Raising Awareness of Online Therapies for Depression: Pilot Study

Web based cognitive behavioural therapy (webCBT) for depression is recommended by NICE but analysis of the geographic distribution of one webCBT site showed 15-fold variation in use across Britain. Such variation is unlikely to be from differences in prevalence. Raising awareness of webCBT could benefit many people with depression but it is not clear how direct-to-patient promotion online or via the media, compares with GP centred methods. This pilot cluster randomised controlled trial will explore the use of online methods to raise awareness in preparation for subsequent study comparing different approaches. In a pilot cluster randomised trial the investigators will explore the feasibility and likely impact of online methods of raising awareness of webCBT, assessing how many people with depression respond to geographically restricted Google and local website advertisements. The investigators will explore costs of recruitment and define and document the best online methods that might subsequently be used in a definitive trial comparing online with mass media and GP centred methods for raising awareness. The investigators will compare intervention with control areas to estimate impact on registration levels and compare rate of completion of webCBT of these 'additional' registrants with other registrants. Recommendations will be made for a subsequent trial comparing online with other methods.

In these areas,the investigators will display online adverts using Google Adwords, with links to the investigators' project website, and from there to four other websites for depression.

In these areas, the investigators will try to place adverts on the websites of local organizations, with links to the investigators' project website, and from there to four other websites for depression.

In these areas, the investigators will place Google Adwords and also try to place adverts on the websites of local organizations, with links to the investigators' project website, and from there to four other websites for depression.

The investigators will display Google Adwords advertising the investigators' website offering online help for depression

The investigators will place adverts on local organization websites with links to the investigators' project website offering online help for depression

This is a cluster trial with primary outcome the number of registrations for given geographical areas on a website (Living Life to The Full) offering cognitive behaviuoural therapy for depression.

Inclusion Criteria: people living in Britain searching for online help for depression Exclusion Criteria:

Jones RB, Goldsmith L, Hewson P, Williams CJ. Recruitment to online therapies for depression: pilot cluster randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2013 Mar 5;15(3):e45. doi: 10.2196/jmir.2367.

Jones RB, Goldsmith L, Williams CJ, Kamel Boulos MN. Accuracy of geographically targeted internet advertisements on Google AdWords for recruitment in a randomized trial. J Med Internet Res. 2012 Jun 20;14(3):e84. doi: 10.2196/jmir.1991.

Jones RB, Goldsmith L, Hewson P, Kamel Boulos MN, Williams CJ. Do adverts increase the probability of finding online cognitive behavioural therapy for depression? Cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2012 Apr 16;2(2):e000800. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000800. Print 2012.