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Seegan PL, McGuire JF. Provider and patient barriers and facilitators to integration of digital mental health applications in routine clinical care. J Affect Disord 2024; 363:55-62. [PMID: 39025447 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 07/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The limited accessibility of mental healthcare providers highlights the need for innovative approaches to provide effective and efficient care. Digital mental health applications (DMHAs) can improve patient access to evidence-based treatments and reduce burden on the healthcare system. Here, we examined the provider and patient barriers and facilitators to integration of DMHAs in a healthcare system. METHODS Patients (n = 57) and providers (n = 100) were recruited from a large healthcare system over five months. Participants completed a survey assessing attitudes towards DMHAs, and perceived facilitators and barriers to adoption and utilization of DMHAs in mental healthcare. RESULTS DMHA credibility was a key facilitator for provider adoption, while usability and accessibility were identified as key facilitators for patient utilization. Provider barriers included patient cost/provider reimbursement, limited knowledge, perceived limits to credibility, patient outcome enhancement, and personalization of DMHAs for patient needs. Patients identified privacy concerns as the top barrier for using DMHAs. LIMITATIONS The self-report survey nature of this study, modest sample size, and majority of sample identifying as White and upper middle class make results subject to biases and limitations. Given the potential of DMHAs to address disparities in access to mental healthcare, more research is needed including populations who are at greatest risk. CONCLUSIONS Findings provide new insights to inform the development of intervention strategies to improve the integration of DMHAs within healthcare systems. Additional research examining key stakeholders at different levels of care is critical to address barriers, optimize facilitators, and develop roadmaps for best-practice use in healthcare systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige L Seegan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.
| | - Joseph F McGuire
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
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Chong SOK, Pedron S, Abdelmalak N, Laxy M, Stephan AJ. An umbrella review of effectiveness and efficacy trials for app-based health interventions. NPJ Digit Med 2023; 6:233. [PMID: 38104213 PMCID: PMC10725431 DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00981-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Health interventions based on mobile phone or tablet applications (apps) are promising tools to help patients manage their conditions more effectively. Evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on efficacy and effectiveness of such interventions is increasingly available. This umbrella review aimed at mapping and narratively summarizing published systematic reviews on efficacy and effectiveness of mobile app-based health interventions within patient populations. We followed a pre-specified publicly available protocol. Systematic reviews were searched in two databases from inception until August 28, 2023. Reviews that included RCTs evaluating integrated or stand-alone health app interventions in patient populations with regard to efficacy/effectiveness were considered eligible. Information on indications, outcomes, app characteristics, efficacy/effectiveness results and authors' conclusions was extracted. Methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR2 tool. We identified 48 systematic reviews published between 2013 and 2023 (35 with meta-analyses) that met our inclusion criteria. Eleven reviews included a broad spectrum of conditions, thirteen focused on diabetes, five on anxiety and/or depression, and others on various other indications. Reported outcomes ranged from medication adherence to laboratory, anthropometric and functional parameters, symptom scores and quality of life. Fourty-one reviews concluded that health apps may be effective in improving health outcomes. We rated one review as moderate quality. Here we report that the synthesized evidence on health app effectiveness varies largely between indications. Future RCTs should consider reporting behavioral (process) outcomes and measures of healthcare resource utilization to provide deeper insights on mechanisms that make health apps effective, and further elucidate their impact on healthcare systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry On Ki Chong
- Professorship of Public Health and Prevention, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Sara Pedron
- Professorship of Public Health and Prevention, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nancy Abdelmalak
- Professorship of Public Health and Prevention, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Laxy
- Professorship of Public Health and Prevention, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna-Janina Stephan
- Professorship of Public Health and Prevention, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Rheinberger D, Baffsky R, McGillivray L, Zbukvic I, Dadich A, Larsen ME, Lin PI, Gan DZQ, Kaplun C, Wilcox HC, Eapen V, Middleton PM, Torok M. Examining the Feasibility of Implementing Digital Mental Health Innovations Into Hospitals to Support Youth in Suicide Crisis: Interview Study With Young People and Health Professionals. JMIR Form Res 2023; 7:e51398. [PMID: 37971790 PMCID: PMC10690533 DOI: 10.2196/51398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospitals are insufficiently resourced to appropriately support young people who present with suicidal crises. Digital mental health innovations have the potential to provide cost-effective models of care to address this service gap and improve care experiences for young people. However, little is currently known about whether digital innovations are feasible to integrate into complex hospital settings or how they should be introduced for sustainability. OBJECTIVE This qualitative study explored the potential benefits, barriers, and collective action required for integrating digital therapeutics for the management of suicidal distress in youth into routine hospital practice. Addressing these knowledge gaps is a critical first step in designing digital innovations and implementation strategies that enable uptake and integration. METHODS We conducted a series of semistructured interviews with young people who had presented to an Australian hospital for a suicide crisis in the previous 12 months and hospital staff who interacted with these young people. Participants were recruited from the community nationally via social media advertisements on the web. Interviews were conducted individually, and participants were reimbursed for their time. Using the Normalization Process Theory framework, we developed an interview guide to clarify the processes and conditions that influence whether and how an innovation becomes part of routine practice in complex health systems. RESULTS Analysis of 29 interviews (n=17, 59% young people and n=12, 41% hospital staff) yielded 4 themes that were mapped onto 3 Normalization Process Theory constructs related to coherence building, cognitive participation, and collective action. Overall, digital innovations were seen as a beneficial complement to but not a substitute for in-person clinical services. The timing of delivery was important, with the agreement that digital therapeutics could be provided to patients while they were waiting to be assessed or shortly before discharge. Staff training to increase digital literacy was considered key to implementation, but there were mixed views on the level of staff assistance needed to support young people in engaging with digital innovations. Improving access to technological devices and internet connectivity, increasing staff motivation to facilitate the use of the digital therapeutic, and allowing patients autonomy over the use of the digital therapeutic were identified as other factors critical to integration. CONCLUSIONS Integrating digital innovations into current models of patient care for young people presenting to hospital in acute suicide crises is challenging because of several existing resource, logistical, and technical barriers. Scoping the appropriateness of new innovations with relevant key stakeholders as early as possible in the development process should be prioritized as the best opportunity to preemptively identify and address barriers to implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demee Rheinberger
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rachel Baffsky
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lauren McGillivray
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Isabel Zbukvic
- Orygen, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ann Dadich
- School of Business, Western Sydney University, Parramatta, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark Erik Larsen
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Big Data Research in Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ping-I Lin
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Mental Health Research Unit, The Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- Academic Unit of Infant Child and Adolescent Services (AUCS), South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Daniel Z Q Gan
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Catherine Kaplun
- Transforming Early Education and Child Health (TeEACH) Research Centre, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- The Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Holly C Wilcox
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Academic Unit of Infant Child and Adolescent Services (AUCS), South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- The Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul M Middleton
- South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- South Western Emergency Research Institute (SWERI), Ingham Institute, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Michelle Torok
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Morello K, Schäfer SK, Kunzler AM, Priesterroth LS, Tüscher O, Kubiak T. Cognitive reappraisal in mHealth interventions to foster mental health in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Digit Health 2023; 5:1253390. [PMID: 37927578 PMCID: PMC10623449 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2023.1253390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background An increasing number of mHealth interventions aim to contribute to mental healthcare of which interventions that foster cognitive reappraisal may be particularly effective. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of mHealth interventions enhancing cognitive reappraisal to improve mental health in adult populations. Methods The literature search (four databases) yielded 30 eligible randomized controlled trials (comprising 3,904 participants). We performed a multi-level meta-analysis to examine differences between intervention and comparator conditions at post-intervention assessment. Moderator analyses were conducted for potential moderator variables (e.g., type of comparators). Results Most interventions were CBT-based with other training components in addition to cognitive reappraisal. We found preliminary evidence for a small to medium effect favouring mHealth interventions to enhance cognitive reappraisal over comparators, M(SMD) = 0.34, p = .002. When analysing single symptoms, there was evidence for a small to medium effect of mHealth interventions on anxiety and depressive symptoms, but not for psychological distress and well-being. All analyses showed substantial heterogeneity. Moderator analyses revealed evidence for more favourable effects in studies with passive comparators. There was an overall high risk of bias in most of the studies. Conclusions We found preliminary evidence for a small to medium effect of mHealth interventions including a cognitive reappraisal component to improve mental health. However, most of the interventions were complex (i.e., reappraisal was provided alongside other components), which prevents us from examining reappraisal-specific effects beyond general mental health promotion in mHealth. Dismantling studies examining the effects of single intervention components are warranted to corroborate these promising results. Systematic Review Registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=142149, identifier [CRD42019142149].
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Morello
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR) Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sarah K Schäfer
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR) Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Diagnostics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Angela M Kunzler
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR) Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Evidence in Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Oliver Tüscher
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR) Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Kubiak
- Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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