Acceptability of telemedicine to help African American women manage anxiety and depression

Abstract

African American women experience rates of mental illness comparable to the general population, however they significantly underutilize mental health services. Past studies have shown that telemedicine is effective, and can be used to increase access to services. To assess the acceptability of using mobile video calls, a web-based survey was launched to solicit response from African American women. The results of this exploratory study (N=102) showed high acceptance of the use of video calls to communicate with a professional to receive help to manage anxiety and depression (> 70% endorsed). Statistically significant associations were found between age and agreement with the use of video calls, with younger women (< 50 years) more likely to indicate acceptance (p's < .05). The findings of this study demonstrated the need for additional research into the use of telemedicine to provide African American women with more accessible and convenient options for mental health care.