A systematic review of telehealth interventions for managing anxiety and depression in African American adults

Background: Although the difference in prevalence of mental illness is less than 7%, African American adults utilize mental health services at less than half the rate of their white counterparts. Evidence from past studies showed that telehealth interventions for anxiety and depression are effective in reducing symptoms. The objective of this systematic review is to survey the available peer-reviewed literature for studies that used telehealth interventions, specifically tailored for African American adults, to reduce anxiety or depression, and determine their effectiveness. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases for relevant articles published from January 1970 to December 2019. Results: Three independent studies were identified. The findings showed significant reduction of depressive symptoms post-intervention (all P<0.05). However, effectiveness of telehealth intervention compared to face-to-face was not determined. None of the studies assessed the effectiveness of telehealth interventions to reduce anxiety. Conclusions: The results highlight the need for additional research into the effectiveness of using telehealth modalities to manage anxiety and depression in African American adults. This systematic review has been registered in the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews (registration number: CRD42018104469; registration date: 09 August 2018).