Aine Donovan|Jennifer Sweeney
Young students' use of the Internet for mental health information and support
Marymount University|University College Cork
accessible summary young people experience difficulties accessing mainstream mental health services yet experiencing increasing rates mental health problems growth use internet health information support study aimed elicit views 922 students using internet health information support findings study help inform website design webbased interventions young people mental health problems abstract recognized young people experience difficulties accessing mainstream mental health services particularly stigma remains associated mental health problems one potential solution use many websites available offering information support mental health problems support information could offered psychiatric nurses however young peoples usage views using internet purpose yet examined quantitative descriptive study aimed elicit views 922 university students aged 18 24 years using internet mental health information support data collected using 30item selfdesigned questionnaire analysed using descriptive statistics findings indicated 724 participants used internet several times day addition 308 previously searched mental health information online predominantly depression found 68 participants indicated would use internet mental health support needed 794 would still prefer face face support concluded young people willing use internet mental health information represents viable source support age group