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The Reach, Use, and Impact of a Free mHealth Mindfulness App in the General Population: Mobile Data Analysis.
Kozlov, Elissa; Bantum, Erin; Pagano, Ian; Walser, Robyn; Ramsey, Kelly; Taylor, Katherine; Jaworski, Beth; Owen, Jason.
Afiliação
  • Kozlov E; Institute for Health, Health Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States.
  • Bantum E; School of Public Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States.
  • Pagano I; Cancer Prevention in the Pacific, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, United States.
  • Walser R; Cancer Prevention in the Pacific, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, United States.
  • Ramsey K; National Center for PTSD Research, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Menlo Park, CA, United States.
  • Taylor K; National Center for PTSD Research, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Menlo Park, CA, United States.
  • Jaworski B; National Center for PTSD Research, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Menlo Park, CA, United States.
  • Owen J; National Center for PTSD Research, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Menlo Park, CA, United States.
JMIR Ment Health ; 7(11): e23377, 2020 Nov 27.
Article em En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33245289
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

As smartphones are now used by most Americans, it is increasingly possible for mental health mobile apps to be disseminated to the general public. However, little is known about how mobile mental health apps are used by the general population outside of a controlled research design.

OBJECTIVE:

Our objective is to describe how the general population engages with Mindfulness Coach, an iOS- and Android-based app designed to deliver a mindfulness training course.

METHODS:

Using anonymous download and analytics data, we characterized the reach, usage, retention, and impact of Mindfulness Coach. We included mobile analytics data from all unique downloads of Mindfulness Coach between August 1, 2018, and April 8, 2019 (N=104,067) as well as starred reviews from all Mindfulness Coach users who provided reviews of the app as of March 1, 2020. Mindfulness characteristics were measured by an in-app assessment using the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF).

RESULTS:

Users engaged, on average, in 4.3 visits to the app (SD 8.8; median 2; 90th percentile 8) and associated with an average total of 49.2 interactions with the app (ie, clicks within the app) (SD 113.8; median 19; 90th percentile 105). Users spent an average of 16.2 minutes (SD 63.1) engaged with the app over the full study time period. There were strong linear effects of app engagement on total FFMQ-SF scores. For example, FFMQ-SF scores were associated with more time spent engaged with the app (R2=.23; P<.001). Mindfulness Coach has been reviewed in the Google Play Store 3415 times, with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, and over 2000 times in the Apple App Store, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings suggest that Mindfulness Coach has achieved substantial and sustained reach in the general population; however, it was used less frequently by many downloaders than researchers and designers intended. There was a subpopulation of users who engaged in the app regularly over an extended period of time, and there was a clear relationship between app use and improvements in mindfulness. To strengthen Mindfulness Coach's public health impact, more research is needed to understand who is using the app and how, and to design strategies to increase user engagement in order for users to receive a larger dose of mindfulness treatment.
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Texto completo: 1 Base de dados: MEDLINE Métodos Terapêuticos e Terapias MTCI: Terapias_mente_y_cuerpo / Meditacion Idioma: En Revista: JMIR Ment Health Ano de publicação: 2020 Tipo de documento: Article País de afiliação: Estados Unidos

Texto completo: 1 Base de dados: MEDLINE Métodos Terapêuticos e Terapias MTCI: Terapias_mente_y_cuerpo / Meditacion Idioma: En Revista: JMIR Ment Health Ano de publicação: 2020 Tipo de documento: Article País de afiliação: Estados Unidos