Abstract
BackgroundPeople with suicidal thoughts are more inclined to seek technology-delivered interventions than in-person forms of treatment, making mobile apps for suicide prevention an ideal platform for treatment delivery. This review examines apps designed for suicide prevention, with a specific focus on user engagement.ObjectiveThis study aims to update the literature and broadly evaluate the landscape of mobile health apps for suicide prevention; examine apps with key features and primary approaches to suicide prevention; and systematically evaluate the engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information of the apps.MethodsAll apps related to suicidal thoughts and behaviors were identified in the Google Play and iOS app stores and were systematically reviewed for their content and quality. The mobile app rating scale (MARS) was used to evaluate app usability and engagement.ResultsOf the 66 apps identified, 42 (64%) were specifically designed for people with suicidal ideation, and 59 (89%) had at least one best practice feature for suicide risk reduction. The mean overall MARS score of all apps was 3.5 (range 2.1-4.5), with 83% (55/66) of apps having a minimum acceptability score of 3. The total MARS score was not associated with the user app rating (r=−0.001; P=.99) or the number of features (r=0.24; P=.09).ConclusionsThis study identified many usable and engaging apps in app stores designed for suicide prevention. However, there are only limited apps for clinicians. Thus, mobile apps for suicide prevention should be carefully developed and clinically evaluated.
Highlights
BackgroundSuicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States among people between the ages of 10-34 years
There has been an increase in the number of mHealth app targeted for mental health problems in general [7,8] and suicide in particular [9,10]. mHealth may be a novel strategy to target suicide among those in high-income countries, with over 95% of US adults reporting that they own a smartphone [11]
The systematic evaluation of usability and engagement was difficult until the development of mobile app rating scale (MARS), a tool for classifying and rating the quality of mHealth apps [24]
Summary
BackgroundSuicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States among people between the ages of 10-34 years. People with suicidal thoughts are more inclined to seek technology-delivered interventions than in-person forms of treatment, making mobile apps for suicide prevention an ideal platform for treatment delivery. This review examines apps designed for suicide prevention, with a specific focus on user engagement. Objective: This study aims to update the literature and broadly evaluate the landscape of mobile health apps for suicide prevention; examine apps with key features and primary approaches to suicide prevention; and systematically evaluate the engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information of the apps. The mobile app rating scale (MARS) was used to evaluate app usability and engagement. Results: Of the 66 apps identified, 42 (64%) were designed for people with suicidal ideation, and 59 (89%) had at least one best practice feature for suicide risk reduction. Conclusions: This study identified many usable and engaging apps in app stores designed for suicide prevention. Mobile apps for suicide prevention should be carefully developed and clinically evaluated
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