MHAD

The MHAD project is an interdisciplinary cooperation project of the Institute for Databases and Information Systems and the departments of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at the University of Ulm. The project consists of several web-based information systems that technically support the assessment process, communicate via RESTful web services and exchange information about the quality of health apps.

MHAD is an information system on which scientific findings of studies and developments of validated assessment procedures are made available. Like no other database in Germany, MHAD provides the basis for an independent and high-quality database on available health apps and stands for more transparency with regard to app quality in the health sector. Most people in Germany already use m-Health apps on their smartphones, as the level of suffering and desire for health in relation to a wide range of problem areas is high and the apps available are promising. Very often, however, the quality of the content and the data security are difficult to assess, so that risks, misinformation and negative developments cannot be ruled out when using these m-Health apps. MHAD addresses this issue because each m-Health app published in the system is reviewed by two specially trained experts using a validated diagnostic instrument (MARS).