Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T13:19:09.041Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Online peer support for mental health problems in the United States: 2004–2010

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2013

D. C. DeAndrea  and
J. C. Anthony
D. C. DeAndrea
Affiliation:
School of Communication, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
J. C. Anthony*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
*
*Address for correspondence: J. C. Anthony, Ph.D., B601 West Fee Hall, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. (Email: [email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Help seeking for online peer and other social support in response to depression and other mental health problems offers an electronic technology alternative to traditional mental health care. Here, with nationally representative samples of adult community residents in the USA, we study online peer support help seeking, estimate its occurrence, and investigate depression and other suspected predictors and correlates, some of which might prove to be causal influences.

Method

The data are from nationally representative probability sample surveys of the non-institutionalized US adult population, with a new independent sample assessed via confidential computerized self-assessment modules each year from 2004 to 2010, yielding estimates about online peer support. A total of 264 431 adults participated in these years.

Results

An estimated three per 1000 adults (0.3%) seek online peer support for mental health problems each year (95% confidence interval 0.0022–0.0036). Individuals with depression and/or serious psychological distress are strongly over-represented among these adult online peer support help seekers (odds ratio >7, p < 0.001). Associations with college education, being non-Hispanic white, being female, and age are also noteworthy (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Online help seeking for mental health social support is becoming frequent enough for study in large sample national surveys, and might well be fostered by active neuropsychiatric ailments such as depression or other serious psychological distress. Open questions remain about whether the result is beneficial, or conditions required for efficacious online peer support, as might be disclosed in definitive evidence from randomized controlled trials.

Keywords

Internet self helpmajor depressionmental health treatmentonline discussion forumsonline social supportserious psychological distress
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 43 , Issue 11 , November 2013 , pp. 2277 - 2288
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

APA (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR, 4th edn. American Psychiatric Association: Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Atkinson, NL, Saperstein, SL, Pleis, J (2009). Using the Internet for health-related activities: findings from a national probability sample? Journal of Medical Internet Research 11, e4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baker, L, Wagner, TH, Singer, S, Bundorf, MK (2003). Use of the Internet and e-mail for health care information: results from a national survey? Journal of the American Medical Association 289, 2400–2406.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barak, A, Proudfoot, JG, Klein, B (2009). Defining Internet-supported therapeutic interventions? Annals of Behavioral Medicine 38, 4–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barrio, C, Palinkas, LA, Yamada, AM, Fuentes, D, Criado, V, Garcia, P, Jeste, DV (2008). Unmet needs for mental health services for Latino older adults: perspectives from consumers, family members, advocates, and service providers? Community Mental Health Journal 44, 57–74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bauman, LJ, Gervey, R, Siegel, K (1992). Factors associated with cancer patients’ participation in support groups? Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 10, 1–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berger, M, Wagner, TH, Baker, LC (2005). Internet use and stigmatized illness? Social Science and Medicine 61, 1821–1827.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blazer, DG, Wu, LT (2009). The epidemiology of substance use and disorders among middle aged and elderly community adults: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)? American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 17, 237–245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eysenbach, G, Powell, J, Englesakis, M, Rizo, C, Stern, A (2004). Health related virtual communities and electronic support groups: systematic review of the effects of online peer to peer interactions? British Medical Journal 328, 1166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Folkman, S, Lazarus, RS, Pimley, S, Novacek, J (1987). Age differences in stress and coping processes? Psychology and Aging 2, 171–184.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fox, S (2011). Peer-to-peer healthcare (http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/P2PHealthcare.aspx). Accessed 1 April 2012.Google Scholar
Fox, S, Jones, S (2009). The social life of health information (http://www.pewinternet.org/∼/media//Files/Reports/2009/PIP_Health_2009.pdf). Accessed 1 April 2012.Google Scholar
Furukawa, TA, Kessler, RC, Slade, T, Andrews, G (2003). The performance of the K6 and K10 screening scales for psychological distress in the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being? Psychological Medicine 33, 357–362.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goldstrom, ID, Campbell, J, Rogers, JA, Lambert, DB, Blacklow, B, Henderson, MJ, Manderscheid, RW (2006). National estimates for mental health mutual support groups, self-help organizations, and consumer-operated services? Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research 33, 92–103.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Griffiths, KM, Farrer, L, Christensen, H (2010). The efficacy of Internet interventions for depression and anxiety disorders: a review of randomised controlled trials? Medical Journal of Australia 192, S4–S11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Han, B, Gfroerer, JC, Colpe, LJ, Barker, PR, Colliver, JD (2011). Serious psychological distress and mental health service use among community-dwelling older U.S. adults? Psychiatric Services 62, 291–298.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hesse, BW, Nelson, DE, Kreps, GL, Croyle, RT, Arora, NK, Rimer, BK, Viswanath, K (2005). Trust and sources of health information: the impact of the Internet and its implications for health care providers: findings from the first Health Information National Trends Survey? Archives of Internal Medicine 165, 2618–2624.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kataoka, SH, Zhang, L, Wells, KB (2002). Unmet need for mental health care among US children: variation by ethnicity and insurance status? American Journal of Psychiatry 159, 1548–1555.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leykin, Y, Munoz, RF, Contreras, O (2012). Are consumers of Internet health information “cyberchondriacs”? Characteristics of 24,965 users of a depression screening site? Depression and Anxiety 29, 71–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manheimer, DI, Mellinger, GD, Balter, MB (1968). Psychotherapeutic drugs: use among adults in California? California Medical Journal 109, 445–451.Google ScholarPubMed
Owen, JE, Boxley, L, Goldstein, MS, Lee, JH, Breen, N, Rowland, JH (2010). Use of health-related online support groups: population data from the California health interview survey complementary and alternative medicine study? Journal of Computer Mediated Communication 15, 427–446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pew Internet and American Life Project (2012). Usage over time (http://pewinternet.org/Trend-Data/Usage-Over-Time.aspx). Accessed 4 May 2012.Google Scholar
Powell, J, Clarke, A (2006). Internet information-seeking in mental health: population survey? British Journal of Psychiatry 189, 273–277.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Powell, J, McCarthy, N, Eysenbach, G (2003). Cross-sectional survey of users of Internet depression communities? BMC Psychiatry 3, 19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Srole, L, Langer, TS, Michael, ST, Opler, MK, Rennie, TAC (1962). Mental Health in the Metropolis: The Midtown Manhattan Study. McGraw Hill: New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thoits, PA (1995). Stress, coping, and social support processes: Where are we? What next?? Journal of Health and Social Behavior 35, 53–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2009). National Survey on Drug Use and Health (http://dx.doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR29621.v1). Accessed 1 December 2011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies (2009). The NSDUH report: Mental health support and self-help groups. Rockville, MD (http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k9/161/161MHSupportGroup.htm). Accessed 7 May 2012.Google Scholar
United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2012). Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental health findings. NSDUH Series H-42, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 11–4667. Rockville, MD (http://www.samhsa.gov/data/nsduh/2k10MH_Findings/2k10MHResults.htm#B.4). Accessed 28 January 2013.Google Scholar
Walther, JB, Boyd, S (2002). Attraction to computer-mediated social support. In Communication Technology and Society: Audience Adoption and Uses (ed. Lin, C. A and Atkin, D.), pp. 153–188. Hampton Press: Cresskill, NJ.Google Scholar
Walther, JB, Pingree, S, Hawkins, RP, Buller, DB (2005). Attributes of interactive online health information systems? Journal of Medical Internet Research 7, e33.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ybarra, ML, Suman, M (2006). Help seeking behavior and the Internet: a national survey? International Journal of Medical Informatics 75, 29–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Supplementary material: File

DeAndrea Supplementary Material

Appendix

Download DeAndrea Supplementary Material(File)
File 938.5 KB