Digital mental health: a potential opportunity to improve health equity in China

Abstract

Mental health is an important public health issue in China, compounded by a shortage in psychiatric services. Against this backdrop, digital technologies could offer solutions. Digital mental health interventions use technologies, such as smartphone applications, to improve mental health outcomes. Although there has been a drastic increase in mental health mobile apps available in recent years, current evidence-based digital interventions for mental health are scarce and seldom evaluated for effectiveness and implementation in China. In this Viewpoint, we review digital mental health interventions in China and propose a framework that could guide the development of culturally sensitive digital mental health innovations, with the adoption of co-creation and community engagement strategies. We also provide recommendations to address issues related to usage, interventions, and implementation to improve health equity and implementation of digital mental health interventions in the Chinese context.