Health Communication Innovation for Depression Prevention and Surveilance

Abstract

This research aimed to (1) study the pattern, content, and methods of health communication for preventing depression through social media; (2) create innovative health communication with 15 samples aged 20-65 years old in Bangkok, by dividing the samples into three groups: Group 1 consisted of the samples aged 20-30 years old, Group 2 older than 30 to 40 years old, and Group 3 older than 40 up to 65 years old; (3) design  the instrument for studying the needs of the Line application for depression prevention communication.

The research was qualitative, conducted by documentary research through the analysis of information on websites, YouTube, applications, Facebook, and Twitter to examine the patterns and content of health communication related to depression, including communication methods used via social media. Besides, an in-depth interview was conducted with 15 samples twice. The first interview was conducted before the design of the instrument for studying the needs of the Line application for depression prevention communication. The findings then were collected to design a tool called "m-Mental Health" and a platform of health communication innovation to let the samples assess them. The second interview was conducted with the same group for assessing their satisfaction and expected benefits from the Line application.                      The findings were as follows: (1) The patterns and content of health communication related to depression prevention on five types of social media were found. For websites, the screens are full of infographics, focusing on beauty with some gimmicks. YouTube shares techniques of health care and disseminates information through audio-visual systems. Application is divided into a free and paid application for handling users' anxiety and stress, functioning as 24-hour online therapists. Facebook, both Thai and foreign, could cause users too much anxiety, leading to stress and mental problems. Twitter of foreign countries is found to support useful knowledge about depression, and preventive approach for dealing with depression. However, Twitter in Thailand could induce users to imitate and may lead to suicide eventually. However, from the content analysis of all five types of social media, not so many differences were found in most of their content. Mostly, the content displayed the prevalence of the depression condition for stimulating awareness and giving knowledge for health care, providing health care consultancy and listening to users’ problems, recommended hospitals and institutes of depression treatment, and provided information for depression remedy and reduction. (2) The methods used in communicating depression prevention of five types of social media were found to be different. Websites use one-way communication through articles, journals, studies, and infographics. YouTube uses one-way communication in the form of videos and interviews with simple language and easy words. Applications use diverse patterns. They perform as a tool for collecting information, disseminating and sharing information, coping with and reducing depression. Both Twitter and Facebook use two-way communication by functioning as a sphere for information exchanges, emphasizing experiential sharing in the form of statements, sound, and videos. (3) Regarding the need for using the LINE Official Account concerning depression prevention, it was found that the level of the users’ needs is at the high level, especially the group of 20-30 years old have the highest needs. All samples perceive it as easy to use and access. Besides, they prefer having information presented in the form of texts, images, infographics, and videos. Among all methods, infographics and videos are rated by the samples at the highest level, (4) For the design of the content on the LINE Official Account for communicating depression prevention, the samples want to have an explanation about depression screening and assessment form, self-care and self-surveillance of mental health, channels for contacting hospitals, and the content about the definition of depression and severity level at the moderate level respectively. (5) For the test of the tool in the Line application, all samples had the highest level of satisfaction. They were satisfied the most with the modernity of the channel and the convenience in answering the depression assessment form. Regarding the benefits gained from the use of Line application as a health communication innovation for depression prevention, all samples evaluated the usefulness of the information at the highest level