TY  - JOUR
AU  - Lorenzo-Luaces, Lorenzo
AU  - Wasil, Akash
AU  - Kacmarek, Corinne N
AU  - DeRubeis, Robert
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/4/11
TI  - Race and Socioeconomic Status as Predictors of Willingness to Use Digital Mental Health Interventions or One-On-One Psychotherapy: National Survey Study
JO  - JMIR Form Res
SP  - e49780
VL  - 8
KW  - digital mental health
KW  - ethnicity
KW  - health disparities
KW  - internet-based CBT
KW  - cognitive behavioral therapy
KW  - intervention
KW  - mental health
KW  - mental health care
KW  - race
KW  - therapy
AB  - Background: There is an ongoing debate about whether digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) can reduce racial and socioeconomic inequities in access to mental health care. A key factor in this debate involves the extent to which racial and ethnic minoritized individuals and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals are willing to use, and pay for, DMHIs. Objective: This study examined racial and ethnic as well as socioeconomic differences in participants’ willingness to pay for DMHIs versus one-on-one therapy (1:1 therapy). Methods: We conducted a national survey of people in the United States (N=423; women: n=204; mean age 45.15, SD 16.19 years; non-Hispanic White: n=293) through Prolific. After reading descriptions of DMHIs and 1:1 therapy, participants rated their willingness to use each treatment (1) for free, (2) for a small fee, (3) as a maximum dollar amount, and (4) as a percentage of their total monthly income. At the end of the study, there was a decision task to potentially receive more information about DMHIs and 1:1 therapy. Results: Race and ethnicity was associated with willingness to pay more of one’s income, as a percent or in dollar amounts, and was also associated with information-seeking for DMHIs in the behavioral task. For most outcomes, race and ethnicity was not associated with willingness to try 1:1 therapy. Greater educational attainment was associated to willingness to try DMHIs for free, the decision to learn more about DMHIs, and willingness to pay for 1:1 therapy. Income was inconsistently associated to willingness to try DMHIs or 1:1 therapy. Conclusions: If they are available for free or at very low costs, DMHIs may reduce inequities by expanding access to mental health care for racial and ethnic minoritized individuals and economically disadvantaged groups. 
SN  - 2561-326X
UR  - https://formative.jmir.org/2024/1/e49780
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/49780
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38602769
DO  - 10.2196/49780
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/49780
ER  -