If There’s Something Strange in Your Neighbourhood, Who You Gonna Call? Perceived Mental Health Service User Suitability for Video Consultations

COVID-19 has placed additional challenges on mental health services. Video consultations (VCs) have provided a short-term solution to lockdown restrictions but could also increase long-term capacity to meet the anticipated rising demand. A total of 7752 VCs were conducted over six weeks. Thematic analysis of 474 online survey responses identified twenty patient attributes that influenced staffs’ decisions to offer VCs. Their opinions were diverse, at times contradictory, and not always evidence based. There was reasonable consensus (and published evidence to support) of the probable suitability of VC for patients who: are IT savvy and suitably equipped; are teenagers; live in remote/rural locations; have caring responsibilities; have anxiety disorders or express a preference. No consensus was reached regarding eight attributes and there was a corresponding paucity of evidence, indicating the need for further research. Conversely, old age; paranoia, sensory impairment/communication difficulties; high risk and trauma/PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) were generally seen as contraindicated by staff, despite published evidence of success elsewhere. It may be possible to overcome staff’s reticence to offer these groups VCs. As staff are effectively the gatekeepers to VC interventions, it is important to understand and support them to overcome reservations that are contrary to the empirical evidence base. This will ensure that their initial anxieties do not become unnecessary barriers to services for those most in need. As with all mental healthcare, such decisions should be made collaboratively, and on an individual basis.

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Can Chatbots Help Support a Person’s Mental Health? Perceptions and Views from Mental Healthcare Professionals and Experts

ACM Transactions on Computing for Healthcare ◽

10.1145/3453175 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Colm Sweeney ◽

Courtney Potts ◽

Edel Ennis ◽

Raymond Bond ◽

Maurice D. Mulvenna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

User Interfaces ◽

Personal Experience ◽

Online Survey ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Health Perceptions ◽

Human Emotion ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Perceived Importance

The objective of this study was to understand the attitudes of professionals who work in mental health regarding the use of conversational user interfaces, or chatbots, to support people’s mental health and wellbeing. This study involves an online survey to measure the awareness and attitudes of mental healthcare professionals and experts. The findings from this survey show that more than half of the participants in the survey agreed that there are benefits associated with mental healthcare chatbots (65%, p < 0.01). The perceived importance of chatbots was also relatively high (74%, p < 0.01), with more than three-quarters (79%, p < 0.01) of respondents agreeing that mental healthcare chatbots could help their clients better manage their own health, yet chatbots are overwhelmingly perceived as not adequately understanding or displaying human emotion (86%, p < 0.01). Even though the level of personal experience with chatbots among professionals and experts in mental health has been quite low, this study shows that where they have been used, the experience has been mostly satisfactory. This study has found that as years of experience increased, there was a corresponding increase in the belief that healthcare chatbots could help clients better manage their own mental health.

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Stress-related emotional and behavioural impact following the first COVID-19 outbreak peak

Molecular Psychiatry ◽

10.1038/s41380-021-01219-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Asaf Benjamin ◽

Yael Kuperman ◽

Noa Eren ◽

Ron Rotkopf ◽

Maya Amitai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Health Impact ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Distress Symptoms ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Physiological Symptoms ◽

Individual Ability ◽

And Coping

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic poses multiple psychologically stressful challenges and is associated with an increased risk for mental illness. Previous studies have focused on the psychopathological symptoms associated with the outbreak peak. Here, we examined the behavioural and mental-health impact of the pandemic in Israel using an online survey, during the six weeks encompassing the end of the first outbreak and the beginning of the second. We used clinically validated instruments to assess anxiety- and depression-related emotional distress, symptoms, and coping strategies, as well as questions designed to specifically assess COVID-19-related concerns. Higher emotional burden was associated with being female, younger, unemployed, living in high socioeconomic status localities, having prior medical conditions, encountering more people, and experiencing physiological symptoms. Our findings highlight the environmental context and its importance in understanding individual ability to cope with the long-term stressful challenges of the pandemic.

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Alternative medicine under the Mental Health Care Act, 2017: Future implications and concerns

Indian Journal of Medical Ethics ◽

10.20529/ijme.2022.004 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 07 (01) ◽

pp. 37-41

Author(s):

Ramdas Ransing ◽

Sujita Kumar Kar ◽

Vikas Menon

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Alternative Medicine ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Insufficient Evidence ◽

Indian Government ◽

Evidence Based Care

In recent years, the Indian government has been promoting healthcare with an insufficient evidence base, or which is non-evidence-based, alongside delivery of evidence-based care by untrained practitioners, through supportive legislation and guidelines. The Mental Health Care Act, 2017, is a unique example of a law endorsing such practices. In this paper, we aim to highlight the positive and negative implications of such practices for the delivery of good quality mental healthcare in India.

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Current practices in clinical neurofeedback with functional MRI—Analysis of a survey using the TIDieR checklist

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.10.011 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 50 ◽

pp. 28-33 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Elizabeth Randell ◽

Rachel McNamara ◽

Leena Subramanian ◽

Kerenza Hood ◽

David Linden

Keyword(s):

Functional Mri ◽

Online Survey ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Complex Interventions ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Web Based ◽

Study Protocols ◽

Survey Responses ◽

Intervention Description ◽

Standard Terms

AbstractBackgroundA core principle of creating a scientific evidence base is that results can be replicated in independent experiments and in health intervention research. The TIDieR (Template for Intervention Description and Replication) checklist has been developed to aid in summarising key items needed when reporting clinical trials and other well designed evaluations of complex interventions in order that findings can be replicated or built on reliably. Neurofeedback (NF) using functional MRI (fMRI) is a multicomponent intervention that should be considered a complex intervention. The TIDieR checklist (with minor modification to increase applicability in this context) was distributed to NF researchers as a survey of current practice in the design and conduct of clinical studies. The aim was to document practice and convergence between research groups, highlighting areas for discussion and providing a basis for recommendations for harmonisation and standardisation.MethodsThe TIDieR checklist was interpreted and expanded (21 questions) to make it applicable to neurofeedback research studies. Using the web-based Bristol Online Survey (BOS) tool, the revised checklist was disseminated to researchers in the BRAINTRAIN European research collaborative network (supported by the European Commission) and others in the fMRI-neurofeedback community.ResultsThere were 16 responses to the survey. Responses were reported under eight main headings which covered the six domains of the TIDieR checklist: What, Why, When, How, Where and Who.ConclusionsThis piece of work provides encouraging insight into the ability to be able to map neuroimaging interventions to a structured framework for reporting purposes. Regardless of the considerable variability of design components, all studies could be described in standard terms of diagnostic groups, dose/duration, targeted areas/signals, and psychological strategies and learning models. Recommendations are made which include providing detailed rationale of intervention design in study protocols.

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Supporting people in mental health crisis in 21st-century Britain

BJPsych Bulletin ◽

10.1192/bjb.2019.93 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 44 (6) ◽

pp. 231-232 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andrew Molodynski ◽

Stephen Puntis ◽

Em Mcallister ◽

Hannah Wheeler ◽

Keith Cooper

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Law Enforcement ◽

21St Century ◽

Current System ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Health Needs ◽

Mental Health Crisis ◽

Mental Health Needs ◽

Health Crisis

Recent years have seen a surge in interest in mental healthcare and some reduction in stigma. Partly as a result of this, alongside a growing population and higher levels of societal distress, many more people are presenting with mental health needs, often in crisis. Systems that date back to the beginning of the National Health Service still form the basis for much care, and the current system is complex, hard to navigate and often fails people. Law enforcement services are increasingly being drawn into providing mental healthcare in the community, which most believe is inappropriate. We propose that it is now time for a fundamental root and branch review of mental health emergency care, taking into account the views of patients and the international evidence base, to ‘reset’ the balance and commission services that are humane and responsive – services that are fit for the 21st century.

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Access to community-based mental healthcare and psychosocial support within a disaster context

BJPsych International ◽

10.1192/s2056474000000295 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 44-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Katherine P O'Hanlon ◽

Boris Budosan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Large Scale ◽

Psychosocial Support ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Community Services ◽

Community Based ◽

Clear Vision ◽

Mental Health Interventions ◽

Mental Health Effects

After a large-scale humanitarian disaster, 30–50% of victims develop moderate or severe psychological distress. Rates of mild and moderate mental disorders increase by 5–10% and severe disorders by 1–2%. Those with such disorders need access to mental healthcare. Primary care clinics are appropriate due to their easy accessibility and the non-stigmatising environment. There is a consensus among experts that the mental health effects of disaster are best addressed by existing services, that is, through capacity building rather than by establishing parallel systems. Mental health interventions in emergencies should begin with a clear vision for the long-term advancement of community services.

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Wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK: a secondary data analysis

10.31235/osf.io/pv4qs ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jen Murphy ◽

Mark Elliot

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

National Level ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Well Being ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Least Squares Regression ◽

The Uk ◽

Survey Responses ◽

The Impact

Introduction: In March 2020 in response to the COVID pandemic the UK government declared a national lockdown where citizens were required to stay at home. The impact of this lockdown on levels of well-being has been a source of concern for citizens and mental health professionals.Objectives: We investigated the trajectory of well-being over the course of the ?first wave and sought to determine whether the change in well-being is distributed equally across the population. Speci?fically we investigated pre-existing medical conditions, social isolation, ?financial stress and deprivation as a predictor for well-being and whether there were community level characteristics which protect against poorer well-being.Methods: Using online survey responses from the COVID19 modules of Understanding society, we linked 8,379 English cases across ?five waves of data collection to location based deprivation statistics. We used ordinary least squares regression to estimate the association between deprivation, pre-existing conditions and socio-demographic factors and the change in well-being scores over time, as measured by the GHQ-12 questionnaire.Results: A decline in well-being was observed at the beginning of the fi?rst lock down period at the beginning of March 2020. This was matched with a corresponding recovery between April and July as restrictions were gradually lifted. There was no association between the decline and deprivation, nor between deprivation and recovery. The strongest predictor of well-being during the lockdown, was the baseline score, with the counterintuitive finding that for those will pre-existing poor well-being, the impact of pandemic restrictions on mental health were minimal, but for those who had previously felt well, the restrictions and the impact of the pandemic on well-being were much greater.Conclusion: These data show no evidence of a social gradient in well-being related to the pandemic. In fact, wellbeing was shown to be highly elastic in this period indicating a national level of resilience which cut across the usually observed health inequalities.

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Individual differences in COVID-19 mitigation behaviors: The roles of age, gender, psychological state, and financial status

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0257658 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. e0257658

Author(s):

Joel Myerson ◽

Michael J. Strube ◽

Leonard Green ◽

Sandra Hale

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Individual Characteristics ◽

Fear Appeals ◽

Psychological State ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Age Related ◽

Control And Prevention ◽

Survey Responses ◽

Self Protection

The present study examined individual characteristics potentially associated with changes in mitigation behaviors (social distancing and hygiene) recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Analysis of online survey responses from 361 adults, ages 20–78, with US IP addresses, identified significant correlates of adaptive behavioral changes, with implications for preventive strategies and mental health needs. The extent to which individuals changed their mitigation behaviors was unrelated to self-rated health or concern regarding the personal effects of COVID-19 but was related to concern regarding the effects of the pandemic on others. Thus, mitigation behaviors do not appear to be primarily motivated by self-protection. Importantly, adaptive changes in mitigation behaviors increased with age. However, these changes, particularly those related to the frequency of close proximity encounters, appear to be due to age-related decreases in anxiety and depression. Taken together, the present results argue against over-reliance on ‘fear appeals’ in public health messages as they may increase anxiety and depression. Instead, the present findings argue for more appeals to people’s concern for others to motivate mitigation as well as indicating an immediate need to address individual mental health concerns for the sake of society as a whole.

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Progress After Placement

Outcomes of Open Adoption from Care ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-76429-6_7 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 199-222

Author(s):

Harriet Ward ◽

Lynne Moggach ◽

Susan Tregeagle ◽

Helen Trivedi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Adoptive Parents ◽

Developmentally Delayed ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Adult Adoptees

AbstractThe chapter explores the progress made by the 93 adoptees in the core follow-up sample in terms of physical and mental health and education from the time they entered their adoptive homes until they were followed up, on average 18 years later. It draws on data collected through responses to an online survey concerning 93 adoptees (44% of the cohort) completed at follow-up, and interviews focusing on 24 adult adoptees. On entering their placements, 40% of adoptees were developmentally delayed; 13% had poor physical health; 38% were in poor mental health. Emotional and behavioural problems affected their academic progress; 76% required specialist help. After placement, 74% improved in physical health, 66% in mental health and 68% in academic performance. The challenges faced by adoptive parents provide a powerful case for careful preparation and long-term post-adoption support.

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Virtual Geriatric Mental Health Care Offered Where Needed Most: An Evaluation of a Telehealth Consultation Model

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.109 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 30-30

Author(s):

Julie Filips ◽

Chalise Carlson ◽

Ana Alfaro ◽

Ranak Trevedi ◽

Anita Savell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Term Care ◽

High Satisfaction ◽

Geriatric Mental Health ◽

Consultation Model ◽

State Region ◽

Provider Survey ◽

Survey Responses ◽

Person Centered Approach

Abstract Many VA facilities serving large rural populations do not have geriatric mental health specialists available to assist with managing the aging Veteran population’s complex medical and behavioral comorbidities. We applied mixed-methods to evaluate an innovative model utilizing a geriatric psychiatrist who provides cross-facility consultation in a 5-state region. During a 3-month period, the consultant completed 135 consults and 20 e-consults to settings ranging from outpatient to long-term care. Leadership stakeholder and provider interviews highlight the importance of the availability of the consultant, collaboration with local care teams, staff education, person-centered approach, and work ethic/passion. The core challenges that the consultant helps manage include complex comorbidities, medication questions, and dementia with behavioral disturbance. Initial provider survey responses (n = 11) show high satisfaction with services (100%) and strong agreement (80%) that providers could follow through with recommendations. Next steps include replication of this model in other VA facilities.

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