title: Women's use of online resources and acceptance of e-mental health tools during the perinatal period.
abstract: The women's professional help-seeking rate for perinatal depression is low, despite the prevalent and disabling nature of this condition. Therefore, new approaches should be implemented to increase women's access and utilization of treatment resources, namely e-mental health tools. This study aimed to characterize women's current pattern of use of online resources for mental heal issues and women's acceptance of e-mental health tools during the perinatal period, and to investigate its main determinants.
  
  
  
  This study used an online cross-sectional survey that was completed by 546 women during the perinatal period.
  
  
  
  31.3% had prior knowledge of websites targeting mental health illness. Women presenting an actual need for help (i.e., a positive screen for depression) reported greater use of online resources and greater engagement in e-health behaviors related to mental health (d=0.46-0.61), and being more accepting of e-mental health tools, particularly of informative websites. Women's perceptions concerning the e-mental tools were found to predict their intentions to use them.
  
  
  
  The results seem to globally support Portuguese women's acceptance of e-mental health tools. To improve the level of acceptance, women should be involved as stakeholders in the development of new e-mental health tools and provided with specific information before their utilization.
authors: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC) of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, 3001-802 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: anadfonseca@fpce.uc.pt.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Fonseca
authors: Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Monte Alegre - Campos Universitário, 14048-900 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: rgorayeb@fmrp.usp.br.
authors: Ricardo
authors: R
authors: Gorayeb
authors: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC) of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, 3001-802 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: mccanavarro@fpce.uc.pt.
authors: Maria Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Canavarro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008603:Mental Health; D018743:Perinatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Acceptance; E-mental health tools; Perinatal depression; Perinatal period