There are nearly 20,000 mental health apps that will do everything from tracking a person’s suicidal thoughts to soothing someone experiencing a panic attack. A new online tool from researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center aims to help patients sort through the noise for almost 200 of them — and counting.
Using the tool — which still lacks the pithy names that are otherwise common in the tech world — patients can sort the apps by whether they’ll have to pay for it, the kinds of services it offers, like mood tracking or journaling, the intensity of its privacy policy, and the clinical evidence that supports it. That last point is critical, since so many apps fail to provide high-quality research to back up their scientific claims.
The tool, which launched in May, evaluates each app based on a model developed by the researchers and the American Psychiatric Association.
To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page.
STAT encourages you to share your voice. We welcome your commentary, criticism, and expertise on our subscriber-only platform, STAT+ Connect