Is clinical research essential to develop good mental health apps?

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Join a diverse group of mental health service users, researchers, practitioners and developers to discuss this vital issue. We are debating this question in a #Mindtech15 fringe event taking place in London (and on Twitter) at 7pm on Wednesday 2nd December.

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No proof that 85% of mental health apps accredited by the NHS actually work

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Health Economist Simon Leigh argues that the unregulated world of health apps brings cause for concern as well as celebration. Fear not though, he has some suggestions for what to look out for when downloading apps, which may help whilst you’re waiting for the regulators and accreditors to get their act together.

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Social media and suicide prevention

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Claire Niedzwiedz summarises a recent systematic review that provides a narrative synthesis of research into social media and suicide prevention.

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Experience sampling and ecological momentary assessment for studying anxiety disorders

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Alan Underwood publishes his debut Mental Elf blog on a narrative review of experience sampling and ecological momentary assessment for studying the lives of people with anxiety disorders.

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Behavioural activation and smartphones for depression

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Lisa Burscheidt summarises a recent RCT of a blended intervention (behavioural activation and smartphones) for depression, which reports promising results for this potentially money-saving treatment.

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Can mobile apps help recovering alcoholics?

Paul Christiansen reports on a recent RCT that investigates how a mobile app can provide support for recovering alcoholics who are leaving residential treatment.

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Launch of new free 'musculoskeletal help' app

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This week sees the launch of a free app specifically designed to provide the public with key advice and information to help them manage their musculoskeletal problem themselves in the palm of their hand. It has been developed to compliment the web resources published last year by Scotland’s ‘NHS24’  and ‘daughter’ organisation ‘NHS inform’, the [read the full story…]