Feasibility and Conceptualization of an e-Mental Health Treatment for Depression in Older Adults: Mixed-Methods Study

Christiane Eichenberg; Markus Schott; Adam Sawyer; Georg Aumayr; Manuela Plößnig

doi:10.2196/10973

Feasibility and Conceptualization of an e-Mental Health Treatment for Depression in Older Adults: Mixed-Methods Study

JMIR Aging. 2018 Oct 23;1(2):e10973. doi: 10.2196/10973.

Authors

Christiane Eichenberg¹, Markus Schott¹, Adam Sawyer¹, Georg Aumayr², Manuela Plößnig³

Affiliations

¹ Sigmund Freud Privat Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria.
² Johanniter Österreich Ausbildung und Forschung gemeinnützige GmbH, Vienna, Austria.
³ Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Vienna, Austria.

PMID: 31518235
PMCID: PMC6715022
DOI: 10.2196/10973

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.

Keywords: depression; e-mental health; online therapy.

©Christiane Eichenberg, Markus Schott, Adam Sawyer, Georg Aumayr, Manuela Plößnig. Originally published in JMIR Aging (http://aging.jmir.org), 23.10.2018.