Mobile Apps Use by Primary Care Patients to Manage Their Depressive Symptoms: A Qualitative Study (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Mobile applications (apps) are emerging as tools with the potential to revolutionise the treatment of mental health conditions such as depression. At the forefront of community health sector, general practitioners (GPs) are in a unique position to guide the integration of technology and depression management, however little is currently known about how primary care patients with depressive symptoms are currently using apps. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore the natural patterns of mobile app use amongst patients with depressive symptoms, in order to fa..