Louise Kylie Thornton*, Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia Amanda L Baker, Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia Martin P Johnson, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia Frances Kay-lambkin, NDARC, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Track: Research Presentation Topic: Web 2.0 approaches for clinical practice, clinical research, quality monitoring Presentation Type: Poster presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Last modified: 2012-09-10

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Background: People with substance use and mental disorders are typically hard to recruit, and retain in research and treatment. The internet may provide effective ways in which to engage these populations; however, few studies have investigated people’s perceptions and preferences regarding these forms of treatments.

Objectives: To investigate perceptions and treatment preferences regarding internet delivered treatments for substance use, and the potential of ‘Facebook’ as a recruitment source for substance use and mental health research.

Methods: Participants were recruited via first-year psychology courses, 3 research databases involving people with and without mental disorders, and an advertisement on ‘Facebook’. The study employed a mixed method design. Quantitative data were collected via a questionnaire, completed online or on paper. Information regarding demographics, mental health and treatment preferences for tobacco, alcohol and cannabis was collected. Participants selected their treatment preferences from a list of potential treatments that included online treatment options. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured telephone interviews with a subset of 17 participants, and covered the same topics as the questionnaire.

Results: 1133 participants were recruited, including 526 via ‘Facebook’ for a cost of $976. The total sample were aged 18 to 86 years (M=33.7) and 52% were female. ‘Facebook’ participants were aged 18 to73 years (Mean=31.4), 33% were female, 43% reported a history of mental illness and many reported tobacco (60%), alcohol (70%) or cannabis (40%) use in the last week. A preference for online treatments was endorsed by 11% of all participants. Logistic regression found age, sex and recruitment source were significant predictors of preference for online treatment. Increased age was associated with decreasing odds of a preference for online treatments (OR=.98, 95%CI .97-.99), males were significantly less likely than females to endorse online treatments (OR=.607, 95%CI .39-.95) and ‘Facebook’ participants were significantly more likely to endorse online treatments (OR:2.63, 95%CI 1.67-4.16) than other participants. However, even among ‘Facebook’ participants only 15.9% endorsed a preference for online treatments. Most participants described they would not access substance use treatment online. Participants questioned the credibility of information and treatments online, and had little knowledge of treatment options available online. The internet was described as a source of information, rather than treatment, which participants felt would be more effective face-to-face.

Conclusions: These results suggest ‘Facebook’ may be an effective way to recruit people with substance use and mental health problems to research, and possibly into treatment. Online treatments have the potential to reach large numbers of people who might not otherwise seek treatment. They may also be particularly well suited to the areas of substance use and mental health as the anonymity provided may be helpful when discussing such sensitive and personal issues. However, very few participants, even those recruited online, reported a preference for internet delivered treatments, and participants were wary and had very little knowledge of available online treatments. In order for internet delivered treatments to fulfil their potential, it may be important to promote, advertise and facilitate easy access to available, evidence-based, internet delivered treatments.