Optimizing Scripted Dialogues for an e-Health Intervention for Suicidal Veterans with Major Depression.

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Veterans Affairs
• Digital Health

Background:

• Suicide is a significant concern for veterans diagnosed with depression.
• Previous research adapted e-health dialogues for at-risk veterans with schizophrenia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and assess the usability of scripted e-health dialogues for veterans with depression and suicidality.
• To compare patient responses between veterans with depression and those with schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

• Nine outpatients with a history of major depression and suicidality participated in a usability assessment.
• Scripted dialogues were adapted based on patient feedback regarding question specificity and emotional impact.
• Responses were compared between veterans with depression and those with schizophrenia from a prior study.

Main Results:

• Participants desired more specific wording in e-health questions.
• Questions about suicide, social isolation, and family relationships elicited emotional responses.
• Veterans with depression showed better vocabulary comprehension but were less willing to answer daily questions compared to veterans with schizophrenia.

Conclusions:

• E-health dialogues can be adapted for veterans with depression, but question specificity is crucial for usability.
• Themes related to suicide, social isolation, and family are sensitive topics for this population.
• Further research should consider patient engagement and daily question load for veterans with depression.