Genie in the bottle? a qualitative study of general practitioners’ perspectives and information needs concerning digital mental health applications in Germany
GPs showed high engagement with DiGA prescriptions despite persistent knowledge gaps and ambivalent attitudes. They expressed expectations regarding information provision, emphasizing concise content from trusted, neutral sources, about central structural aspects (e.g., budgetary impact), delivered through familiar formats such as journals, lectures, and digital platforms. Information strategies should account for limited time resources in primary care and align with established routines. Strengthening institutional support and integrating digital health into medical training may further facilitate the adoption of DiGAs in primary care.
Authors
- Lisa Guthardt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1550-3829)
- Markus Vomhof (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2714-6371)
- Adrian Loerbroks (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2795-8684)
- Claudia Ruth Pischke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2256-8903)
- Nadja Kairies‐Schwarz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6164-959X)
- Karin Panitz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0599-7331)
- Jennifer Apolinário-Hagen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5755-9225)
- C Wagenaar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9960-3167)
- Jessica Bau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4368-2173)
- Fatma Sahan
- Maximilian Zinn
Institutions
- Düsseldorf University Hospital (DE)
- Deutsches Diabetes-Zentrum e.V. (DE)
- Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMC Primary Care
- Published
- 2025-12-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-03115-2
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.54
Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf