Eichenberg et al. (2018): Feasibility and Conceptualization of an e-Mental Health Treatment for Depression in Older Adults: Mixed-Methods Study

ABSTRACT

Back­ground: Depres­sion is one of the most com­mon men­tal dis­or­ders in older adults. Unfor­t­u­n­a­tely, it often goes unre­co­gni­zed in the older popu­la­tion.

Objec­tive: The aim of this study was to iden­tify how Web-based apps can reco­gnize and help treat depres­sion in older adults.

Methods: Focus groups were con­duc­ted with men­tal health care experts. A Web-based sur­vey of 56 older adults suf­fe­ring from depres­sion was con­duc­ted. Qua­li­ta­tive inter­views were con­duc­ted with 2 indi­vi­du­als.

Results: Results of the focus groups high­ligh­ted that there is a need for a col­la­bo­ra­tive care plat­form for depres­sion in old age. Fin­dings from the Web-based study showed that youn­ger par­ti­ci­pants (aged 50 to 64 years) used elec­tro­nic media more often than older par­ti­ci­pants (aged 65 years and older). The inter­views poin­ted in a com­pa­ra­ble direc­tion.

Con­clu­si­ons: Over­all, an e-mental (elec­tro­nic men­tal) health tre­at­ment for depres­sion in older adults would be well accep­ted. Web-based care plat­forms should be deve­lo­ped, eva­lua­ted, and in case of evi­dence for their effec­tiven­ess, inte­gra­ted into the ever­y­day cli­nic.

Full ver­sion: https://aging.jmir.org/2018/2/e10973/

Eichen­berg, C., Schott, M., Sawyer, A., Aumayr, G. & Plöß­nig, M. (2018). Fea­si­bi­lity and Con­cep­tua­liza­t­ion of an e-Mental Health Tre­at­ment for Depres­sion in Older Adults: Mixed-Methods Study. Jour­nal of Medi­cal Inter­net Rese­arch Aging, 1(2), e10973. DOI: 10.2196/10973.