Terika McCall|Meagan Foster|Todd A. Schwartz
Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services and Mobile Technology to Support the Management of Depression Among Black American Women: Cross-Sectional Survey Study
Yale University|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
background depression common mental health condition among black american women many factors may contribute development depressive symptoms gender racial discrimination financial strain chronic health conditions caregiving responsibilities barriers stigmatization mental illness less access treatment lack inadequate health insurance mistrust providers limited health literacy prevent marginalized populations seeking care previous literature shown mobile health interventions effective increase access mental health services resources objective aimed understand attitudes perceptions black women toward using mental health services determine acceptability concerns using mobile technology ie voice call video call sms text messaging mobile app support management depression methods launched selfadministered webbased questionnaire october 2019 closed january 2020 women aged 18 years identify black african american multiracial defined black african american another race eligible participate survey consisted approximately 70 questions included topics attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help acceptability using mobile phone receive mental health care screening depression results findings n395 showed younger black women likely greater severity depression older counterparts results also revealed black women favorable views toward seeking mental health services respondents comfortable use voice calls video calls communicate professional receive support managing depression comparison sms text messaging mobile apps results revealed higher helpseeking propensity increased odds indicating agreement use voice calls video calls communicate professional receive support managing depression 27 38 respectively however statistically significant odds ratios pgt05 found helpseeking propensity respondents agreement use mobile apps sms text messaging moderate severe depression severity increased odds using mobile apps communicate professional receive support managing depression 43 however statistically significant odds ratios existed modalities privacy confidentiality communication issues eg misinterpreting text impersonal feeling communicating mobile phone eg sms text messaging primary concerns conclusions black american women general favorable views toward seeking mental health services comfortable use mobile technology receive support managing depression future work address issues access consider preferences cultural appropriateness resources provided