Examining Equity in Access and Utilization of a Freely Available Meditation App.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Observational cohort study of real-world app usage and demographic data
PubMed 37159797 · doi:10.1038/s44184-023-00025-y
What was done
Analyzed demographic and usage data from US-based users of the freely available Healthy Minds Program (HMP) meditation app (N = 66,482) between October 2019 and July 2022 to examine disparities in access and continued app utilization relative to general US population demographics.
What was found
College-educated individuals were overrepresented among app users compared to the US population (65.0% vs. 32.9%) and showed greater continued utilization (beta = .11 to .17). African American individuals were underrepresented relative to the US population (5.3% vs. 13.4%) and had lower continued utilization (beta = -.02 to -.03). Although African American users were more likely to access content from an African American meditation teacher, this did not increase overall utilization.
Why it matters
Removing financial barriers by offering free digital mental health interventions does not automatically eliminate disparities in access and sustained engagement for marginalized groups.
Limits
The study relies on a naturalistic, self-selected sample rather than a controlled cohort. Findings are derived from usage logs and do not measure clinical mental health outcomes, detailed socioeconomic confounders, or qualitative reasons for low retention.
Cited by
- supports The Healthy Minds app was created as a non-profit by neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson affiliated with the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.