The following is a summary of “Effect of web-based educational interventions on mental health literacy, stigma and help-seeking intentions/attitudes in young people: systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the September 2023 issue of Psychiatry by Nazari et al.

Researchers started a retrospective study to provide a systematic review of the literature on web-based educational interventions for young people. They retrieved 2023 articles from seven databases, encompassing English publications between April 1975 and February 2023.

The results showed that out of 20 studies meeting the exclusion criteria, 10 were eligible for meta-analysis. The outcomes indicated a significant positive effect of web-based educational interventions on mental health literacy knowledge (SMD = 0.70, 95% CI = [0.16, 1.25]). However, there was no significant impact on stigma (SMD = -0.20, 95% CI = [-0.48, 0.08]) or help-seeking intentions/attitudes (SMD = 0.48, 95% CI = [-0.50, 1.46]).

They concluded that Web-based educational interventions improved mental health literacy knowledge but not stigma or help-seeking outcomes. More rigorous designs, comprehensive interventions, tailored approaches, and collaborative partnerships are needed to enhance effectiveness.

Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-05143-7