Differential Impact of a Digital Mental Health Engagement Platform on Black and Female Health Care Workers: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Trial.

Abstract

Health care workers (HCWs), particularly those identifying as female or Black, face disproportionate mental health strain. Digital mental health platforms have grown in popularity and, for health systems, may offer scalable solutions, but their differential impact across demographic groups remains understudied. This secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial enrolled 1275 HCWs from an urban academic health system between January and May 2022. Participants were randomized to usual care or proactive digital engagement via the Cobalt platform. Female and Black HCWs were oversampled to assess subgroup effects. Monthly digital outreach, including mental health symptom screening and linkage to resources via the Cobalt platform, compared with usual care. Primary outcomes were changes in depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) scores at 6 and 9 months. Secondary outcomes included well-being (WHO-5, WBI-9) and work productivity (LEAPS). Generalized linear models assessed HTE by gender and race. Of 1275 randomized participants (mean age 38.6 years; 83.4% female; 25.1% Black), both intervention and control groups showed significant reductions in anxiety and depression scores over time. No significant HTE was observed by gender or race for primary outcomes. Female HCWs receiving the intervention reported significantly greater improvement in work productivity at 6 months (LEAPS score difference: 1.70; p = 0.03). Black HCWs in the intervention arm showed a sustained improvement in depression scores at 9 months (- 2.21; p < 0.001), though adjusted models did not confirm statistical significance. A proactive digital mental health strategy coupled with a well-being platform improved mental health outcomes across HCWs, with modest differential effects in productivity and depression among female and Black participants. These findings support the scalability of digital interventions and highlight the need for culturally tailored approaches to enhance equity and impact.