Is digital technology the solution for the mental health gap?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2022), mental health problems play a significant role in disease, premature death and disability worldwide.

If we look at the figures provided by the WHO, approximately 1 in 10 people in the world suffers from a mental health disorder; 1 in 4 families has a member with a mental health disorder, only 1% of the world's professional health resources care for mental health, and 76-85% of people with mental health disorders in countries with low or medium socioeconomic levels they do not receive any type of treatment.

On the other hand, in the last ten years, access to new technologies and the Internet around the world has increased at the same time that the costs have been reduced considerably. In this way, the increasing accessibility to mobile devices such as smartphones has driven the use of technologies in our daily lives to become more and more common.

• Related article: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to psychology"

Digital technology and mental health gap

Given the exponential development of digital technology, its growing availability and extensive accessibility, it is worth considering that digital technology can be a key to face mental health gap, that is, the existing gap between the resources available to care for mental health and the really necessary resources.

Mental health technology solutions offer certain advantages. Among them, the immediacy of the possibility that people (both patients and professionals) can access effective tools from practically anywhere stands out.

Looking at costs, we also find that technology often offers cheaper and more accessible options that face-to-face care in mental health resources, from the costs of transportation/transfer to the professional consultation that disappear, to the possibility of access a digital resource that does not have to be a therapy as such (i.e. mental health apps to perform breathing exercises, meditation techniques and mindfully).

It is interesting to comment at this point that it is currently estimated that there are between 10,000 and 20,000 mental health apps on the market (American Psychological Association APA, 2021).

Another interesting advantage that technological solutions provide us is found in that addressed to the health professional himself. related to their training and professional enrichment, since they can access courses, congresses, conferences and other training and/or spaces for professional growth in a much simpler and more efficient way, compared to the classic face-to-face alternatives.

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The case of the coronavirus crisis

A recent example where we have been able to verify the contributions of digital technology to mental health lies in the COVID-19 pandemic. The health crisis has highlighted not only the importance of mental health, but also the limits of an overwhelmed health system not enough to cover the demand of the population.

It has been in this critical situation when technology has assumed a primary role. Especially useful have been the solutions presented by virtual care, such as online psychotherapy, which have provided a way to start or maintain psychological treatment.

In fact, just as teleworking appeared in a rush and has been maintained in some cases as a reality usual and not exceptional, digital mental health resources may follow the same path and have appeared imminently to to stay.

• Related article: "10 psychologically healthy daily habits, and how to apply them to your life"

drawbacks

However, despite all the advantages that we can find in this digital transformation of healthcare, mental health, there are many risks or inconveniences that may arise and to which, therefore, we must attend. noteworthy the duty of responsibility towards the data that digital solutions must assume, since the information that they can collect is delicate, intimate and sensitive, the challenges posed by its correct protection being challenging in practice.

On the other hand, in this field of digital advancement in mental health, it is very necessary that there are Efficacy tests so that solutions are based on evidence, just like any other psychological treatment to which a person is entitled.

In conclusion, we are faced with a situation in which public investment in mental health is insufficient, with a significant lack of resources human and economic to provide the necessary care, and where digital technology can help reduce the severity of the mental heatlh gap in a way efficient, without forgetting its risks and its state of maturity in process where we still need studies and other tests that guarantee the efficiency of said solutions.

Author: Mara Sánchez García, Social and Community Psychologist at Centro TAP.