Jones also sees the Internet being used more for both self-care (see ‘DIY Healthcare’ boxout, p25) and for remote group consultations, as in current US projects where clinicians run websites for groups of diabetics. ‘Where you get clinicians involved, you could probably see a reduction in the number of face-to-face consultations, which in remote areas would have major implications for global warming by saving a lot of travel,’ he says.
No therapist required
New computer-based solutions are also being explored for mental health problems, including anxiety and depression, which when combined form the most common mental disorder in Britain affecting almost 9 per cent of the population. ‘The size of the problem of depression and anxiety is far greater than could be effectively treated with therapists,’ says psychologist Dr David Purves, who has designed the ‘Blues Begone’ computer software package to help address this issue.
The program is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a proven method of helping people stop underestimating their strengths and overestimating threats. Unlike the previous generation of software used to deliver CBT, Blues Begone – which has been adopted by some UK local area health authorities – assesses the user via a questionnaire, then tailors the self-help exercises to fit by drawing on a database of 306 different program elements. A talking computer animation of Purves helps guide the user through the tasks selected by the program, while further animated characters describe their problems in case studies. Throughout the treatment, telephone contact by mental health workers helps keep people engaged with the program, which constantly monitors progress via built-in evaluation tests.