What Pacific people think of online mental health information

Peni, B., Day, K. and Orr M.

The purpose of this research was to examine how the attitudes and beliefs of Pacific people impact on their propensity to use online mental health service www.depression.org. The mental health of the Pacific population in New Zealand is concerning - there is a real need to address this health concern. One method of doing so is through online mental health information for support and self-help. Little has been documented about the attitudes, perceptions and propensity of Pacific people to use online mental health information. Data was collected through means of a questionnaire and a paired discussion with Pacific participants. The findings revealed mixed opinions amongst the participants about their view of online mental health information due to place of birth, experiences and language. We conclude that the attitudes, beliefs and propensity of Pacific people to use online health resources are dependent on their upbringing, experiences and cultural values. This research is exploratory and therefore more research is required to gain a reflective understanding of how Pacific people view online mental health resources.

Cite as: Peni, B., Day, K. and Orr M. (2014). What Pacific people think of online mental health information. In Proc. Seventh Australasian Workshop on Health Informatics and Knowledge Management (HIKM 2014) Auckland, New Zealand. CRPIT, 153. Warren, J. and Gray, K. Eds., ACS. 51-58

(from crpit.com) (local if available)