The ethics of eMental health in Australia's Western Murray Darling Basin

eHealth for people in rural and remote Australia living with a mental illness is increasingly being recommended for treatment and support options. In a study of mental health service users and practitioners, the authors found that many of those encouraged to take up eMental health options were unable to afford the technologies required. Additionally, service users interviewed resided in areas poorly serviced by Internet networks, and often travelled long distances to access face-to-face treatment, rather than endure long waiting lists and the challenges of eHealth technologies. In this article, the authors use Wadhwa and Wright (2013), and Fisk and Rudel’s (2013) frameworks for the ethical treatment of people with mental illness, in order to explore the challenges and benefits of using eMental Health in Australia’s Western Murray Darling Basin.