Jul 2026· Mental Health and Social Inclusion· pp. 1-8· 0 citations· 24 references
TL;DR
It is argued that digital peer support services can meet unmet mental health needs by offering scalable, anonymous and affordable alternatives to typical mental health care by applying the 5A’s of TechQuity, analyzing how DPS can offer greater health equity in digital settings.
Abstract
This opinion piece aims to argue that digital peer support (DPS) services can meet unmet mental health needs by offering scalable, anonymous and affordable alternatives to typical mental health care.
This paper applies the 5A’s of TechQuity: Availability, Accessibility, Accommodation, Affordability and Acceptability, analyzing how DPS can offer greater health equity in digital settings.
DPS may be especially beneficial for individuals that experience social isolation, stigma, subclinical symptoms, and barriers like cost and transportation. When such digital tools are designed with attention to safety, moderation, digital inclusion and referral pathways, they can support social connectedness, promote emotional well-being, and bridge to in-person services when needed.
This paper approaches DPS as a social inclusion model, rather than only a digital health tool. DPS’s promising roles in bridging subclinical support and in-person mental health care are emphasized.
Abstract Digital innovations, primarily enabled by mobile network access, are emerging as valuable tools for reducing the large mental health treatment gap in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Digital mental health tools are being introduced in West Africa, where strong links between mental health and spiritual...
S. Asafo, A. Ofori-Atta, Alexa Beaulieu et al.· Global Mental Health· 0 citations
INTRODUCTION
Globally, the mental health of children and adolescents is a public health concern. Schools are a primary access point for youth mental health support, yet traditional delivery models remain constrained by limited resources, shortage of specialised professionals, and high counsellor caseloads. Digital ment...
Sneha Santosh-Thomas, A. Aggarwal, Tucker Chandler et al.· Journal of Child and Adolesc...· 0 citations
Digital mental health interventions for children are developing rapidly, yet a persistent gap remains between demonstrating that they work and making them available to families in routine care. This article describes Iceland's national rollout of the Online Support and Intervention for Child Anxiety (OSI) programme, a...
Brynjar Halldorsson, Hafrún Kristjánsdóttir, A. Islind· Child and Adolescent Mental...· 0 citations
Over the last decade, digital platforms have become an integral part of adolescents’ lives. This paper aims to examine the impact of constant exposure to digital social environments on adolescent mental health from 2015 to 2025. It emphasizes the role of digital platforms in influencing thoughts, feelings, overall pers...
Ashakumari P, K. Vijayakumar· Journal of Psychology and So...· 0 citations
Telemental health care (TMHC) may offer convenient and private pathways to mental health support, but its feasibility and acceptability depend on the cultural, structural, and operational context in which it is delivered. This qualitative study examined how members of the general population and mental health prof...
Wahiba Abu-Ras, Leena Babiker Idris, Mai Al-Quraini et al.· BMC Health Services Research· 1 citation
Background:
The rapid expansion of digital communication platforms has transformed how young people seek psychosocial support, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where access to formal mental health services remains limited. In Kenya, platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, and anonymous online advice foru...
Rose Odhiambo· Psychology and Behavioral Sc...· 0 citations
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