How evidence supports the effectiveness of digital mental health solutions

Worldwide, nearly 45% of the population lives in countries with less than one mental health professional per 100,000 people.  In the US alone, the shortage of mental health professionals is striking - 30 psychologists and 15.6 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, with over 115 million people residing in designated ‘Health Professional Shortage’ areas where the ratio of mental health professionals to residents is smaller than 1 per 30,000.  In the UK, the ratio of mental health professionals to residents is around 41 per 100,000.  This is proving to be problematic as the number of people in contact with mental health services is rising, while the mental health workforce is declining, affecting clinicians’ workload, wellbeing and morale.

Mental health care has become more necessary than ever before–even as traditional, in-person support has regrettably only become more difficult to access for many people who need it. But while adapting mental health support into a digital format may solve problems of access, affordability and scale, an important question remains: How effective is it?

“Digital mental health solutions, if evidence based, can allow clinicians to provide quality care with fewer face-to-face sessions and in some cases with no face-to-face care at all. This allows them to do more with the same resources, increasing efficiency and reducing overall costs, while maintaining efficacy”, said Stephen Dunne, applied neuroscientist and Chief Product and Technology Officer at Koa Health.

On the efficacy of digital mental health support

App-based interventions aren’t just more economical and easily accessible to people and their providers, there’s a growing body of evidence that supports their efficacy. Research indicates that digital interventions have the potential to effectively diminish the symptoms of mental disorders (such as depression), even in low and middle-income countries. 

Specifically, initial studies have shown digital mental health support to be effective as a tool in stress management  as well as in the treatment of depression , body dysmorphic disorder , and anxiety , among other mental health difficulties.

We’ve seen positive results in regard to efficacy as we’ve tested our products, too. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) led by Koa Health and the London School of Economics (LSE) demonstrated the efficacy of Koa Care 360 by Koa Health’s clinical-first approach to self-care and prevention in students. Results showed clear benefits in managing stress, building resilience and significantly greater improvements in wellbeing in the population of university students using the app. Even in difficult to diagnose and treat conditions, such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder, our studies have shown that our approach can deliver results comparable to face-to-face treatment.

Unfortunately, not all app-based or digital mental health solutions undergo rigorous (or really any) clinical testing. Techniques and tools with a strong scientific background and sufficient evidence to back them up are few and far between. Many of the products available don’t have the backing of even one mental health professional, much less an experienced team of behavioural scientists, psychiatrists and mental health experts. Others bring in the experts at the start or finish, but very rarely do the technical experts and behavioural health experts collaborate closely throughout the entire development process from start to finish. And without consistent expert guidance, and strong evidence as a foundation, how can these solutions ensure safe, effective support for the people who depend on them?

Identifying evidence-based digital solutions

With thousands of digital health solutions on the market and only around 3% of them with an evidence base to back them up, it’s a daunting challenge to separate solutions grounded in science and developed by experts from the rest.  How can employers, healthcare providers, insurers and individuals find services that are supported by appropriate clinical scientific rationale, handle data securely, and are financially sound enough to last for a significant period of time?

At Koa Health, our app-based mental health services and resources are designed by mental and behavioural health experts to provide practical, personalised and accessible support. Koa Care 360, our clinical-first, comprehensive mental health platform designed to help employees handle stress and build resilience received a 100% rating in clinical assurance and an 88% score overall from ORCHA, the organisation that NHS digital uses to evaluate apps. Only 15% of apps evaluated on their criteria for data privacy, clinical assurance and user experience meet ORCHA’s minimum standards. 

We want our solutions to make the maximum positive impact possible on mental health, and we believe that’s only possible with a strong evidence base to back them up. That’s why we’re committed to collaborating with third parties on continued testing to gather data on the efficacy of our products, as well as tracking results internally over time.

Using clinically validated techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), our hybrid (digital-human) solutions enable people to better manage mental health issues ranging from workplace stress to chronic mental health conditions requiring a doctor’s supervision.

To find out how to support your population with evidence-based and scalable, clinical-first mental health care contact us at info@koahealth.com.