Tailoring a Digital Mental Health Program for Patients With Sickle Cell Disease: Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Digital Therapeutics
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Mental health disorders are common in chronic conditions.
• Digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective but underutilized by African Americans.
• African Americans with sickle cell disease (SCD) face unique challenges in accessing mental health care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore perceptions and preferences of African American individuals with SCD regarding digital CBT.
• To identify factors influencing engagement with digital mental health tools in this population.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of focus group transcripts from African American individuals with SCD.
• Participants evaluated a health coach-supported digital CBT app.

Main Results:

• Five key themes emerged for enhancing digital CBT engagement: social connection, personalization, coach characteristics, journaling/pain tracking, and optimal engagement strategies.
• Participants emphasized the need for culturally relevant and personalized digital mental health interventions.

Conclusions:

• Personalizing digital CBT tools and enhancing user experience are critical for improving engagement and uptake among patients with SCD.
• Findings offer strategies for designing effective digital mental health interventions for SCD patients and other chronic conditions.