National telemental health responses to a major bushfire disaster

Opportunistic Mental Health Screening: Is there a Role Following a Disaster? Lessons from the 2010-2011 Queensland (Australia) Floods and Cyclones

BACKGROUND

Following the 2010-2011 floods and cyclones that affected 78% of Queensland, Australia, a State-wide mental health response was established. The response plan included a 24-hour access line. This study examines the effectiveness of the mental health screening program conducted via the State-wide health call center (13HEALTH) in 2012.

METHODS

Callers to the 13HEALTH line were screened to assess the impact of the disaster. The 13HEALTH clinicians administered the Primary Care-Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Scale (PC-PTSD) screening measure. Those scoring more than two on the PC-PTSD Scale were provided information on the emotional impact of disasters and a referral to the post-disaster specialist mental health program (SMHP). For calls related to those under 18, a single-item question assessed behavioral or emotional changes since the natural disasters. Those with identified changes were offered a referral to a post-disaster SMHP.The study evaluates the relationship between disaster exposure and the likelihood of 13HEALTH callers experiencing physical health concerns and unacknowledged mental health symptoms. The program's cost for the 12 months of 2012 was assessed using data from the financial contract.

RESULTS

In 2012, there were 205,064 calls to 13HEALTH: 19,708 identified as residing in a flood or cyclone-affected area, 7,315 adults indicated they were personally affected, and 907 scored more than two on the PC-PTSD Scale. Only 700 agreed to a referral to the SMHP. There were 290 children under 18 assessed as at risk; 207 accepted a referral to a SMHP.Regions that experienced a greater impact from the floods and cyclones were 1.3-2.3 times more likely to report being personally affected by the floods and cyclones. Similarly, these regions had more callers scoring more than two on the PC-PTSD Scale. The total cost of the 13HEALTH program for 2012 was $53,284 (AU) across all age groups.

CONCLUSION

The 13HEALTH general health post-disaster screening program demonstrates opportunistic screening may assist identification of those with unmet mental health needs. The data indicate an increased likelihood of personal exposure in the more affected regions with an increased risk of unrecognized psychological symptoms as assessed by the PC-PTSD Scale. However, more than 20% declined referral to a SMHP.

Digital Interventions to Support Population Mental Health in Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Rapid Review

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a number of negative health related consequences, including impacts on mental health. More than 22% of Canadians reported that they had felt depressed in the last week, in response to a December 2020 national survey. Given the need to physically distance during the pandemic, and the increase in demand for mental health services, digital interventions that support mental health and wellness may be beneficial.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this research was to identify digital interventions that could be used to support the mental health of the Canadian general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives were to identify (1) the populations these interventions were developed for, inclusive of exploring areas of equity such as socioeconomic status, sex/gender, race/ethnicity and culture, and relevance to Indigenous peoples and communities; (2) the effect of the interventions; and (3) any barriers or facilitators to the use of the intervention.

METHODS

This study was completed using a Cochrane Rapid Review methodology. A search of Embase, PsycInfo, Medline, and Web of Science, along with Google, Million Short, and popular mobile app libraries, was conducted. Two screeners were involved in applying inclusion criteria using Covidence software. Academic articles and mobile apps identified were screened using the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria for Evaluating Primary Research Papers from a Variety of Fields resource, the American Psychiatric Association App Evaluation Framework, and the Mental Health Commission of Canada's guidance on app assessment and selection.

RESULTS

A total of 31 mobile apps and 114 web-based resources (eg, telemedicine, virtual peer support groups, discussion forums, etc) that could be used to support the mental health of the Canadian population during the pandemic were identified. These resources have been listed on a publicly available website along with search tags that may help an individual make a suitable selection. Variability exists in the populations that the interventions were developed for, and little assessment has been done with regard to areas of equity. The effect of the interventions was not reported for all those identified in this synthesis; however, for those that did report the effect, it was shown that they were effective in the context that they were used. A number of barriers and facilitators to using these interventions were identified, such as access, cost, and connectivity.

CONCLUSIONS

A number of digital interventions that could support population mental health in Canada during the global COVID-19 pandemic were identified, indicating that individuals have several options to choose from. These interventions vary in their purpose, approach, design, cost, and targeted user group. While some research and digital interventions addressed equity-related considerations, more research and focused attention should be given to this area.

Telehealth at the US Department of Veterans Affairs after Hurricane Sandy

BACKGROUND

Like other integrated health systems, the US Department of Veterans Affairs has widely implemented telehealth during the past decade to improve access to care for its patient population. During major crises, the US Department of Veterans Affairs has the potential to transition healthcare delivery from traditional care to telecare. This paper identifies the types of Veterans Affairs telehealth services used during Hurricane Sandy (2012), and examines the patient characteristics of those users.

METHODS

This study conducted both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Veterans Affairs administrative and clinical data files were used to illustrate the use of telehealth services 12 months pre- and 12 months post- Hurricane Sandy. In-person interviews with 31 key informants at the Manhattan Veterans Affairs Medical Center three-months post- Hurricane Sandy were used to identify major themes related to telecare.

RESULTS

During the seven-month period of hospital closure at the Manhattan Veterans Affairs Medical Center after Hurricane Sandy, in-person patient visits decreased dramatically while telehealth visits increased substantially, suggesting that telecare was used in lieu of in-person care for some vulnerable patients. The most commonly used types of Veterans Affairs telehealth services included primary care, triage, mental health, home health, and ancillary services. Using qualitative analyses, three themes emerged from the interviews regarding the use of Veterans Affairs telecare post- Hurricane Sandy: patient safety, provision of telecare, and patient outreach.

CONCLUSION

Telehealth offers the potential to improve post-disaster access to and coordination of care. More information is needed to better understand how telehealth can change the processes and outcomes during disasters. Future studies should also evaluate key elements, such as adequate resources, regulatory and technology issues, workflow integration, provider resistance, diagnostic fidelity and confidentiality, all of which are critical to telehealth success during disasters and other crises.

Children's medicine: What do consumers really want to know?

AIM

This study explored consumer knowledge gaps and concerns regarding medication use in children.

METHODS

Calls concerning or made by people under 18 to the pharmacist-operated, national consumer medicines call centre National Prescribing Service Medicines Line (2002 to June 2010) were analysed. Calls were classified and narratively explored by age group: <1, 1-4, 5-14 and 15-17 years. Consumer Medication Information (CMI) and evidence-based resources were examined to determine information concordance for common questions.

RESULTS

There were 14 753 paediatric-related calls (mean age 4.1 years). Callers were predominantly female (91.5%), mean age was 35.8 years. Most (89.4%) phoned for a child and 2.2% for themselves. Main enquiry types were: lactation (22.1%), treatment/prophylaxis (11.1%), dose (10.2%), adverse reaction (10.0%), interaction (8.4%) and vaccination (8.4%). However, the primary enquiry differed by age group: lactation (<1 year), dosing (1-4, 5-14 years) and interactions (15-17 years). Global concerns were medication safety, with breastfeeding for infants <1 year and age/weight dose clarification for children 1-4 and 5-14 years. In contrast, interaction questions from adolescents concerned nervous system medicines, cold/flu products, contraceptives and recreational drugs. While paracetamol was the primary medication of interest across age groups, the remaining 'top two' differed significantly. Inconsistencies identified between CMI and evidence-based resources contribute to consumer uncertainty.

CONCLUSIONS

Care givers and older children use a call centre to address their information needs about frequently used and highly accessible medicines, and their concerns vary across paediatric age groups. Inconsistent information provided by CMI on medication use in children contributes to consumer uncertainty and help-seeking behaviour.

A review of telemental health in international and post-disaster settings

Telemental health (TMH) is an important component in meeting critical mental health needs of the global population. Mental health is an issue of global importance; an estimated 450 million people worldwide have mental or behavioural disorders, accounting for 12% of the World Health Organization's (WHO) global burden of disease. However, it is reported that 75% of people suffering from mental disorders in the Developing World receive no treatment or care. In this paper, the authors review global mental health needs with a focus on the use of TMH to meet mental health needs in international and post-disaster settings. Telemedicine and TMH have the capacity to bring evidence-based best practices in medicine and mental health to the under-served and difficult to reach areas of the world, including post-disaster settings. The authors will also report on the mental health impact of the Haiti 2010 earthquake and on the limited use of telemedicine in post-disaster Haiti. The paper will underscore the point that published papers on the use of TMH in post-disaster settings are lacking. Finally, the paper will review considerations before working in TMH in international and post-disaster settings.