The Public Health Impact and Policy Implications of Online Support Group Use for Mental Health in Singapore: Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Online help-seeking for social support in response to mental health problems offers an alternative to traditional mental health care. OBJECTIVE The study aims to identify 1) the prevalence of the use of online support communities (OSC) and 2) predictors of OSC utilization in the general population and among those with a mental disorder. METHODS Data from 6110 adult respondents were analyzed from a nationally representative, cross-sectional population survey (SMHS 2016), conducted to identify the national prevalence rates for common mental disorders. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine sociodemographic and health correlates for the use of OSC. RESULTS Overall, 10 per 1000 adults (1.0 %) reported seeking online support communities for their mental health problems. Compared to younger adults (18-34 years) and those with a university education, individuals aged 50-64 years (OR=0.1, P <.001) and those with pre-university qualifications (OR= 0.1, P=.03) were less likely to utilize an OSC for mental health respectively. Participants with a DSM IV mental disorder were 6.8 times (95% CI: 3 – 15.4) more likely to utilize an OSC. Among those with mental disorders, individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) (OR= 5.4, P <.001), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) (OR= 3.5, P=.01) were significantly more likely to utilize an OSC for their mental health. CONCLUSIONS OSCs may guide individuals advantageously towards seeking professional help for their mental health problems and could be one of the potential pathways to complement formal treatment services especially for mood and anxiety related disorders. Youth and university -educated adults emerge as more likely to seek OSC for mental health support. Targeted interventions in educational institutions and community settings with an emphasis on creating awareness of suitable psychiatric care services may lead to early detection and treatment-seeking in these groups.