JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The acceptability of e-mental health apps has already been studied. However, the attitudes of medical experts, students and patients taking into account their knowledge of and former experiences with e-mental health apps have not been investigated.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes, expectations and concerns towards e-mental health apps of medical experts, including physicians, psychotherapists and nursing staff, students of medicine or psychology, as well as patients in consideration of their knowledge of and former experiences with e-mental health apps.

Methods:

The study is a cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative survey, based on a self-developed questionnaire. 269 participants were included (104 experts, 80 students, 85 patients). 124 eligible participants answered a paper version and 145 an identical online version. The measures focused on existing knowledge of and experiences with e-mental health apps, followed by the question, if the development was generally accepted or disliked. A further focus lied on expectations and concerns. All items were either presented as a 5-point Likert scale or as multiple selections. Additionally, 4 items were presented as open text fields.

Results:

Although 33.7% (35/104) of the experts, 15.0% (12/80) of the students and 41.2% (35/85) of the patients answered to know at least one e-mental health app, only very few had already tried one (8.7%, 9/104 experts; 1.3%, 1/80 students; 25.9% (22/85) patients). There were more advocates than skeptics in each group (advocates: 68.3%, 71/104 experts, 62.5%, 50/80 students, 54.1%, 46/85 patients; skeptics: 29.8%, 31/104 experts, 25.0%, 20/80 students, 30.6%, 26/85 patients). Especially the experts believed, that e-mental health apps will gain importance in the future (M = 1.08, SD = 0.68, 95%CI [0.94, 1.21]). When asked for potential risks, all groups reported slight concerns regarding data security (M = 0.85, SD = 1.09, 95% CI [0.72, 0.98]). Patient age was associated with several attitudes towards e-mental health apps (future expectations: r = -.31, P < .01; total risk score: r = .22, P = .05). Attitudes towards e-mental health apps correlated negatively with the professional experience of the experts (rs(94) = -.23, P = .03).

Conclusions:

As opposed to patients, medical experts and students lack knowledge of and experience with e-mental health apps. However, experts show a more positive attitude with less fear of risks. Even though some risks were perceived regarding data security, the attitudes and expectations of all groups were rather positive. A higher age of the patients goes along with more negative attitudes, while medical experts with long professional experience express more skepticism. Clinical Trial: The study was registered by the DRKS with the following ID: DRKS00013095.