Innovative E-Health approaches for comorbid depression in somatic care: user acceptance of the internet-based self-management program MoodGYM

• Applicant: Dr. Margrit Löbner
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: from 2015 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 270656599

Patients with chronic somatic diseases such as obesity often suffer from comorbid depressive disorders and present a great challenge for the medical health care system. Internet-based cognitive-behavioural therapy is a new, innovative and efficient treatment component. However, investigations regarding user acceptance and effectiveness of internet-based self-management programs in patients suffering from obesity or other somatic diseases are widely missing. This project is a feasibility study focussing on the investigation of user acceptance of the internet-based self-help program MoodGYM using the example of obesity patients with comorbid depression. The study aims to investigate the user acceptance of MoodGYM from two different perspectives: (A) the perspective of patients as well as (B) the perspective of experts of the medical care system based on Rogers´ 5 stages model of the innovation-decision process (2003). This project is following a mixed-method design (sequential qualitative-quantitative design) including qualitative investigations (qualitative patient interviews (N=6 patients); a focus group with medical experts (N=10 experts)) and quantitative investigations (access to intervention and patient survey (N=35 patients; T0 (pre): before access to MoodGYM; T1 (post): 3 month after access to MoodGYM). The results of this study provide an important basis for a continuing DFG-project aiming at the assessment of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of MoodGYM in patients with somatic diseases and comorbid depression within a randomised controlled trial (RCT).

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Australia
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Melanie Luppa; Professorin Dr. Steffi G. Riedel-Heller
• Cooperation Partner: Professorin Dr. Kathy M. Griffiths