The use of e-health applications in treating depression online
Hindsberg, Pernilla; Idi, Vitus; Abdirahmaan Jacob, Tufaah; Karki, Asmita; Zaman, Tasneem; Tana, Jonas (2017)
Hindsberg, Pernilla
Idi, Vitus
Abdirahmaan Jacob, Tufaah
Karki, Asmita
Zaman, Tasneem
Tana, Jonas
Yrkeshögskolan Arcada Ab
2017
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-5260-88-5
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-5260-88-5
Tiivistelmä
The need for new innovative healthcare services has in recent years become more evident because of the ageing of the population and increased budgetary pressure. One solution to this is the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and the Internet to provide new methods for utilizing and improving public health services. In the treatment of depression, one of the most burdensome diseases globally, the use of these novel approaches in the form of online therapy, has been shown to be as effective as face-to-face therapy and more cost-effective. But for a digital health service to be effective, the service has to be designed so that it is user-centered. In this paper, a Finnish mental health service, Mental Hub, is inspected, assessed and discussed, especially from the aspect of effectiveness, service design principles and the contributions of online therapy in treating depression. Online therapy treatments for depression have been shown to be effective in treating depression, and can be accessible for people who have difficulty in getting face-to-face therapy due to high cost. Online therapy can also be convenient for those who feel the stigma to attend face-to-face therapy in physical settings. Therefore, awareness of online interventions and therapy in the treatment of depression should be increased.