Cross-sectional survey of users of Internet depression communities

Powell, John; McCarthy, Noel; Eysenbach, Gunther

doi:10.1186/1471-244x-3-19

Cited by 96Health Literacy and Information AccessibilityMental Health Treatment and AccessMental Health via Writing

Cross-sectional survey of users of Internet depression communities

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Powell, John, McCarthy, Noel, Eysenbach, Gunther·2003·BMC Psychiatry

DOI 10.1186/1471-244x-3-19PMC PMC317315

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Internet-based depression communities provide a forum for individuals to communicate and share information and ideas. There has been little research into the health status and other characteristics of users of these communities. METHODS: Online cross-sectional survey of Internet depression communities to identify depressive morbidity among users of Internet depression communities in six European countries; to investigate whether users were in contact with health services and receiving treatment; and to identify user perceived effects of the communities. RESULTS: Major depression was highly prevalent among respondents (varying by country from 40% to 64%). Forty-nine percent of users meeting criteria for major depression were not receiving treatment, and 35% had no consultation with health services in the previous year. Thirty-six percent of repeat community users who had consulted a health professional in the previous year felt that the Internet community had been an important factor in deciding to seek professional help. CONCLUSIONS: There are high levels of untreated and undiagnosed depression in users of Internet depression communities. This group represents a target for intervention. Internet communities can provide information and support for stigmatizing conditions that inhibit more traditional modes of information seeking.

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Social media has been associated with positive outcomes such as reinforcement of healthy behaviors and help-seeking.
“Although excessive social media use has been linked to adverse outcomes like depression and anxiety [39], social media has also been associated with positive outcomes such as reinforcement of healthy behaviors and help-seeking [40].”
From Associations Between Social Media and Suicidal Behaviors During a Youth Suicide Cluster in Ohio (2021) · cites this paper as [40]
The Results (Self-perceived effects of communities; page unavailable) report that 36% of respondents who answered the consultation question felt an Internet depression community was an important factor in deciding to seek professional help. The paper does not report reinforcement of healthy behaviors, and its findings concern Internet depression communities rather than social media generally. (LLM, conf=0.87)
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Authors: Powell, J., McCarthy, N., & Eysenbach, G.
Affiliations: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (GB)
University of Oxford (GB)
Corresponding author: Powell, John
ORCID: Powell, John
McCarthy, Noel
Venue: BMC Psychiatry
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2003-12-10
Volume: 3
Issue: 1
Pages: 19-19
ISSN: 1471-244X (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1186/1471-244x-3-19
PMC: PMC317315
OpenAlex: W2114836419
Cited by: 96
References: 24
Citations by year: 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 3
FWCI: 3.54
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: gold
doi.org
Licence: www.springer.com/tdm (unspecified)
Locations: BMC Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion, other-oa)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Warwick Research Archive Portal (University of Warwick) (acceptedVersion)
LSHTM Research Online (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) (acceptedVersion)
TSpace (University of Toronto) (submittedVersion)
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Topics: Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
Keywords: online support groups, major depressive disorder, untreated depression, undiagnosed depression, help-seeking, health care utilization, user perception, depression prevalence, stigma
MeSH terms: Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Depressive Disorder, Europe, Female, Health Services, Humans, Information Services, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Personality Inventory, Surveys and Questionnaires, Research Design, Seasons, Self-Help Groups, Stereotyping, United States, Prevalence, Internet

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