IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v22y2025i4p628-d1636397.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Barriers and Facilitators for Implementing Digital Interventions for Anxiety and Depression in Latin America: A Scoping Review

Author

Listed:
  • Bárbara Battistotti Vieira

    (Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland)

  • Léa Savoy

    (Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland)

  • Kathya Acuña Luna

    (Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland)

  • Antoine Flahault

    (Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland)

  • Jennifer Hasselgard-Rowe

    (Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland)

Abstract

Mental health disorders have a high prevalence in Latin America (LATAM), with an estimated 6.7% of the population suffering from anxiety and 4% from depression. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) have been implemented to address these issues. However, there has yet to be a clear picture of these interventions in the region. This scoping review aims to analyze DMHIs’ characteristics and the barriers and facilitators for their implementation in five LATAM countries (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru). To achieve this goal, four databases (PubMed, APA PsycNet, Scielo, and LILACS) were searched using relevant search terms in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. A total of 484 references were identified and narrowed down to 15 articles included in the final analysis. The studies mostly consisted of RCTs and mixed-methods studies. Most of the DMHIs were designed for individuals, with a focus on targeted communication and personal health tracking. Interventions targeting healthcare professionals were less common, primarily focusing on decisional support. The most prominent barriers to the successful implementation of DMHIs included insufficient healthcare professional training (40%) and resistance from clinicians and organizational culture (40%), while common facilitators included easy access to the interventions (46.7%) and increased training and support for clinical teams (46.7%). Positive outcomes were reported in terms of both effectiveness (33.3%), with many interventions showing results equal to or better than traditional methods (33.3%), and patient satisfaction (33.3%).

Suggested Citation

  • Bárbara Battistotti Vieira & Léa Savoy & Kathya Acuña Luna & Antoine Flahault & Jennifer Hasselgard-Rowe, 2025. "Barriers and Facilitators for Implementing Digital Interventions for Anxiety and Depression in Latin America: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(4), pages 1-21, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:4:p:628-:d:1636397
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/4/628/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/4/628/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qiang Wang & Min Su & Min Zhang & Rongrong Li, 2021. "Integrating Digital Technologies and Public Health to Fight Covid-19 Pandemic: Key Technologies, Applications, Challenges and Outlook of Digital Healthcare," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-50, June.
    2. Vania Martínez & Daniel Espinosa-Duque & Álvaro Jiménez-Molina & Graciela Rojas & Paul A. Vöhringer & Mauricio Fernández-Arcila & Carolina Luttges & Matías Irarrázaval & Stephanie Bauer & Markus Moess, 2021. "Feasibility and Acceptability of “Cuida tu Ánimo” (Take Care of Your Mood): An Internet-Based Program for Prevention and Early Intervention of Adolescent Depression in Chile and Colombia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-14, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Min Su & Qiang Wang & Rongrong Li, 2021. "How to Dispose of Medical Waste Caused by COVID-19? A Case Study of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Fu, Shuke & Ge, Yingchen & Hao, Yu & Peng, Jiachao & Tian, Jiali, 2024. "Energy supply chain efficiency in the digital era: Evidence from China's listed companies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    3. Helga Rafael Henriques & Tiago Nascimento & Andreia Costa, 2023. "Nurses’ Experiences of Care in Portuguese Nursing Homes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Focus Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-17, August.
    4. Elisa Mancinelli & Giulia Bassi & Silvia Gabrielli & Silvia Salcuni, 2022. "The Efficacy of Digital Cognitive–Behavioral Interventions in Supporting the Psychological Adjustment and Sleep Quality of Pregnant Women with Sub-Clinical Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-18, August.
    5. Zixin (Jessie) Jin & Zongjie Wang, 2022. "Operational and Financial Impacts of Digital Health Technology: A Study on Canadian Healthcare System during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-10, November.
    6. Clarissa Lemmen & Dusan Simic & Stephanie Stock, 2021. "A Vision of Future Healthcare: Potential Opportunities and Risks of Systems Medicine from a Citizen and Patient Perspective—Results of a Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-20, September.
    7. Jungsuk Kim & Gemma Estrada & Yothin Jinjarak & Donghyun Park & Shu Tian, 2022. "ICT and Economic Resilience during COVID-19: Cross-Country Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-19, November.
    8. Keng Yang & Hanying Qi, 2022. "Research on Health Disparities Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Bibliometric Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-25, January.
    9. T. D. Dang & M. T. Nguyen, 2023. "Systematic review and research agenda for the tourism and hospitality sector: co-creation of customer value in the digital age," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Chia-Jung Lee & Yen Hsu, 2021. "Promoting the Quality of Life of Elderly during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-12, June.
    11. Ritwik Nigam & Gaurav Tripathi & Tannu Priya & Alvarinho J Luis & Eric Vaz & Shashikant Kumar & Achala Shakya & Bruno Damásio & Mahender Kotha, 2022. "Did Covid-19 lockdown positively affect the urban environment and UN- Sustainable Development Goals?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(9), pages 1-21, September.
    12. Lin Cai & Zengsong Huang & Qiujin Feng & Xiaoming Chang & Kexin Yan, 2022. "Co-Transformation of Digital Health and eSport in Metaverse: Moderating Effects of Digital Personality on Mental Health in Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-17, December.
    13. Xue Min & Lei Shen & Xiangfang Ren, 2024. "The Role of Clothing Technology in Supporting Sustainable Fashion in the Post-COVID-19 Era," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-21, September.
    14. Sanying Peng & Fang Yuan & Ahmad Tajuddin Othman & Xiaogang Zhou & Gang Shen & Jinghong Liang, 2022. "The Effectiveness of E-Health Interventions Promoting Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Behavior in College Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, December.
    15. Mahdi Ghaemi Asl & David Roubaud, 2024. "Asymmetric interactions among cutting-edge technologies and pioneering conventional and Islamic cryptocurrencies: fresh evidence from intra-day-based good and bad volatilities," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 10(1), pages 1-49, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:4:p:628-:d:1636397. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.