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Mobile Mental Health Virtual Communities: Challenges and Opportunities

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The Digitization of Healthcare

Abstract

The need for technology-based therapy and psycho-education to treat depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses is in high demand as populations face many barriers when dealing with mental health. Technology-based programs, such as mobile Health (mHealth), open the door as an alternative to traditional therapy for those who would not otherwise have the ability to receive, or even seek out treatment. The use of mobile technologies such as smartphones, tablets, personal computers, mobile applications, and wireless networks, can allow the delivery of health care in a way that can reach a vast majority of the population. This chapter overviews the domain of mHealth in relation to mental health and virtual communities and provide a perspective of current opportunities and challenges.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health Policy and Management, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Linda Eftychiou & Christo El Morr

Authors
  1. Linda Eftychiou
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  2. Christo El Morr
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Linda Eftychiou .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. EDHEC Business School , Nice Cedex, France

    Loick Menvielle

  2. Université du Québec à Montréal , Montréal, Canada

    Anne-Françoise Audrain-Pontevia

  3. Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières , Trois Rivières, Canada

    William Menvielle

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Eftychiou, L., El Morr, C. (2017). Mobile Mental Health Virtual Communities: Challenges and Opportunities. In: Menvielle, L., Audrain-Pontevia, AF., Menvielle, W. (eds) The Digitization of Healthcare. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95173-4_15

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