@article{ref1,
title="Are consumers of Internet health information "cyberchondriacs"? Characteristics of 24,965 users of a depression screening site",
journal="Depression and anxiety",
year="2012",
author="Leykin, Yan and Muñoz, Ricardo F. and Contreras, Omar",
volume="29",
number="1",
pages="71-77",
abstract="Background: The number of individuals looking for health information on the Internet continues to expand. The purpose of this study was to understand the prevalence of major depression among English-speaking individuals worldwide looking for information on depression online. Methods: An automated online Mood Screener website was created and advertised via Google AdWords, for 1 year. Participants (N = 24,965) completed a depression screening measure and received feedback based on their results. Participants were then invited to participate in a longitudinal mood screening study. Results: Of the 24,965 who completed the screening, 66.6% screened positive for current major depression, 44.4% indicated current suicidality, and 7.8% reported a recent (past 2 weeks) suicide attempt. Of those consenting to participate in the longitudinal study (n = 1,327 from 86 countries), 77.4% screened positive for past depression, 64.6% reported past suicidality, and 17.5% past suicide attempt. Yet, only 25% of those screening positive for current depression, and only 37.2% of those reporting a recent suicide attempt are in treatment. Conclusions: Many of the consumers of Internet health information may genuinely need treatment and are not &quot;cyberchondriacs.&quot; Online screening, treatment, and prevention efforts may have the potential to serve many currently untreated clinically depressed and suicidal individuals. Depression and Anxiety 0:1-7, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1091-4269",
doi="10.1002/da.20848",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/da.20848"
}