A smartphone app has been invented to help manage this health condition

There seems to be relieve on the horizon for middle and older aged adults who are battling mental illness as researchers have invented a smartphone app that can help manage this serious health condition.

This development was borne out of a need to explore technological solution to health related issues as against the traditional psychosocial interventions.

The app is a brainchild of a project by researchers at Dartmouth College in United States and was led by Karen Fortuna, a lecturer of the institution. It is said that the app can also be used to manage illness such as stress vulnerability, medication adherence, substance and medication abuse.

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The usability of the app has already been put to test, and if the outcome of the test is anything to go by, then we can easily conclude that exciting times lie ahead for people with mental illness.

This test was carried out on 10 individuals of mean age of 55.3 years who are suffering from serious mental illness and other chronic health conditions. These individuals were said to have reported a high level of usability and expressed satisfaction with the app.

Part of the motivations behind this invention is the possibility of using mobile health interventions by adults to tackle serious mental illness.

“The use of mobile health interventions by adults with serious mental illness is a promising approach that has been shown to be highly feasible and acceptable,".

“Smartphone applications also potentially facilitate patient engagement in participatory, personalised, and preventative care."

“As the healthcare industry increasingly embraces prevention and illness self-management, it is important for physicians and patients to be actively involved in designing and developing new technologies supporting these approaches." noted Karen.

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It will be interesting to know that researchers have said the app does not require high technical proficiency as patients with limited technical skills could use the app.

This study was published in the America Journal of Geriatric Psychology.