Help, near and far: a systematic review of post-COVID digital mental health solutions for domestic violence victims

TL;DR

This review examines digital mental health tools for domestic violence survivors post-COVID, finding some promise but highlighting the need for safety and cultural adaptation.

Contribution

The study systematically evaluates digital mental health interventions for domestic violence victims in the post-COVID context and proposes policy recommendations.

Findings

Nine studies showed mixed results, with some digital tools improving depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms.

Digital interventions require integration with offline services and cultural adaptation for effectiveness.

Three studies found no significant mental health benefits from the interventions tested.

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV), as a global pandemic, poses a significant challenge within the field of public health, gravely impacting the mental and physical health of victims. Modern digital technologies have been proposed as promising interventions for DV-related mental health problems. We therefore evaluated their effectiveness.

To systematically review digital interventions targeting the mental health of DV survivors and to summarize implications for health professionals and policy makers.

We searched PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science (January 1, 2020–April 23, 2024) following PRISMA guidelines. Two reviewers independently screened records, applied predefined eligibility criteria, and extracted data. Owing to heterogeneity, we performed a narrative synthesis. Meanwhile, based on the results of the literature review, this paper proposes a series of policy recommendations from a post-COVID-19 era perspective, integrating societal context and relevant policies.

Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Three reported no significant mental-health benefits, whereas the remainder showed improvements in outcomes such as depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms, emotion regulation, perceived support, or safety preparedness using tools including mobile apps, web-based programs, virtual reality, chatbots, and video adjuncts.

Digital interventions show promise for improving mental-health outcomes among DV survivors, but their implementation requires attention to safety, engagement, cultural adaptation, and integration with offline services.

PROSPERO, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023488560