I ALL FORTROLIGHET - Nordiska högskolan för folkhälsovetenskap

English abstract
This thesis draws attention to the field of “e-mental health” and offers an analysis
of messages about mental health on the Internet. The aim is to examine how
mental health was presented on Internet-based mental health services in Norway
and Sweden and to discuss challenges for community mental health services in a
public health perspective. The study relies on qualitative methodology with
exploratory, descriptive, and analytic objectives. In 2009 a total of 60 Internetbased
mental health services were identified and mapped and they revealed
similarities of origin, target-groups, content, and respondents. Communications on
publicly accessible question-and-answer services were examined using qualitative
content analysis. Service users’ concerns and expectations of services were
analyzed as well as the services’ responses. The study showed variations in the
service profiles, expectations of service users, and the message contents. Mental
health was portrayed overall as a relational concern in messages from applicants
while individual interpretations dominated the answers from the services. Given
that service users had great confidence in the services’ expertise, and services
rather consistently recommended them to seek help from healthcare providers, the
study creates the impression that online services contribute to individualizing
questions about mental health in Norway and Sweden.
The variations that emerged in the analysis challenge the public health field to
respect the ambiguous complexity of issues surrounding mental health. It provides
support for a broad understanding of public health, and makes it particularly
important to bring together different disciplines in efforts to promote mental health
and prevent illness. The study challenges public health actors to refrain from
visions of individual human perfection, and suggests the possibility of developing
a community mental health focus grounded on the recognition of human
vulnerability and dependency. The study challenges the public health field to
recognize online services not only as extensions of existing services, but also as
independent communication channels for mental health “consumers” and an
opportunity for them to test the waters of community mental health services. The
thesis stresses the obligations incumbent upon services to bring people’s
experiences back to the community by making anonymous messages available in
the public sphere. In this way the services might work as society’s “listening
posts,” helping to provide strength to the marginalized voices of the Scandinavian
welfare states.
ISBN 978-91-86739-46-1 ISSN 0283-1961