Pfizer launches mood tracking app for individuals with depression

Pfizer recently announced the launch of Moodivator, a new iPhone application designed to support, encourage and motivate individuals with depression.

“Treatment for depression often includes a number of approaches such as talk therapy, medication, peer support, and a personal wellness plan — however, it may be challenging for some patients to adhere to their treatment. Advances in technology are now offering patients new tools to help them as they manage their depression. In fact, a 2014 survey found that 70% of patients being treated for a mental health disorder say they want to use a mobile application to monitor their mental health on a daily basis,” Susan Kornstein, MD, of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, who consulted on the app’s design, told Healio.com/Psychiatry. “Pfizer created the Moodivator app to help complement the treatment patients receive in a simple, efficient, and portable way by allowing patients to track mood, set goals and establish routines that can help support them in their daily life and over the short- and long-term.”

Susan Kornstein

The app, developed in consultation with psychiatrists, allows users to track their mood, set goals and establish routines that may help them in daily life.

Goals can be adjusted over time and developed into habits as part of an ongoing routine.

A scale allows users to track how they feel at any time in the day, which offers real-time reporting that may be useful to their mental health care team. Further, users are able to share their goal progress on the app via charting.

The app also sends encouraging and inspirational messages to help motivate users.

“Engaging regularly with the Moodivator app will allow patients to gain ongoing encouragement, set recurring goals and establish routines, as well as track their mood patterns over the long-term. The Moodivator app also allows patients the opportunity to share their goal progress with their care team, showcasing their progress through clear charts and allowing their care team to gain better visibility into the patients’ long-term patterns,” Kornstein said.

Pfizer plans to expand the app on different platforms, such as Android, in the future, according to Kornstein. – by Amanda Oldt