Mobile applications for anxiety and stress reduction: potential for preventing noncommunicable diseases

Abstract

The article discusses using mobile applications for smartphones as tools to reduce anxiety and stress. The modern views on pathogenesis of the relationship between stress, anxiety disorders and cardiovascular disease are considered. Based on a review of some representative studies, a methodology for evaluating the characteristics and functions of mobile applications for managing anxiety and stress symptoms is proposed. The applications selected for analysis were tested according to this methodology. There are following key features of the Russian-language field of mobile applications for anxiety and stress reduction: a small number of applications, high prevalence of using breathing exercises, meditations and sound therapy, an extremely low disease specificity and focus mainly on helping with general symptoms of anxiety.