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

Introduction: 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. Objective: To systematically review digital interventions targeting the mental health of DV survivors and to summarize implications for health professionals and policy makers. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023488560.