Mental health apps within the healthcare system: associations with stigma and mental health literacy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mental health apps (MHA) as a new form of self-help have gained popularity over the last years. Tentative evidence has suggested that MHA might also present a first step into the help-seeking process, because their anonymity circumvents stigma. Using MHA might also increase mental health literacy and reduce stigma through psychoeducation, which could encourage formal help-seeking. To date, it remains unclear how MHA usage relates to stigma, mental health literacy, and utilization of professional help within the public healthcare system.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey with N = 1,263 individuals from the general population (mean age 32.56 ± 11.51, 58.2% female) and employed structural equation modeling to investigate associations between stigma (again

SUBMITTER: Furtjes S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11328358 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature