title: Online peer support for mental health problems in the United States: 2004-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Help seeking for online peer and other social support in response to depression and other mental health problems offers an electronic technology alternative to traditional mental health care. Here, with nationally representative samples of adult community residents in the USA, we study online peer support help seeking, estimate its occurrence, and investigate depression and other suspected predictors and correlates, some of which might prove to be causal influences.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data are from nationally representative probability sample surveys of the non-institutionalized US adult population, with a new independent sample assessed via confidential computerized self-assessment modules each year from 2004 to 2010, yielding estimates about online peer support. A total of 264,431 adults participated in these years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An estimated three per 1000 adults (0.3%) seek online peer support for mental health problems each year (95% confidence interval 0.0022-0.0036). Individuals with depression and/or serious psychological distress are strongly over-represented among these adult online peer support help seekers (odds ratio >7, p < 0.001). Associations with college education, being non-Hispanic white, being female, and age are also noteworthy (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Online help seeking for mental health social support is becoming frequent enough for study in large sample national surveys, and might well be fostered by active neuropsychiatric ailments such as depression or other serious psychological distress. Open questions remain about whether the result is beneficial, or conditions required for efficacious online peer support, as might be disclosed in definitive evidence from randomized controlled trials.
authors: School of Communication, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors: D C
authors: DC
authors: DeAndrea
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Anthony
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010379:Peer Group; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult