Attitudes Towards Digital Health Interventions in Germany: Findings From a Population-Based Representative Survey

Background: Digital (mental) health interventions have the potential to address barriers in mental health care. However, attitudes towards these interventions are a crucial factor to their successful implementation. Therefore, this study aims to assess those in a representative sample of the German adult population. Method: A total of N = 2,519 participants took part in the survey as part of a larger study. Following a structured face-to-face interview, participants completed a self-administered questionnaire under the supervision of the interviewer. The questionnaire was based on the E-Therapy Attitudes Measure (ETAM) and the Attitudes towards Psychological Interventions Questionnaire (APOI). Results were analyzed by means of Pearson's product moment correlation coefficients and Spearman's ρ statistics. Supplementary open-ended questions explored participants' utilization of digital health interventions for specific conditions, the conditions they perceived as suitable for those, and the perceived barriers to their adoption. Replies on open-ended questions are summarized descriptively. Results: While a majority of participants (34.0%–41.5%) indicated partial agreement with the potential usefulness and advantages of digital health interventions (Items 1-3), a substantial proportion (45.8%, 95% CI [43.8%, 47.7%]) expressed an entire refusal to use them for future psychological problems (Item 4). Older individuals and those with lower educational status expressed particular critical views. Key barriers identified by participants comprised the absence of personal contact, technical issues, and concerns related to data privacy and security. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that while participants acknowledge the potential benefits of digital health interventions, the observed limited acceptance rates and identified barriers are to be addressed, in order to fully harness their potential.