eMental health service use among Australian youth: a cross-sectional survey framed by Andersen.

ConclusionseMental health is accessed by young people in Australia, yet more needs to be done to better integrate this service model into the healthcare system. This includes training and education for consumers and professionals about existing, effective programs.What is known about this topic?eMental health platforms can bridge the gap between technology and conventional mental health care. Despite its rapidly expanding evidence base, the implementation of eMental health into the Australian healthcare system remains slow. More work needs to be done to elucidate the factors underlying preferences for online help-seeking.What does this paper add?Young adult perspectives on the delivery of mental health information, services and care via the Internet are examined in accordance with a major conceptual model, namely Andersen's behavioural model of health services use. The majority of those surveyed reported having accessed some form of online support for an emotional issue, although dissatisfaction with the quality of this support was expressed. Andersen's model can guide future research in this area and potentially help target eMental health initiatives to individual service users' needs.What are the implications for practitioners?eMental health interventions offer an alternative for young adults who have difficulty accessing traditional mental health care services, but are also an adjunct to those experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of mental illness. Practitioners can intr...
Source: Australian Health Review - Category: Hospital Management Authors: Tags: Aust Health Rev Source Type: research