EMA MenFis is the official app of the 2023-2027 Excellence Project of the Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, funded by the Ministry of University and Research.
The app was created as an EMA (Ecological Momentary Assessment) tool, an innovative methodology that collects information on users' emotional state and psychophysical well-being in real time, within their daily life context.
🎯 App Objectives
Promote individual awareness of one's emotional and physical state.
Support prevention and early identification of mental and physical health issues.
Promote a personalized management approach for comorbidity between mental and physical conditions.
🔬 Scientific Context
Many physical illnesses are associated with high comorbidity with psychiatric disorders, and vice versa. The coexistence of mental and physical disorders may result from:
Common risk factors
Shared pathogenic mechanisms
Mutual effect on clinical outcome
Cumulative impact on suffering and disability
Decreased access to and adherence to treatment
Despite the evidence, the mechanisms underlying these interactions are still poorly understood and often managed in a fragmented manner. The EMA MenFis app fits into this scenario as a digital tool to collect accurate data and provide concrete support to both patients and researchers.
đź§© Conditions studied in the project
Physical conditions investigated:
Hearing loss
Tinnitus
Arthrosis
Melanoma
Psoriasis
HIV infection
Viral hepatitis
Psychiatric disorders investigated:
Schizophrenia
Depression
Bipolar disorder
Autism
📱 How EMA MenFis works
Users receive periodic notifications inviting them to complete short questionnaires.
Responses are collected in real time, without requiring retrospective recall.
The data collected is anonymous, secure, and used exclusively for scientific purposes.
The system allows you to track the progress of psychological and physical well-being over time.
👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Who is it for
The app is intended for patients treated at the outpatient clinics of the Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, but it also represents an important clinical research tool to support the MenFis project.
🌍 Expected impact
Thanks to the integration of digital tools and clinical practice, EMA MenFis will contribute to:
Improving patients' quality of life.
Strengthening scientific research on the comorbidity between physical illnesses and mental disorders.
Promoting an integrated and innovative approach to health