Sigrid Stjernswärd*, Lund University, Department of Health Sciences, Lund, Sweden Lars Hansson, Lund University, Department of Health Sciences, Lund, Sweden Track: Research Presentation Topic: Building virtual communities and social networking applications for patients and consumers Presentation Type: Poster presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Last modified: 2013-09-25

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Background: Web-based health services offer valuable advantages to its users, e.g. ease of access and 24/7 availability. Studies of web-based strategies’ effectiveness in addressing the needs of families living with a person with mental ill health, i.e. needs of information and support, are called for. Previous research shows that a first version of a web-based tool aimed at families living with depression was useful for the participants. The tool offered a place for communication with the self and others, creating an opportunity to ventilate feelings, exchange experiences and support with similar others, and feel empowered. The tool was based on a theoretical framework entailing the potential health benefits of expressive writing (EW) and social support (SS) when experiencing stressful events.
The present project will test the following hypotheses. Study 1: A web-based intervention with a tool entailing a psychoeducative module and modules facilitating EW and SS will decrease caregiver burden and show beneficial psychosocial health effects on participants with a relative with depression or schizophrenia. Study 2: An intervention entailing modules that facilitate EW and SS has additional effects on caregiver burden and health in relatives with depression or schizophrenia as compared to a psychoeducative intervention entailing information only.
Objectives: The overall aim of the present project is to explore and investigate the effectiveness of new web based ways of supporting families living close to a person with depression or schizophrenia. The aim of the 1st study is to perform an open trial to further explore the potential (health promoting) effects of a digitally based self-help tool for families living close to a person with depression or schizophrenia. The intervention - entailing the study participants’ use of the web based tool SR - will contain three parts: 1) a psychoeducative information part; 2) a diary, facilitating expressive writing; and 3) a forum, facilitating social support. Based on the results of this trial a power analysis will be performed to guide the required sample size of study 2 of which the aim is to investigate the effectiveness of a psychoeducative intervention entailing psychoeducative information only compared to the web-based intervention from study 1, entailing also a diary and a forum, using a RCT design.
Methods: The present study (study 1) is designed as an open trial (depression n=25, schizophrenia n=19) including quantitative pre-test, post-test and follow-up measurements after 6 months. Self-rating scales measuring variables such as caregiver burden (CarerQoL, Brouwer 2006), quality of life (MANSA, Priebe 1999), depression (HADS Zigmond and Snaith 1983), empowerment (Rogers, 1997), experiences of social support (ISSI, Unden and Orth-Gomer 1989), coping strategies (COPE, Carver et al. 1989), stigma (DISC12, Thornicroft et al. 2009), and usability (SUS, Brooke 1996) will be used to collect quantitative data. Qualitative data will be collected through interviews and forum posts and will be subjected to inductive qualitative analysis.
Results: Preliminary results of the present study (1) will be presented.
Conclusions: The literature shows that web-based health services can be useful in addressing the needs of patients and their families, although further studies are needed to evaluate their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Such services can be valuable complements to regular health care services.