Background: Mobile apps can operate as a delivery mode for many of the self-reported measures commonly used to gather patient data in healthcare. However, the incorporation of this technology in existing care pathways has the potential to influence the quality of the responses, as well as the routine activities of clinical services. This project evaluated the use of mobile apps for the delivery of depression screening scales and momentary questions during antenatal care.
Methods: A systematic review assessed the impact that apps as a delivery mode can have on the quality of self-report survey responses, compared to other delivery modes. A subsequent study evaluated the feasibility of using tablet computers for administering the Whooley questions and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in the waiting area of antenatal clinics. Lastly, another study assessed the feasibility of using a bespoke app running on patients’ own devices for the screening and monitoring of mood and depression in the last two pregnancy trimesters.
Results: The responses of surveys collected via apps are equivalent to those collected through traditional delivery modes. Moreover, it is feasible to use apps for depression screening in the waiting area of antenatal clinics. However, the adaptation of screening scales for use with an app could influence data quality, as suggested by a significant relationship between survey layout (i.e., the number of questions presented on a single screen) and scoring intervals on the EPDS. In addition, apps can assist in generating evidence of the diagnostic performance of screening scales in specific populations. Lastly, the development and deployment of apps for depression screening on patients’ own devices must be sensitive to the needs of both patients and clinicians in order to minimise the likelihood of any potential detrimental effect.
Conclusions: Mobile technology is an innovative tool for supporting and complementing the role of healthcare practitioners, empowering patients, and enabling the reconfiguration of health services to better meet the needs of their users.