Connection to... Addressing Digital Inequities in Supporting the Well-Being of Young Indigenous Australians in the Wake of COVID-19

Abstract

(1) Background: This article examines whether connection to digital technologies helps connect young Indigenous people in Australia to culture, community and country to support good mental health and well-being and protect against indirect and potentially long-term effects of COVID-19. (2) Method: We reviewed literature published between February and November 2020 and policy responses related to digital strategies. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, government policy websites and key Indigenous literature sources, identifying 3460 articles. Of these, 30 articles and 26 policy documents were included and analysed to identify existing and expected mental health outcomes among Indigenous young people associated with COVID-19 and more broadly. (3) Results: There are inequities in affordable access to digital technologies. Only 63% of Indigenous people have access to internet at home. Digital technologies and social media contribute to strong cultural identity, enhance connections to community and country and improve mental health and social and emotional well-being outcomes. (4) Discussion: Access to digital technologies can facilitate healing and cultural continuity, self-determination and empowerment for young people to thrive, not just survive, in the future. (5) Conclusion: More targeted policies and funding is urgently needed to promote digital technologies to enhance Indigenous young people’s access to mental health and well-being services, maintain cultural connections and evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives using Indigenous well-being indicators.

From Digital Mental Health to Digital Social and Emotional Wellbeing: How Indigenous Community-Based Participatory Research Influenced the Australian Government’s Digital Mental Health Agenda

“…However, there remains a lack of culturally appropriate evidence-based programs for Indigenous Australians with mental health disorders. There is an issue of equity here, since the lack of such resources for Indigenous peoples both in Australia [ 34 , 35 ] and internationally [ 36 , 37 ] stands in stark contrast to the preponderance of evidence-based online therapy programs for majority cultures [ 37 , 38 ] and the huge number of mainstream mental health apps [ 39 ]. At this stage, 8 years after the start of the project, there is one evidence-based online therapy program developed for Indigenous Australians [ 33 ] and two culturally relevant mental health apps that have a limited evidence base [ 11 , 12 , 34 ].…”

“…At this stage, 8 years after the start of the project, there is one evidence-based online therapy program developed for Indigenous Australians [ 33 ] and two culturally relevant mental health apps that have a limited evidence base [ 11 , 12 , 34 ]. This lack of d-MH resources with an evidence base remains a problem as there is significant and growing need [ 36 , 40 ], particularly amongst young Indigenous peoples [ 35 ].…”

“…COVID-19 certainly enhanced interest in digital health and wellbeing resources and a recognition of the specific needs of Indigenous peoples [ 34 , 35 , 47 ]. It would be pleasing to report that culturally relevant evidence-based d-resources and training programs are in place and ready to support health promotion and low intensity mental health interventions.…”

Changes in youth mental health, psychological wellbeing, and substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic: A rapid review

“…A mostly positive reception for telehealth was noted, and at least one youth helpline service reported an increase in the use of its web-based services (Batchelor et al, 2021). However, telehealth and digital service access requires a reliable internet connection and the appropriate devices and spaces to facilitate a virtual appointment (Bagley et al, 2021;Walker et al, 2021). Services may also consider lower thresholds for inperson communication for vulnerable youth for whom telehealth access is limited (Jones et al, 2020).…”

Digital Mental Health Amid COVID-19

“…A main barrier to equity in digital mental health interventions is that some people do not have access or skills to use digital resources [28]. There are inequities in affordable access to digital technologies for Indigenous people in Australia (63% have access to internet at home) which has a detrimental effect on cultural, social and mental health outcomes [29]. Recent efforts to implement and integrate digital mental health interventions into the United States (US) healthcare system may be helpful in reducing mental health care inequities in rural communities [30].…”