Mobile Applications in Mental Health and Public Safety: Challenges and Gaps in Digital Transformation
TL;DR
A narrative and documentary review focused on the United States context shows that, although mobile applications in mental health and public safety demonstrate high functional effectiveness and sustained growth, their social impact is limited by inequalities in access, digital literacy, institutional trust, and interoperability with public services.
Abstract
Mobile applications in mental health and public safety have evolved from individual tools into strategic digital infrastructures within the process of digital transformation. This study presents a narrative and documentary review focused on the United States context. The results show that, although these applications demonstrate high functional effectiveness and sustained growth, their social impact is limited by inequalities in access, digital literacy, institutional trust, and interoperability with public services. In mental health, app use among individuals with diagnosed disorders remains low, with moderate effects on reducing anxiety and depression symptoms and intermittent adherence, despite high levels of smartphone ownership. In public safety, platforms such as Life360 and Citizen report user growth; however, evidence regarding their real operational impact, response time reduction, and perceived security is limited and heterogeneous. The social sustainability of these technologies requires institutional validation, inclusive design, data protection, community participation, and alignment with public policies. The convergence with artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and hybrid intervention models projects future trends toward intelligent personalization and the strengthening of community resilience.