Smartphone Therapy App โReduces Suicide Attemptsโ byโข 58%, Study Finds
A โdigital therapeutic delivered via smartphone,โฃ providing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focused on โขsuicideโ prevention, demonstrated a sustained reduction in suicidal โฃthoughts and a 58%โฃ decrease in suicide attempts among adults โฃwith a history of attempts, โขaccording โto a new studyโ published โคAugust 8 โฃin JAMA Network Open.While โฃthe app didn’t โคachieve its primary goal forโ individuals with noโ prior attempts,โข the findings offer a perhaps strategic tool for post-hospital care.
Study โคDetails and Methodology
The multisite, double-blind, randomized clinical โtrialโค involved over 300 adults at increased risk โขfor suicide (average age 28; 66% female; 67% White)โค across six psychiatric inpatient facilities inโฃ the United States between 2022 and 2024. Participants, all receiving standard care, were randomly assigned to use either OTX-202, a smartphone submission delivering 12 sessions of CBT educational modules (digital therapy group, n=168), or aโค control application providing general information (control group, n=171).
Researchers measured the time until the first โsuicide attempt asโ the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes includedโฃ changes in scores on the Scale for Suicide Ideation and clinician assessments of โclinical improvement at week 24.โฃ Follow-up data, collected viaโค remote interviews, were available for 79% of participants at weeks 4, 8, 12, 24,โ 52, โ78, and 104.
Key Findings and Outcomes
Participants in the digital therapy group completed fewer sessions on average compared โto the โcontrol groupโฃ (4.4 vs. 5.9; P =.02). Approximately 16% of the digital therapy โgroup and 8%โฃ of the control group experienced at least oneโฃ suicideโ attempt during the follow-upโ periodโ (P =โค .06). Tragically, one death by suicide occured within the control group during the study.
For those with no prior suicideโ attempts, thereโ was no significant difference between the groups โฃin time โฃto first attempt โฃor the adjusted rate of attempts.โ Inโค fact, the cumulative probability of โa suicide attempt at 12 months was higher in the digital therapy group (18% vs. 9%).
Though, a significant benefit emerged for patients with โprior attempts. Those usingโ the digital therapy app โฃexperienced โคa โsubstantial reduction in repeat attemptsโค (0.70 vs.1.68 attempts per person-year; adjusted rate ratio, 0.42;โข P = .04). Each completed module was associated with a 14% decrease in the attempt โฃrate, and their odds of clinical โคimprovement were โsignificantly higher (odds ratio, 7.6; P = .04).
The digital โtherapy group also showed a sustained โคdecreaseโ in suicidal ideation between weeks 12 and 24, whileโ the control group experienced an increaseโ during โฃthe same period.There were noโข significantโฃ differences between โthe groups โฃin the number, type, or โseverity of adverse events at 24 โคweeks.
Did โYou Know?
Suicide is a leading cause of death โin the United States, and theโข period following hospital discharge is a especially vulnerable timeโฃ for individuals at risk. According to the โคCDC,in 2022,suicide was a leading โcause of death forโฃ peopel aged 10-24 (โข CDC Suicide Statistics).
Expert Perspectives
“Although suicide-specific therapy is โhighly โคeffective for reducing suicidal thoughts and urges, findingโข therapists who know how to do this life-saving therapy afterโ leaving the hospital can be challenging,” explained Dr.โ Craig J. Bryan, PsyD, lead investigator from โฃThe Ohio state Universityโ College of medicine.
Co-investigator Dr. Patricia Simon, PhD, of โYale School ofโข Medicine, added, “Theโค weeks and months following a โขsuicideโ crisis โand โdischarge from a โขhospital are โamong the highest risk periods for suicide attemptsโค and โขmortality, โฃmaking it imperative to offer effective,โ suicide-specific interventions during this โvulnerable window. OTX-202 addressesโข this critical โฃneed.”
Study Limitations
The study was limited by its relatively small sample size and some baseline differences โขbetween the treatment groups despite randomization. The findings may not โapply to patients โคoutside of hospital settings. Smartphone ownership was a requirement, potentially excluding individuals with lower socioeconomic status. The studyโ also lacked theโฃ statistical power to detect differences โin suicide โdeaths.
Key โStudy Data
| Metric | digital Therapy Group (OTX-202) | Control Group |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants | 168 | 171 |
| Average Age | 28 years | 28 โyears |
| Prior Suicide Attempts | 170โ totalโ (across โฃboth groups) | 170 total (across both groups) |
| reduction โขin Suicide Attempts (Prior Attempts) | 58% | N/A |
| Completed Modules (Average) | 4.4 | 5.9 |
Pro Tip:
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts,โค please reach outโ for help. โThe National Suicideโ Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 988.
In Practice: Implications for Mental healthcare
These findings suggest that smartphone-based CBT interventions could be โaโค valuable addition to post-discharge care for individuals with a history of โคsuicide attempts. The accessibility and โคconvenience โขof โขsuch apps may overcome barriers to traditional therapy, particularly in areas with limited mental โhealth โคresources. โHowever, further research is โneededโข to determine the โoptimal implementation strategies and to addressโ the lack โof benefit observed in individuals with no prior attempts. What role can technology play in expanding โaccess toโข mental healthcare, โand how can โwe โensure equitable access for all populations?
Sources and Funding
This research was โขfunded byโข Oui Therapeuticsโ Inc.and the National Institute ofโค Mental health. Several investigators reported financial ties to Oui Therapeuticsโฃ Inc. andโค other sources; โfull details are available in the original publication.โ The study โwasโฃ publishedโค online August 8 in JAMA Networkโ Open.
Disclaimer: Thisโฃ article provides information for โขeducational purposes only and should โฃnot beโ considered medical advice. Always โฃconsult with โa qualified healthcare professionalโฃ for diagnosisโ and treatment of any medical condition.
The โขGrowing Field of Digital Therapeutics
Digital therapeutics, like OTX-202, represent a rapidlyโ expanding areaโค within mental healthcare. These interventions โฃleverage technology – typically smartphone apps or web-based platforms -โข to deliver โขevidence-based โtreatments. โฃ The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated theโค adoption ofโข digital therapeutics, as it highlightedโค the needโค for remote and accessibleโข mentalโฃ health services. The market for digital therapeutics is โขprojected to continue growing significantly in โthe coming years,โ driven by increasing demand, technological โadvancements, and a growing body โฃof clinical evidenceโฃ ( Grand View Research – Digital Therapeutics Market).
frequently โขAsked Questions about Suicide Prevention Apps
- What is a digital therapeutic for suicide prevention? โA digital therapeutic is a software-based intervention designedโค to treat a medical condition,โ in thisโข case, suicidal ideation โฃandโ attempts.
- How effective are suicide prevention apps? This study shows promising results for individuals with prior attempts, โdemonstrating a 58% reduction โคin โsuicide attempts.
- Are โคthese apps aโ replacementโค for traditional therapy? No, they are best used as a supplement to traditional therapy, particularly in the post-discharge period.
- What are the โlimitations โขof using a smartphone app for mental โhealth? Access to a smartphone isโค required, and the app may not be suitable for everyone.
- Is my data secure when using these apps? Reputable apps will have robust data privacy and security measures โinโฃ place.
We hope thisโค article has โprovided valuable insights into the potential of โคdigital therapeutics for suicide prevention. If โyou found this information helpful, please share it with others who may benefit. We welcome your comments and feedback below. โConsiderโฃ subscribing to our newsletter for more updates on the latest โadvancements in mental health.
