Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for Mental Health Prevention and Treatment

Dear Colleagues,

Mental illness is a recognized population health issue, with depression and anxiety disorders being prevalent around the world (4.4% and 3.6% of the global population suffer from depression and anxiety disorders, respectively; World Health Organization (WHO), 2017), and across different regions. Depression is ranked by WHO as the single largest contributor to global disabilities (7.5% of all years lived with disability in 2015; anxiety disorders are ranked 6^th). The estimate cost of depressive and anxiety disorders to the global economy in lost productivity is US $1 trillion per year (WHO, 2019). Despite the negative consequences of mental health disorders, we still face inequalities in treatment access (e.g., limited resources to accommodate the existent needs) and/or barriers to treatment, such as knowledge barriers (e.g., poor mental health literacy), attitudinal barriers (e.g., stigma towards mental health and towards professional help-seeking), and structural barriers (e.g., limited access to healthcare due to geographical or financial restrictions, work constraints or patient’s physical condition). Therefore, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to deliver psychological interventions may be an effective way to improve the patient’s access and use of mental healthcare services, considering its characteristics (e.g., convenience and flexibility of use, privacy, novelty, and appeal). The use of ICT in psychological intervention may be complementary to face-to-face services, but also the sole means of access to psychological interventions (e.g., web-based intervention programs).

The aim of this Special Issue entitled “Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for Mental Health Prevention and Treatment” is to publish studies concerning the acceptability, (cost-) effectiveness, potentialities, and limitations of ICT-based psychological services (e.g., web-based interventions, mobile devices, and virtual reality) for mental health promotion, prevention, and treatment.

Dr. Ana Fonseca
Dr. Jorge Osma
Guest Editors

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