Barriers to and Facilitators of Engagement With mHealth Technology for Remote Measurement and Management of Depression: Qualitative Analysis

Jan 31, 2019JMIR mHealth and uHealth

Factors That Help or Hinder Using Mobile Health Technology to Track and Manage Depression

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

A total of 58 subthemes of specific barriers and facilitators for using mobile health technology in managing depression were identified across three Western European countries.

Facilitators and barriers were categorized into health-related, user-related, and technology-related factors.
Common themes included motivation, potential impact on mood and anxiety, inconvenience, and ease of use.
Similarities in barriers and facilitators were observed in Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
Engagement with mobile health technology may improve management and early detection of depression.

AI simplified

BACKGROUND: Mobile technology has the potential to provide accurate, impactful data on the symptoms of depression, which could improve health management or assist in early detection of relapse. However, for this potential to be achieved, it is essential that patients engage with the technology. Although many barriers to and facilitators of the use of this technology are common across therapeutic areas and technology types, many may be specific to cultural and health contexts.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the potential barriers to and facilitators of engagement with mobile health (mHealth) technology for remote measurement and management of depression across three Western European countries.

METHODS: Participants (N=25; 4:1 ratio of women to men; age range, 25-73 years) who experienced depression participated in five focus groups held in three countries (two in the United Kingdom, two in Spain, and one in Italy). The focus groups investigated the potential barriers to and facilitators of the use of mHealth technology. A systematic thematic analysis was used to extract themes and subthemes.

RESULTS: Facilitators and barriers were categorized as health-related factors, user-related factors, and technology-related factors. A total of 58 subthemes of specific barriers and facilitators or moderators emerged. A core group of themes including motivation, potential impact on mood and anxiety, aspects of inconvenience, and ease of use was noted across all countries.

CONCLUSIONS: Similarities in the barriers to and facilitators of the use of mHealth technology have been observed across Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. These themes provide guidance on ways to promote the design of feasible and acceptable cross-cultural mHealth tools.

Full Text

We can’t show the full text here under this license. Use the link below to read it at the source.

View on DOI ↗View on PubMed ↗

Barriers to and Facilitators of Engagement With mHealth Technology for Remote Measurement and Management of Depression: Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief