder have been piloted, however, evidence regarding their validity and acceptance is limited.

Aims

In this study, we examined the association between Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and EMA of depressive symptoms via a smartphone application and demonstrated the level and determinants of utilization.

Methods

Our mobile phone application, iHOPE, would perform EMA of depression, anxiety, sleep and cognitive ability. Outpatients with depressive disorder were invited to use iHOPE for 8 weeks. Smartphone usage patterns and clinical characteristics were assessed.

Results

We enrolled 59 outpatients with depression (38 [64.4%] women; mean [SD] age = 37.3 [13.9] years). In 8 weeks, participants interacted with iHOPE for an average of 10.8 (SD = 12.3) days; a trend of decreased frequency of use (P = 0.03) was observed. Scores of HAM-D at baseline was associated with, of the first 14 days, scores of PHQ-9 (P = 0.005), visual analogue scale of depression (P = 0.003) and anxiety.

Conclusions

EMA via mobile technology appears to be valid and feasible for Asian patients with depression. Mobile health has a potential for the assessment of depressive disorder in areas with limited awareness and resource for mental health conditions.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.