DOST supports mobile app for COVID anxiety, depression
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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is supporting the development of a chatbot application that can assess symptoms of depression and anxiety among individuals with mild COVID-19 symptoms.
The project, led by Dr. Raymond Francis Sarmiento of the National Institutes of Health at the University of the Philippines Manila, is intended to produce a natural language virtual assistant that can evaluate depression and anxiety among people who have mild COVID-19.
“The app will also contain self-help educational materials from the World Health Organization and the Department of Health (DOH), as well as links to nearby facilities and the DOH’s mental health hotline,” Science Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. said in a report on Friday.
In a study titled “Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines,” researchers found that 25 percent of respondents reported that they experienced moderate-to-severe anxiety.
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