Mental Health for All: The Case for Investing in Digital Mental Health to Improve Global Outcomes, Access, and Innovation in Low-Resource Settings
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methodology
3. Evidence, Efficacy, and Limitations
4. Innovation and Future Research
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Study | WHO Step-by-Step Intervention |
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Country, region | Lebanon, WHO Eastern Mediterranean region |
Summary | A single-blind, 2-arm pragmatic randomized clinical trial, comparing guided Step-by-Step with enhanced care as usual (ECAU) among displaced Syrians suffering from depression and impaired functioning in Lebanon |
Conditions | Depression, impaired functioning |
Intervention | Step-by-Step is a 5-session intervention, designed to treat depression through an internet-connected device (hybrid app for iOS, Android, and web browsers). It includes 5 story sessions (divided into 3 smaller parts; 20 min taken to read altogether) which are illustrated, and audio recorded. Users are recommended to complete 1 session per week, amounting to a total period of 5 to 8 weeks. It is psychoeducation and training in behavioral activation through an illustrated narrative, with additional therapeutic techniques such as stress management, gratitude exercise, positive self-talk, strengthening social support, and relapse prevention. Users were supported by trained non-specialists (“e-helpers”) who offered weekly phone or message-based contact with users to provide support (up to 15 min per week). Users who accessed the intervention received email or phone notifications. |
Outcome measure | Primary outcomes: depression (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9) and impaired functioning (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule-12, WHODAS) at post-treatment. Secondary outcomes: subjective well-being, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and self-described problems. |
Study size | A total of 569 participants were included in the study, with 283 randomized to the intervention and 286 to ECAU (enhanced care as usual). |
Impact | Significant treatment effects were seen for both primary outcomes, depression, and functional impairment. Effect sizes were moderate for both primary outcomes. At 3 months follow-up, the intervention effect was maintained for depression (moderate to large effect sizes) and functional impairment (moderate effect size). For secondary outcomes, significant treatment effects were seen on all outcomes with moderate effect sizes. At 3 months follow-up, the intervention continues to be more significantly effective than ECAU. |
Data collected | Primary Outcomes: baseline, post-test, and follow-up mean and standard deviation of scores for PHQ-9 and WHODAS. Secondary Outcomes: baseline, post-test, and follow-up mean and standard deviation of scores for WHO-5, GAD-7, PCL-5, and PSYCLOPS. |
Fit-for-purpose | Relevance: the study addresses the pressing need for accessible mental health care for displaced populations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where such services are scarce. Completeness: the study design is comprehensive, employing a single-blind, 2-arm pragmatic randomized clinical trial and a good sample size (n = 569). The tools used are realistic and forward-thinking. Accuracy: the study followed a well-defined protocol, and the intervention was delivered consistently across participants. Use of validated instruments, intention-to-treat analyses, multiple imputation methods to address missing data, and sensitivity analyses to evaluate bias. Timeliness: the study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and addressed the urgent need for scalable mental health care in crisis-affected regions like Lebanon. Interpretability: clear and comprehensive results, with effects sized for primary and secondary outcomes. The intervention is shown to be effective in reducing mental health problems among displaced Syrians in Lebanon. The study emphasized need for further research. |
Study | The Healthline Services: Integrated Telehealth Service for Patients with Depression |
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Country, region | England, WHO/Europe |
Summary | A pragmatic, multicenter, randomized controlled trial comparing integrated Healthline Services with usual care among participants recruited from 43 general practices in 3 areas of England. |
Conditions | Major Depression |
Intervention | The Healthline Service consisted of regular telephone calls from non-clinical, trained health advisers who followed standardized scripts generated by interactive software. After an initial assessment and goal-setting telephone call, the advisers called each participant on six occasions over 4 months, and then made up to three more calls at intervals of roughly 2 months to provide reinforcement and to detect relapse. Advisers supported participants in the use of online resources (including computerized cognitive behavioral therapy) and sought to encourage healthier lifestyles, optimize medication, and improve treatment adherence. To be eligible, participants needed to have access to the internet and email. |
Outcome measure | Primary outcome: proportion of participants responding to the intervention at 4 months after start of intervention (achieved PHQ-9 < 10 and reduction in PHQ-9 of ≥5 points). Baseline score of participants was PHQ-9 of at least 10. |
Study size | A total of 609 participants were recruited, with 307 randomly assigned to Healthline Services plus usual care and 302 to usual care. Final sample size, n = 525 |
Impact | The primary outcome showed that 27% of participants in the intervention group responded to treatment at 4 months, compared with 19% of 270 participants in the control group (adjusted odds ratio 1.7, 95% CI 1.1–2.5, p = 0.019). There was an overall treatment effect from all follow-up data at 4, 8, and 12 months in two repeated measures analyses, binary and continuous, suggesting a positive average effect of the intervention over the 12-month follow-up period. Mean PHQ-9 scores also decreased over time for both groups. Participants in the intervention group expressed greater satisfaction with access to health care, treatment, and amount of support they received. There was no evidence of improved adherence to antidepressant medication or improved care coordination or that participants made more use of other health-related technologies. |
Data Collected | Primary outcome: baseline, post-test, and follow-up at 4, 8, and 12 months mean and standard deviation of scores for PHQ-9. Secondary outcome: baseline, post-test and follow-up at 4, 8, and 12 months mean and standard deviation of scores for GAD-7, EQ-5D-5L, heiQ, Morisky, eHEALS, and Haggerty. |
Fit-for-Purpose | Relevance: the study design and intervention were relevant to address the need for expanding mental health care and improving outcomes for patients with depression. Completeness: the intervention was comprehensive and studied, addressing various components of the TECH model, which included realistic telehealth tools with evidence of effectiveness for depression. It included a good sample size of n = 525. Accuracy: the study followed a well-defined protocol, and the intervention was delivered consistently across participants. It used validated instruments, multiple imputation methods to address missing data, repeated measures analyses, mixes-effects logistic regressions, and sensitivity analyses. The study reported adjusted odds rations with confidence intervals as well as effect sizes for the secondary outcomes. Timeliness: the study was published recently and addressed ongoing challenges in mental health service delivery, at a time when mental health issues continue to be significant public health concerns worldwide. Interpretability: clear and comprehensive results, showing the intervention to be effective as a mental health care tool for patients with depression. The study highlighted the challenges in achieving sustained engagement with the intervention. |
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© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Faria, M.; Zin, S.T.P.; Chestnov, R.; Novak, A.M.; Lev-Ari, S.; Snyder, M. Mental Health for All: The Case for Investing in Digital Mental Health to Improve Global Outcomes, Access, and Innovation in Low-Resource Settings. J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12, 6735. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12216735
Faria M, Zin STP, Chestnov R, Novak AM, Lev-Ari S, Snyder M. Mental Health for All: The Case for Investing in Digital Mental Health to Improve Global Outcomes, Access, and Innovation in Low-Resource Settings. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023; 12(21):6735. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12216735
Chicago/Turabian StyleFaria, Manuel, Stella Tan Pei Zin, Roman Chestnov, Anne Marie Novak, Shahar Lev-Ari, and Michael Snyder. 2023. "Mental Health for All: The Case for Investing in Digital Mental Health to Improve Global Outcomes, Access, and Innovation in Low-Resource Settings" Journal of Clinical Medicine 12, no. 21: 6735. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12216735
APA StyleFaria, M., Zin, S. T. P., Chestnov, R., Novak, A. M., Lev-Ari, S., & Snyder, M. (2023). Mental Health for All: The Case for Investing in Digital Mental Health to Improve Global Outcomes, Access, and Innovation in Low-Resource Settings. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(21), 6735. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12216735