Web-Based Interventions to Help Australian Adults Address Depression, Anxiety, Suicidal Ideation, and General Mental Well-being: Scoping Review

• Published in: JMIR mental health 2022-02, Vol.9 (2), p.e31018
• Main Authors: Skaczkowski, Gemma, van der Kruk, Shannen, Loxton, Sophie, Hughes-Barton, Donna, Howell, Cate, Turnbull, Deborah, Jensen, Neil, Smout, Matthew, Gunn, Kate
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Cognitive behavioral therapy; Health care access; Health services; Internet access; Intervention; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Mental health care; Primary care; Review; Suicidal ideation; Suicides & suicide attempts; Young adults
• ISSN: 2368-7959; 2368-7959
• DOI: 10.2196/31018

A large number of Australians experience mental health challenges at some point in their lives. However, in many parts of Australia, the wait times to see general practitioners and mental health professionals can be lengthy. With increasing internet use across Australia, web-based interventions may help increase access to timely mental health care. As a result, this is an area of increasing research interest, and the number of publicly available web-based interventions is growing. However, it can be confusing for clinicians and consumers to know the resources that are evidence-based and best meet their needs. This study aims to scope out the range of web-based mental health interventions that address depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, or general mental well-being and are freely available to Australian adults, along with their impact, acceptability, therapeutic approach, and key features. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR [PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews]) guided the review process. Keywords for the search were depression, anxiety, suicide, and well-being. The search was conducted using Google as well as the key intervention databases Beacon, Head to Health, and e-Mental Health in Practice. Interventions were deemed eligible if they targeted depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, or general mental well-being (eg, resilience) in adults; and were web-based, written in English, interactive, free, and publicly available. They also had to be guided by an evidence-based therapeutic approach. Overall, 52 eligible programs were identified, of which 9 (17%) addressed depression, 15 (29%) addressed anxiety, 13 (25%) addressed general mental well-being, and 13 (25%) addressed multiple issues. Only 4% (2/52) addressed distress in the form of suicidal ideation. The most common therapeutic approach was cognitive behavioral therapy. Half of the programs guided users through exercises in a set sequence, and most programs enabled users to log in and complete the activities on their own without professional support. Just over half of the programs had been evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing symptoms, and 11% (6/52) were being evaluated at the time of writing. Program evaluation scores ranged from 44% to 100%, with a total average score of 85%. There are numerous web-based programs for depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and general well-being, which are freely an