Digital interventions in mental health: Critical reflections, recent evidence and challenges for integration into public health care policies

Intervenciones digitales en salud mental: reflexiones críticas, evidencia reciente y desafíos para la integración en las políticas públicas de atención sanitaria

Abstract

Digital mental health interventions have become an effective, scalable, and cost-efficient alternative for addressing the persistent global gap in access to psychological care. Recent evidence demonstrates that Internet-based interventions, mobile applications, virtual reality environments, and hybrid therapeutic models significantly improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, emotional regulation, and resilience. Nevertheless, the accelerated expansion of these technologies calls for critical reflection on their ethical, technical, clinical, and policy implications, particularly in countries facing structural limitations within their healthcare systems. This article provides an analytical reflection on current advances, opportunities, and limitations of digital mental health interventions, while identifying key challenges for their sustainable integration into Latin American health systems.