Willis Henry A, Neblett Enrique W
University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy and Practice, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Mhealth. 2023 Jan 28;9:1. doi: 10.21037/mhealth-22-19. eCollection 2023.
Black young adults suffer from psychological distress at either similar or greater rates than that of White Americans, yet they are seven times less likely to have access to or receive effective treatments. Fortunately, mobile-health (mHealth) technology may transform mental health services and address disparities in mental healthcare. The current study utilized focus groups of Black young adults to inform the development of culturally-adapted mHealth using quantitative and qualitative approaches.
The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, in that qualitative (i.e., mini focus groups, n=11) and quantitative methods (i.e., self-report surveys) were used to explore the research questions. Participants included African American young adults (n=38, M =21). Participants completed self-report questionnaires prior to focus group facilitation. Correlational analyses were used to answer the quantitative research questions, and thematic analysis was used to answer the qualitative research questions.
The qualitative findings highlighted that sociocultural experiences impact mental health and treatment seeking attitudes. Despite these findings, participants highlighted a variety of desired features and content that should be incorporated into future culturally-adapted mHealth interventions. Participants also highlighted both positive and negative aspects of current mHealth technologies for mental health. Finally, the study found that on average, participants had positive attitudes towards mental health, mental health treatments, and utilizing mHealth for mental health. Participants also had strong desires for culturally-adapted mHealth interventions. Bivariate correlations also revealed significant associations between vicarious online racial discrimination and mHealth attitudes, as well as racial identity and mHealth attitudes.
In summary, the current study highlights that there is an urgent need for mHealth technology for mental health symptoms for African American young adults and presents a variety of features, content, and design/development considerations for future researchers.
与美国白人相比，黑人青年遭受心理困扰的比例与之相近甚至更高，但他们获得或接受有效治疗的可能性却低七倍。幸运的是，移动健康（mHealth）技术可能会改变心理健康服务，并解决心理健康护理方面的差异。本研究利用黑人青年的焦点小组，采用定量和定性方法为文化适应型移动健康的发展提供信息。
该研究采用混合方法，即使用定性方法（即小型焦点小组，n = 11）和定量方法（即自我报告调查）来探索研究问题。参与者包括非裔美国青年（n = 38，M = 21）。参与者在焦点小组讨论之前完成自我报告问卷。相关分析用于回答定量研究问题，主题分析用于回答定性研究问题。
定性研究结果强调社会文化经历会影响心理健康和寻求治疗的态度。尽管有这些发现，参与者强调了应纳入未来文化适应型移动健康干预措施的各种期望特征和内容。参与者还强调了当前心理健康移动健康技术的积极和消极方面。最后，研究发现，平均而言，参与者对心理健康、心理健康治疗以及使用移动健康促进心理健康持积极态度。参与者也强烈希望获得文化适应型移动健康干预措施。双变量相关性还揭示了替代性在线种族歧视与移动健康态度之间以及种族认同与移动健康态度之间的显著关联。
总之，当前研究强调，非裔美国青年迫切需要用于心理健康症状的移动健康技术，并为未来研究人员提供了各种特征、内容以及设计/开发方面的考虑因素。
