Study Snapshot: Research Explores Perceptions of Using Technology to Meet the Mental Health Needs of Adolescents and Young Adults
This study snapshot outlines findings from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded research examining the perceptions of using technology to meet youth’s mental health needs.
Three-quarters of mental health disorders begin before the age of 24; however, only 1 out of every 5 of those youth receive mental health treatment. Technology has the potential to serve as a supplement or alternative to traditional mental health care, which is especially relevant considering that a large majority of today’s youth go online daily and use technology as a primary means of communication.
This study snapshot outlines preliminary findings from a study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, from Tammy Toscos, Ph.D.; Maria Carpenter, RN, BSN; Michael Mirro, M.D., FACC, FHRS, FAHA; and Connie Kerrigan, RN, BSN, M.B.A. of Parkview Health in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They are leading a team of researchers and community experts to uncover the local community’s perceptions of using technology to meet the mental health needs of a general population of youth ages 14-24.
This project is funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s solicitation “Optimizing Value in Health Care: Consumer-focused Trends from the Field,” which is managed by AcademyHealth.