Journal of International Psychiatry

[Abstract] Objective To investigate the preference information of health and mental health application (APP) with an online survey based on mobile platform among patients in community general and psychiatric clinics. Methods Outpatients from psychiatric hospitals and community health service centers were investigated by convenient sampling. The self-made preference questionnaire for mobile health (M-health) APP was used to investigate the use, preferences and demand for services of M-health and the ‘mood thermometer’ app. Results 13.8% outpatients in general clinics and 13.9% outpatients in psychiatric clinics installed and continued to use the M-health app. The priority factors for subjects to choose M-health apps were security and privacy protection (64.4%), whether charged (46.9%) and whether provided by an authority (43.0%). 13.8% of outpatients in general clinics and 18.0% outpatients in psychiatric clinics thought it is necessary to use the ‘mood thermometer’ app. In terms of function, subjects thought that the two most helpful items were self-monitoring of mood changes (57.8%) and introduction to visit related information (57.6%). Conclusion The acceptance and continuous use of M-health app and mental health APP by outpatients both in community general clinics and in psychiatric clinics need to be improved.

Mobile health; Digital health; Application; Mental health; Preference