LAUSR

Key Points Question What do mental health smartphone apps offer patients, how has the app landscape changed, and are app popularity metrics associated with privacy? Findings In this cross-sectional study of 578 mental health apps, an app marketplace assessment found that while more apps were collecting passive data, most apps still offered similar foundational features. There was no statistically significant correlation between privacy scores and star ratings, but there was a weak correlation between privacy scores and app downloads. Meaning These findings suggest that apps on the marketplace offer overlapping features, and metrics such as star ratings or the number of downloads may not provide adequate information about the privacy or efficacy of mental health apps.