The article addresses a critical issue in Australia: many young people aged 16 to 25 experience mental health disorders, yet a small proportion access services, and even fewer receive timely and evidence-based treatments. Traditional barriers such as geographical, economical, and human resource limitations, along with stigma, often hinder access to quality mental health care, particularly for disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. The authors highlight the promising potential of the internet and technology to provide 24/7 access to mental health support.
The objective of this study was to leverage participatory design (PD) methodologies by involving end users (young people aged 16-25 and youth health professionals) and the research team. This collaborative approach aimed to codesign and build the Mental Health eClinic (MHeC), a web-based platform intended to enhance timely access and improve the quality of mental health care for young people across Australia. Participatory design, originating in the late 1960s and early 1970s, is emphasized for its role in ensuring the final product meets stakeholder needs, improves usability, and increases user engagement by involving all parties—end users, developers, and researchers—equally in all stages of development.
The research utilized a research and development (R&D) cycle that included several iterative PD phases. These phases involved PD workshops, where knowledge and ideas were generated and translated into mockups (hand-drawn sketches or wireframes), followed by rapid prototyping and one-on-one consultations with end users to assess the usability of the alpha build of the MHeC. Various design activities, such as propositions and end-user sketching, were employed to facilitate discussions and design.
The iterative R&D cycle led to the identification and development of five key components for the alpha build of the MHeC:
- A welcoming home page with a visible triage system for those requiring urgent help, which users suggested should include testimonials, reliable mental health information, frequently asked questions, and a “need help now” button visible before login.
- A comprehensive online physical and mental health assessment, which young people preferred to be about 15 minutes but understood the need for a longer, more comprehensive assessment (up to 1 hour) with a “pause and resume later” feature.
- A detailed dashboard of results and progress, providing immediate, accurate feedback through simple bar graphs, colored icons, traffic light representations, and line graphs for tracking changes over time.
- A booking and video visit system, including a “waiting room” feature with activities like breathing exercises before the video visit, and a chat box for sensitive conversations or connection issues. The system also includes a “share” functionality to display relevant information during video visits.
- The generation of a personalized well-being plan that includes tailored, automatic recommendations and links to evidence-based, health professional-recommended apps and etools, with categories such as sleep, mood, anxiety, and physical health.
The study concluded that the MHeC offers a technologically advanced and clinically efficient system that incorporates health promotion, triage protocols, screening, assessment, video visits, personalized well-being plans, and self-directed mental health support. By breaking down traditional barriers, the MHeC aims to make best-practice clinical services more personalized, accessible, affordable, and available to all young people, particularly those in regional, rural, and remote areas, or those unwilling to engage with face-to-face services. The project is now informing the development of the Synergy Online System, a web-based modular platform that links integrated and interoperable resources to transform Australian mental health services.
APA Reference:
Ospina-Pinillos, L., Davenport, T. A., Ricci, C. S., Milton, A. C., Scott, E. M., & Hickie, I. B. (2018). Developing a Mental Health eClinic to Improve Access to and Quality of Mental Health Care for Young People: Using Participatory Design as Research Methodologies. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20(5), e188. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9716