Mental Health Disparities and Technology: New Risks and Opportunities

Despite improvements in the United States population's health in the last 25 years, significant disparities in mental health care outcomes persist for those with common mental disorders. Related to health technology, the "digital divide" has been described as the differences in the level of access to basic technology hardware (such as mobile phones) or broadband Internet. Previously, there were differences in access to devices between racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups; however, that divide has largely closed. The focus of technology growth recently has been on the use of these devices in the form of mobile apps, sensors, and predictive analytic approaches. In this article, we explore the background of health disparities and social determinants of health as well as the potential risks and opportunities represented by the new types of digital technologies that are being created.