What is PsiCovid?

The health crisis caused by COVID-19 has pushed frontline healthcare professionals to their limits. Many are already suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other issues—sometimes without even realizing it.
PsiCovid is an app for Android and Apple devices specifically designed for healthcare professionals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was created by a team of psychologists and psychiatrists from various institutions, through studies led by our group, GRAPP-caIB. PsiCovid offers content on emotional management, mindfulness, lifestyle, social support, workplace stress, and burnout, as well as practical resources that can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

PsiCovid Evaluation

PsiCovid was evaluated in a clinical trial involving 482 healthcare professionals. The results showed that two weeks of access to the app did not lead to improvements in depression, anxiety, stress, or other mental health issues among frontline healthcare workers compared to a control group. However, those who were simultaneously receiving psychotherapy or psychotropic medication did show improvements in these mental health issues. With prolonged use of the app, the results could be more favorable. Additionally, 92% of participants wanted to continue accessing PsiCovid after the study ended, and some interviewees highlighted the tool as a source of support during the pandemic.

Infographics and videos

Most important scientific publications

  1. Serrano-Ripoll MJ, Zamanillo-Campos R, Fiol-DeRoque MA, Castro A, Ricci-Cabello I. Impact of Smartphone App-Based Psychological Interventions for Reducing Depressive Symptoms in People With Depression: Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2022 Jan 27;10(1):e29621. doi: 10.2196/29621.
  2. Serrano-Ripoll MJ, Zamanillo-Campos R, Castro A, Fiol-de Roque MA, Ricci-Cabello I. Insomnia and sleep quality in healthcare workers fighting against COVID-19: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. Actas Esp Psychiatr. 2021 Jul;49(4):155-179. Epub 2021 Jul 1.
  3. Fiol-DeRoque MA, Serrano-Ripoll MJ, Jiménez R, Zamanillo-Campos R, Yáñez-Juan AM, Bennasar-Veny M, Leiva A, Gervilla E, García-Buades ME, García-Toro M, Alonso-Coello P, Pastor-Moreno G, Ruiz-Pérez I, Sitges C, García-Campayo J, Llobera-Cánaves J, Ricci-Cabello I. A Mobile Phone-Based Intervention to Reduce Mental Health Problems in Health Care Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic (PsyCovidApp): Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2021 May 18;9(5):e27039. doi: 10.2196/27039.
  4. Serrano-Ripoll MJ, Ricci-Cabello I, Jiménez R, Zamanillo-Campos R, Yañez-Juan AM, Bennasar-Veny M, Sitges C, Gervilla E, Leiva A, García-Campayo J, García-Buades ME, García-Toro M, Pastor-Moreno G, Ruiz-Perez I, Alonso-Coello P, Llobera J, Fiol-deRoque MA. Effect of a mobile-based intervention on mental health in frontline healthcare workers against COVID-19: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. J Adv Nurs. 2021 Jun;77(6):2898-2907
  5. Serrano-Ripoll MJ, Meneses-Echavez JF, Ricci-Cabello I, Fraile-Navarro D, Fiol-deRoque MA, Pastor-Moreno G, Castro A, Ruiz-Pérez I, Zamanillo Campos R, Gonçalves-Bradley DC. Impact of viral epidemic outbreaks on mental health of healthcare workers: a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2020 Dec 1;277:347-357.

Funding Institutions

PsiCovid has been developed with the support of various funding agencies, both national and regional.

  • Development, Evaluation, and Large-Scale Implementation of PSICOVIDAPP, a psychoeducational intervention through a mobile app to mitigate mental health issues in healthcare professionals working on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic (SEP20/01).
    Spanish Foundation of Psychiatry and Mental Health 2020 Grants.
    Principal Investigators: Mauro García Toro and Ignacio Ricci Cabello.
    Duration: 2020 – 2021.
  • Effectiveness of an intervention based on the use of mobile technology for the prevention of mental health problems in health professionals in the first line of care of patients with COVID-19 (COVID-19/06) Research projects on SARSCoV-2 and COVID-19. GOIB-IdISBa. Principal Investigators: Ignacio Ricci Cabello and María Jesús Serrano Ripoll. Duration: 2020 – 2021.

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