15 July,2021 04:35 PM IST | Mumbai | IANS
Image for representational purpose only. Photo: istock
South Korea's ICT ministry said on July 15 the country plans to invest nearly USD 26.2 million over the next three years to research digital treatment for depression in a move to find new ways to help the growing number of people suffering from the mental disorder.
The number of depression patients in South Korea reached 790,000 in 2019, up 5.9 per cent on-year, and the number is expected to rise as the pandemic restricts social activities and triggers economic uncertainty.
Digital treatment methods, such as games and virtual reality software, have recently drawn attention as a possible alternative to treat and prevent mental health disorders without direct physical care.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said it has earmarked 14 billion won until 2024 for the research programme, while the private sector will invest 14.9 billion won, reports Yonhap news agency.
ALSO READ
South Korea finds more proof of forced adoption
South Korean truth commission says it found more evidence of forced adoptions in 1980s
ARMY takes to the streets of Philippines to show support for BTS Suga
Australia swim coach who supported a South Korean athlete at the Paris Olympics is fired
Australia stunned by Bahrain in World Cup qualifying as Palestinians draw with South Korea
The research aims to develop a digital service that offers personalised depression diagnoses based on real-time collection and analysis of user data, as well as a service that provides preventative measures against the disease by using smartphones and other mobile devices.
Experts across various fields, from artificial intelligence to mental health, will take part in the research, including Kim Hyung-sook, a cognitive science professor at Hanyang University.
Naver Cloud, the cloud arm of South Korea's internet giant Naver Corp., will also participate in the program to build a cloud infrastructure for the digital platforms.
Also Read: What you need to know about Avascular Necrosis, the new post-Covid complication
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
