BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has created serious mental health consequences for people who are designated as essential workers or have become unemployed as a result of the pandemic. Digital mental health tools have the potential to address this problem in a timely and efficient manner. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to document the extent of digital mental health tool use (DMHT) by essential workers and those unemployed due to COVID-19, including asking participants to rate the usability and user burden of the DMHT they used most to cope. We also explored which tools and features of DMHTs were seen as necessary for managing stress during a pandemic through the design their own ideal DMHT. METHODS: Two thousand people were recruited from an online research community (Prolific) and completed a one-time survey about mental health symptoms, digital mental health use and preferred digital mental health features. RESULTS: The final sample included 1,987 United States residents that identified as either an essential worker or someone who was unemployed due to COVID-19. Almost three-quarters of the sample (1479/1987, 74.8%) endorsed clinically significant emotional distress. Only 277/1957 (14.2%) of the sample used a DMHT to cope with stress associated with COVID-19. Of those who used DMHTs to cope with COVID-19, meditation apps were the most common (119/261, 45.6%). Usability was broadly in the acceptable range. Though, participants unemployed due to COVID-19 were less likely to report user burden with DMHTs than essential workers ( t198.1=-3.89, P<.001). Individuals with emotional distress reported higher financial burden for their DMHT than non-distressed individuals (t69.0=-3.21, P=.01). When the sample was provided the option to build their own DMHT, the most desired features were a combination of mindfulness/meditation (1271/1987, 64.0%), information or education (1254/1987, 63.1%), distraction tools (1170/1987, 58.9%), symptom tracking for mood and sleep (1160/1987, 58.4%), link to mental health resources (1140/1987, 57.4%), and positive psychology (1131/1986, 56.9%). Subgroups by employment, distress, and previous DMHT use status had varied preferences. Of those who did not use a DMHT to cope with COVID-19, most indicated that they did not consider looking for such a tool to cope (1179/1710, 68.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite potential need for DMHTs, this study found that use of such tools remains like pre-pandemic levels. This study also found that regardless of level of distress or even past experience using an app to cope with COVID-19, it is possible to develop a COVID-19 coping app that would appeal to a majority of essential workers and unemployed persons.
BACKGROUND:COVID-19 has created serious mental health consequences for people who are designated as essential workers or have become unemployed as a result of the pandemic. Digital mental health tools have the potential to address this problem in a timely and efficient manner. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to document the extent of digital mental health tool use (DMHT) by essential workers and those unemployed due to COVID-19, including asking participants to rate the usability and user burden of the DMHT they used most to cope. We also explored which tools and features of DMHTs were seen as necessary for managing stress during a pandemic through the design their own ideal DMHT. METHODS: Two thousand people were recruited from an online research community (Prolific) and completed a one-time survey about mental health symptoms, digital mental health use and preferred digital mental health features. RESULTS: The final sample included 1,987 United States residents that identified as either an essential worker or someone who was unemployed due to COVID-19. Almost three-quarters of the sample (1479/1987, 74.8%) endorsed clinically significant emotional distress. Only 277/1957 (14.2%) of the sample used a DMHT to cope with stress associated with COVID-19. Of those who used DMHTs to cope with COVID-19, meditation apps were the most common (119/261, 45.6%). Usability was broadly in the acceptable range. Though, participants unemployed due to COVID-19 were less likely to report user burden with DMHTs than essential workers ( t198.1=-3.89, P<.001). Individuals with emotional distress reported higher financial burden for their DMHT than non-distressed individuals (t69.0=-3.21, P=.01). When the sample was provided the option to build their own DMHT, the most desired features were a combination of mindfulness/meditation (1271/1987, 64.0%), information or education (1254/1987, 63.1%), distraction tools (1170/1987, 58.9%), symptom tracking for mood and sleep (1160/1987, 58.4%), link to mental health resources (1140/1987, 57.4%), and positive psychology (1131/1986, 56.9%). Subgroups by employment, distress, and previous DMHT use status had varied preferences. Of those who did not use a DMHT to cope with COVID-19, most indicated that they did not consider looking for such a tool to cope (1179/1710, 68.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite potential need for DMHTs, this study found that use of such tools remains like pre-pandemic levels. This study also found that regardless of level of distress or even past experience using an app to cope with COVID-19, it is possible to develop a COVID-19 coping app that would appeal to a majority of essential workers and unemployed persons.
Authors: Molly Woerner; Nichole Sams; Cristian Rivera Nales; Tara Gorstein; Morgan Johnson; Brittany A Mosser; Patricia A Areán Journal: Front Digit Health Date: 2022-02-10
Authors: Judith Borghouts; Martha Neary; Kristina Palomares; Cinthia De Leon; Stephen M Schueller; Margaret Schneider; Nicole Stadnick; Dana B Mukamel; Dara H Sorkin; Dakota Brown; Shannon McCleerey-Hooper; Gloria Moriarty; Elizabeth V Eikey Journal: JMIR Hum Factors Date: 2022-04-11
Authors: Nadia Minian; Anika Saiva; Allison Gayapersad; Rosa Dragonetti; Catherine Proulx; Patricia Debergue; Julia Lecce; Sarwar Hussain; Eric Desjardins; Peter Selby Journal: JMIR Form Res Date: 2022-05-12