Skaczkowski G, van der Kruk S, Loxton S, Hughes-Barton D, Howell C, Turnbull D, Jensen N, Smout M, Gunn K. Web-Based Interventions to Help Australian Adults Address Depression, Anxiety, Suicidal Ideation, and General Mental Well-being: Scoping Review. JMIR Ment Health. 2022 Feb 8;9(2):e31018. doi: 10.2196/31018. PMID: 35133281.

Contact: Kate Gunn

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.

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.

This review found that there are numerous web-based programs for depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and general well-being, which are freely and publicly available in Australia. However, gaps were identified such as a lack of available web-based interventions for culturally and linguistically diverse populations and programs that use newer therapeutic approaches such as acceptance and commitment therapy and dialectical behavior therapy.

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