title: Assessing suicide attempts and depression among Chinese speakers over the Internet.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In populations where mental health resources are scarce or unavailable, or where stigma prevents help-seeking, the Internet may be a way to identify and reach at-risk persons using self-report validated screening tools as well as to characterize individuals seeking health information online.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the feasibility of delivering an Internet-based Chinese-language depression and suicide screener and described its users.
  
  
  METHODS
  An Internet-based depression and suicide screener was created and advertised primarily through Google AdWords. Participants completed a suicide and depression screening measure and received individualized feedback, which, if necessary, included the suggestion to seek additional mental health resources.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 7 months, 11,631 individuals visited the site; 4,709 provided valid information. Nearly half reported a current major depressive episode (MDE) and 18.3% a recent suicide attempt; however, over 75% reported never having sought help, including 77.7% of those with MDEs and 75.9% of those reporting a suicide attempt. As participants found the site by searching for depression information online, results may not generalize to the entire Chinese-speaking population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Online screening can feasibly identify and reach many at-risk Chinese-speaking persons. It may provide resources to those with limited access to services or to those reluctant to seek such services.
authors.affiliation: <location>Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA</location> <location>Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco General Hospital, CA, USA</location>
authors.forename: Nancy H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: <location>Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA</location>
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.affiliation: <location>Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA</location> <location>Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco General Hospital, CA, USA</location> <location>Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto University, CA, USA</location>
authors.forename: Ricardo F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: <location>Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA</location>
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leykin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Online screening; cross-national; mental health services