Sood M, Chadda RK, Sinha Deb K, et al. (2016). Scope of mobile phones in low income settings. Journal of Mobile Technology in Medicine. 5(2):33-37. doi: 10.7309/jmtm.5.2.5
Researchers recruited 350 patients accessing the walk-in and follow-up clinics of a psychiatric outpatient facility in India to assess mobile phone use and feasibility of using mobile phones in mental health care. Participants completed semi-structured questionnaires about their access to and use of mobile phones, and their opinions about using mobile phones for mental health care. Most patients (87.7%) reported regularly using a mobile phone, and primarily used phones to make and receive phone calls (98.1%) and text messages (68.4%) and to set alarms (49.8%). Fewer participants reported using mobile phones for recreational purposes and social networking. Of participants who felt that mobile phones could be used in mental health care (n=271), a majority felt that mobile phones could be used to remind patients of appointments (90.4%) and to take medication (72.3%). Fewer participants (17%) felt that mobile phones could be used for treatment. Participants who believed mobile phones could be used in mental health care felt that they could be used to receive educational messages about recommended precautions (70.5%), activities or exercises (55.4%), their mental illness (36.5%), diet (26.9%), and stress reduction techniques (24.7%). Results indicated that patients felt that using mobile phones in mental health care to supplement treatment is feasible and acceptable.