Using Smartphone Apps to Support Self-management in Bipolar Disorder: Opportunities and Challenges-Presentation and Q&A

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar titled "Using Smartphone Apps to Support Self-Management in Bipolar Disorder: Opportunities and Challenges" discusses the role of smartphone apps in self-management of bipolar disorder and the challenges associated with using these apps. The speaker, Dr. Emma Morton, provides insights into the potential benefits of smartphone apps for mood and sleep monitoring, as well as for accessing self-management education and support. She emphasizes the importance of evaluating the credibility and usefulness of apps and recommends using frameworks such as the American Psychiatric Association App Evaluation Model and the MIND Framework to guide the selection process. Dr. Morton also highlights the need for ongoing practitioner involvement in app recommendations and monitoring of app usage. Furthermore, she discusses the potential of apps for supporting quality of life monitoring in addition to symptom monitoring. While there is still limited evidence on the long-term effectiveness of apps for bipolar disorder, Dr. Morton encourages clinicians to familiarize themselves with the available apps to support their patients who may already be using them. The speaker also mentions ongoing efforts to develop and evaluate apps specific to bipolar disorder, such as the Polaris app. Overall, the webinar provides insights into the current landscape of smartphone apps for bipolar disorder self-management and offers practical guidance for clinicians in using and recommending these apps.

Keywords

Smartphone Apps

Self-Management

Bipolar Disorder

Challenges

Mood Monitoring

Sleep Monitoring

App Evaluation Model

MIND Framework

Practitioner Involvement

Polaris App