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Macrynikola N, Chen K, Lane E, Nguyen N, Pinto J, Yen S, Torous J. Testing the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Potential Efficacy of an Innovative Digital Mental Health Care Delivery Model Designed to Increase Access to Care: Open Trial of the Digital Clinic. JMIR Ment Health 2025; 12:e65222. [PMID: 39879612 PMCID: PMC11822323 DOI: 10.2196/65222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2024] [Revised: 09/30/2024] [Accepted: 11/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental health concerns have become increasingly prevalent; however, care remains inaccessible to many. While digital mental health interventions offer a promising solution, self-help and even coached apps have not fully addressed the challenge. There is now a growing interest in hybrid, or blended, care approaches that use apps as tools to augment, rather than to entirely guide, care. The Digital Clinic is one such model, designed to increase access to high-quality mental health services. OBJECTIVE To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of the Digital Clinic model, this study aims to conduct a nonrandomized open trial with participants experiencing depression, anxiety, or both, at various levels of clinical severity. METHODS Clinicians were trained in conducting brief transdiagnostic evidence-based treatment augmented by a mental health app (mindLAMP); digital navigators were trained in supporting participants' app engagement and digital literacy while also sharing app data with both patients and clinicians. Feasibility and acceptability of this 8-week program were assessed against a range of benchmarks. Potential efficacy was assessed by calculating pre-post change in symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9), anxiety (7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder; GAD-7), and comorbid depression and anxiety (Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Scale; PHQ-ADS), as well as rates of clinically meaningful improvement and remission. Secondary outcomes included change in functional impairment, self-efficacy in managing emotions, and flourishing. RESULTS Of the 258 enrolled participants, 215 (83.3%) completed the 8-week program. Most were White (n=151, 70.2%) and identified as cisgender women (n=136, 63.3%), with a mean age of 41 (SD 14) years. Feasibility and acceptability were good to excellent across a range of domains. The program demonstrated potential efficacy: the average PHQ-9 score was moderate to moderately severe at baseline (mean 13.39, SD 4.53) and decreased to subclinical (mean 7.79, SD 4.61) by the end of the intervention (t126=12.50, P<.001, Cohen d=1.11). Similarly, the average GAD-7 score decreased from moderate at baseline (mean 12.93, SD 3.67) to subclinical (mean 7.35, SD 4.19) by the end of the intervention (t113=13, P<.001, Cohen d=1.22). Participation in the program was also associated with high rates of clinically significant improvement and remission. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that the Digital Clinic model is feasible, acceptable, and potentially efficacious, warranting a future randomized controlled trial to establish the efficacy of this innovative model of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Macrynikola
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kelly Chen
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Erlend Lane
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nic Nguyen
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jennifer Pinto
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shirley Yen
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - John Torous
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Cleary M, West S, Hungerford C. Inclusion, Inclusivity and Inclusiveness: The Role of the Mental Health Nurse. Issues Ment Health Nurs 2024; 45:769-773. [PMID: 38271009 DOI: 10.1080/01612840.2023.2297303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Cleary
- School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Sciences, Central Queensland University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sancia West
- School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Sciences, Central Queensland University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Catherine Hungerford
- School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Sciences, Central Queensland University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Schwab-Reese L, Short C, Jacobs L, Fingerman M. Rapport Building in Written Crisis Services: Qualitative Content Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e42049. [PMID: 38748472 PMCID: PMC11137431 DOI: 10.2196/42049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Building therapeutic relationships and social presence are challenging in digital services and maybe even more difficult in written services. Despite these difficulties, in-person care may not be feasible or accessible in all situations. OBJECTIVE This study aims to categorize crisis counselors' efforts to build rapport in written conversations by using deidentified conversation transcripts from the text and chat arms of the National Child Abuse Hotline. Using these categories, we identify the common characteristics of successful conversations. We defined success as conversations where help-seekers reported the hotline was a good way to seek help and that they were a lot more hopeful, a lot more informed, a lot more prepared to address the situation, and experiencing less stress, as reported by help-seekers. METHODS The sample consisted of transcripts from 314 purposely selected conversations from of the 1153 text and chat conversations during July 2020. Hotline users answered a preconversation survey (ie, demographics) and a postconversation survey (ie, their perceptions of the conversation). We used qualitative content analysis to process the conversations. RESULTS Active listening skills, including asking questions, paraphrasing, reflecting feelings, and interpreting situations, were commonly used by counselors. Validation, unconditional positive regard, and evaluation-based language, such as praise and apologies, were also often used. Compared with less successful conversations, successful conversations tended to include fewer statements that attend to the emotional dynamics. There were qualitative differences in how the counselors applied these approaches. Generally, crisis counselors in positive conversations tended to be more specific and tailor their comments to the situation. CONCLUSIONS Building therapeutic relationships and social presence are essential to digital interventions involving mental health professionals. Prior research demonstrates that they can be challenging to develop in written conversations. Our work demonstrates characteristics associated with successful conversations that could be adopted in other written help-seeking interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schwab-Reese
- Department of Public Health, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Caitlyn Short
- Department of Public Health, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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Benvegnù G, Piva A, Cadorin C, Mannari V, Girondini M, Federico A, Tamburin S, Chiamulera C. The effects of virtual reality environmental enrichments on craving to food in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:49-60. [PMID: 37697163 PMCID: PMC10774167 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06462-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Environmental enrichment (EE) is a non-pharmacological approach that has been shown to be effective in reducing food-taking in rats. Studies in human volunteers are still in their infancy, given the difficulty to translate the complexity of EE in clinical practice. Virtual reality (VR) is a promising methodological approach, but no study has yet applied it to model and test EE in humans. OBJECTIVES The present study is the first to assess the effects of virtual EE on craving for palatable food. METHODS Eighty-one healthy volunteers (43 women) were divided into three groups: (i) exposure to a virtual EE (VR-EE), (ii) exposure to a virtual neutral environment (VR-NoEE), and (iii) without exposure to VR (No VR). Craving for palatable food at basal level and evoked by neutral and palatable food images was assessed before and after the VR simulation. Behavior during VR exposure and subjective measures related to the experience were also collected. RESULTS VR-EE group showed a significantly greater decrease in pre-post craving difference compared to No VR for all assessments and at basal level compared to VR-NoEE. Interestingly, an inverse correlation between craving and deambulation in the VR simulation emerged in VR-EE group only. CONCLUSIONS The study highlighted the feasibility of exposing human subjects to an EE as a virtual simulation. Virtual EE induced effects on basal craving for food that suggest the potential for further improvements of the protocol to extend its efficacy to palatable food cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Benvegnù
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Piva
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Camilla Cadorin
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine, and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Vanessa Mannari
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Matteo Girondini
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine, and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Angela Federico
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine, and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Tamburin
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine, and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Cristiano Chiamulera
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Al-Daken L, Lazarus ER, Al Sabei SD, Alharrasi M, Al Qadire M. Perception of Nursing Students About Effective Clinical Teaching Environments: A Multi-Country Study. SAGE Open Nurs 2024; 10:23779608241233146. [PMID: 38510754 PMCID: PMC10953109 DOI: 10.1177/23779608241233146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The transition of nursing education from traditional methods to more advanced approaches is crucial for adequately preparing students to deliver competent care in tertiary care centers. Moreover, clinical faculty in nursing plays a key role in guiding nursing students through their clinical training in various healthcare settings. Purpose This study aims to describe the perceptions of undergraduate nursing students regarding the effectiveness of the learning environment and clinical teaching in clinical areas across various countries. Methods The study, conducted using a descriptive, cross-sectional research design, gathered data from 215 nursing students using the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory and Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Instrument. Data analysis included frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation, t-tests, analysis of variance, and correlation assessments to comprehend the impact of clinical teaching and learning environments. Results Nursing students' perceptions of the clinical learning environment produced mean scores between 2.03 and 3.38 on a scale from 1 to 4, resulting in an overall mean score of 2.72 across 42 items. This indicates a general satisfaction with their clinical learning experiences. Regarding effective clinical teaching, the mean student responses varied from 3.02 to 3.40 out of a possible 5 points, with a total mean of 3.22. The study revealed notable correlations in the context of effective clinical teaching, particularly with demographic variables and the clinical learning environment. Specifically, a significant correlation with age (r = .177, p = .009) and the clinical learning environment (r = .572, p < .001) was identified. Conclusion The study concludes that students expressed overall satisfaction with their clinical learning experiences. They recognized the importance of participating in clinical training, fulfilling clinical responsibilities for assigned patients, exerting extra effort for learning, receiving support from preceptors in clinical settings, and being attentive to communications from staff. The collaboration between clinical preceptors and academic nursing lecturers is crucial in providing a positive learning environment for students to complete clinical tasks effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laila Al-Daken
- College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | | | | | | | - Mohammad Al Qadire
- College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
- Adult Health Department, Faculty of Nursing, Al Al-Bayt University, Mafraq, Jordan
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Cho CH, Lee HJ, Kim YK. The New Emerging Treatment Choice for Major Depressive Disorders: Digital Therapeutics. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1456:307-331. [PMID: 39261436 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-97-4402-2_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
The chapter provides an in-depth analysis of digital therapeutics (DTx) as a revolutionary approach to managing major depressive disorder (MDD). It discusses the evolution and definition of DTx, their application across various medical fields, regulatory considerations, and their benefits and limitations. This chapter extensively covers DTx for MDD, including smartphone applications, virtual reality interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) platforms, artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbot therapies, biofeedback, wearable technologies, and serious games. It evaluates the effectiveness of these digital interventions, comparing them with traditional treatments and examining patient perspectives, compliance, and engagement. The integration of DTx into clinical practice is also explored, along with the challenges and barriers to their adoption, such as technological limitations, data privacy concerns, ethical considerations, reimbursement issues, and the need for improved digital literacy. This chapter concludes by looking at the future direction of DTx in mental healthcare, emphasizing the need for personalized treatment plans, integration with emerging modalities, and the expansion of access to these innovative solutions globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chul-Hyun Cho
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heon-Jeong Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Ku Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Montilva-Monsalve J, Dimantas B, Perski O, Gutman LM. Barriers and Enablers to the Adoption of a Healthier Diet Using an App: Qualitative Interview Study With Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. JMIR Diabetes 2023; 8:e49097. [PMID: 38113087 PMCID: PMC10762608 DOI: 10.2196/49097] [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: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adopting a healthy diet is one of the cornerstones of type 2 diabetes (T2D) management. Apps are increasingly used in diabetes self-management, but most studies to date have focused on assessing their impact in terms of weight loss or glycemic control, with limited evidence on the behavioral factors that influence app use to change dietary habits. OBJECTIVE The main objectives of this study were to assess the enablers and barriers to adopting a healthier diet using the Gro Health app in 2 patient groups with T2D (patients with recently diagnosed and long-standing T2D) and to identify behavior change techniques (BCTs) to enhance enablers and overcome barriers. METHODS Two semistructured qualitative interview studies were conducted; the first study took place between June and July 2021, with a sample of 8 patients with recently diagnosed (<12 mo) T2D, whereas the second study was conducted between May and June 2022 and included 15 patients with long-standing (>18 mo) T2D. In both studies, topic guides were informed by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior model and the Theoretical Domains Framework. Transcripts were analyzed using a combined deductive framework and inductive thematic analysis approach. The Behavior Change Wheel framework was applied to identify appropriate BCTs that could be used in future iterations of apps for patients with diabetes. Themes were compared between the patient groups. RESULTS This study identified similarities and differences between patient groups in terms of enablers and barriers to adopting a healthier diet using the app. The main enablers for recently diagnosed patients included the acquired knowledge about T2D diets and skills to implement these, whereas the main barriers were the difficulty in deciding which app features to use and limited cooking skills. By contrast, for patients with long-standing T2D, the main enablers included knowledge validation provided by the app, along with app elements to help self-regulate food intake; the main barriers were the limited interest paid to the content provided or limited skills engaging with apps in general. Both groups reported more enablers than barriers to performing the target behavior when using the app. Consequently, BCTs were selected to address key barriers in both groups, such as simplifying the information hierarchy in the app interface, including tutorials demonstrating how to use the app features, and redesigning the landing page of the app to guide users toward these tutorials. CONCLUSIONS Patients with recently diagnosed and long-standing T2D encountered similar enablers but slightly different barriers when using an app to adopting a healthier diet. Consequently, the development of app-based approaches to adopt a healthier diet should account for these similarities and differences within patient segments to reduce barriers to performing the target behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Montilva-Monsalve
- Centre for Behaviour Change, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bruna Dimantas
- Centre for Behaviour Change, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Olga Perski
- Centre for Behaviour Change, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Leslie Morrison Gutman
- Centre for Behaviour Change, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Eysenbach G, Amado S, Jasman M, Ervin A, Rhodes JE. Providing Human Support for the Use of Digital Mental Health Interventions: Systematic Meta-review. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e42864. [PMID: 36745497 PMCID: PMC9941905 DOI: 10.2196/42864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) have been increasingly deployed to bridge gaps in mental health care, particularly given their promising efficacy. Nevertheless, attrition among DMHI users remains high. In response, human support has been studied as a means of improving retention to and outcomes of DMHIs. Although a growing number of studies and meta-analyses have investigated the effects of human support for DMHIs on mental health outcomes, systematic empirical evidence of its effectiveness across mental health domains remains scant. OBJECTIVE We aimed to summarize the results of meta-analyses of human support versus no support for DMHI use across various outcome domains, participant samples, and support providers. METHODS We conducted a systematic meta-review of meta-analyses, comparing the effects of human support with those of no support for DMHI use, with the goal of qualitatively summarizing data across various outcome domains, participant samples, and support providers. We used MEDLINE, PubMed, and PsycINFO electronic databases. Articles were included if the study had a quantitative meta-analysis study design; the intervention targeted mental health symptoms and was delivered via a technology platform (excluding person-delivered interventions mediated through telehealth, text messages, or social media); the outcome variables included mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, stress, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, or a number of these symptoms together; and the study included quantitative comparisons of outcomes in which human support versus those when no or minimal human support was provided. RESULTS The results of 31 meta-analyses (505 unique primary studies) were analyzed. The meta-analyses reported 45 effect sizes; almost half (n=22, 48%) of them showed that human-supported DMHIs were significantly more effective than unsupported DMHIs. A total of 9% (4/45) of effect sizes showed that unsupported DMHIs were significantly more effective. No clear patterns of results emerged regarding the efficacy of human support for the outcomes assessed (including anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, stress, and multiple outcomes). Human-supported DMHIs may be more effective than unsupported DMHIs for individuals with elevated mental health symptoms. There were no clear results regarding the type of training for those providing support. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the potential of human support in improving the effects of DMHIs. Specifically, evidence emerged for stronger effects of human support for individuals with greater symptom severity. There was considerable heterogeneity across meta-analyses in the level of detail regarding the nature of the interventions, population served, and support delivered, making it difficult to draw strong conclusions regarding the circumstances under which human support is most effective. Future research should emphasize reporting detailed descriptions of sample and intervention characteristics and describe the mechanism through which they believe the coach will be most useful for the DMHI.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Selen Amado
- Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Megyn Jasman
- Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ariel Ervin
- Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jean E Rhodes
- Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
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Stein DJ, Shoptaw SJ, Vigo DV, Lund C, Cuijpers P, Bantjes J, Sartorius N, Maj M. Psychiatric diagnosis and treatment in the 21st century: paradigm shifts versus incremental integration. World Psychiatry 2022; 21:393-414. [PMID: 36073709 PMCID: PMC9453916 DOI: 10.1002/wps.20998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychiatry has always been characterized by a range of different models of and approaches to mental disorder, which have sometimes brought progress in clinical practice, but have often also been accompanied by critique from within and without the field. Psychiatric nosology has been a particular focus of debate in recent decades; successive editions of the DSM and ICD have strongly influenced both psychiatric practice and research, but have also led to assertions that psychiatry is in crisis, and to advocacy for entirely new paradigms for diagnosis and assessment. When thinking about etiology, many researchers currently refer to a biopsychosocial model, but this approach has received significant critique, being considered by some observers overly eclectic and vague. Despite the development of a range of evidence-based pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies, current evidence points to both a treatment gap and a research-practice gap in mental health. In this paper, after considering current clinical practice, we discuss some proposed novel perspectives that have recently achieved particular prominence and may significantly impact psychiatric practice and research in the future: clinical neuroscience and personalized pharmacotherapy; novel statistical approaches to psychiatric nosology, assessment and research; deinstitutionalization and community mental health care; the scale-up of evidence-based psychotherapy; digital phenotyping and digital therapies; and global mental health and task-sharing approaches. We consider the extent to which proposed transitions from current practices to novel approaches reflect hype or hope. Our review indicates that each of the novel perspectives contributes important insights that allow hope for the future, but also that each provides only a partial view, and that any promise of a paradigm shift for the field is not well grounded. We conclude that there have been crucial advances in psychiatric diagnosis and treatment in recent decades; that, despite this important progress, there is considerable need for further improvements in assessment and intervention; and that such improvements will likely not be achieved by any specific paradigm shifts in psychiatric practice and research, but rather by incremental progress and iterative integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan J. Stein
- South African Medical Research Council Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Steven J. Shoptaw
- Division of Family MedicineDavid Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Daniel V. Vigo
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
| | - Crick Lund
- Centre for Global Mental Health, Health Service and Population Research DepartmentInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Pim Cuijpers
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental PsychologyAmsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Jason Bantjes
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research UnitSouth African Medical Research CouncilCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Norman Sartorius
- Association for the Improvement of Mental Health ProgrammesGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Mario Maj
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
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Digital tools for the assessment of pharmacological treatment for depressive disorder: State of the art. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2022; 60:100-116. [PMID: 35671641 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Depression is an invalidating disorder, marked by phenotypic heterogeneity. Clinical assessments for treatment adjustments and data-collection for pharmacological research often rely on subjective representations of functioning. Better phenotyping through digital applications may add unseen information and facilitate disentangling the clinical characteristics and impact of depression and its pharmacological treatment in everyday life. Researchers, physicians, and patients benefit from well-understood digital phenotyping approaches to assess the treatment efficacy and side-effects. This review discusses the current possibilities and pitfalls of wearables and technology for the assessment of the pharmacological treatment of depression. Their applications in the whole spectrum of treatment for depression, including diagnosis, treatment of an episode, and monitoring of relapse risk and prevention are discussed. Multiple aspects are to be considered, including concerns that come with collecting sensitive data and health recordings. Also, privacy and trust are addressed. Available applications range from questionnaire-like apps to objective assessment of behavioural patterns and promises in handling suicidality. Nonetheless, interpretation and integration of this high-resolution information with other phenotyping levels, remains challenging. This review provides a state-of-the-art description of wearables and technology in digital phenotyping for monitoring pharmacological treatment in depression, focusing on the challenges and opportunities of its application in clinical trials and research.
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Kamath J, Leon Barriera R, Jain N, Keisari E, Wang B. Digital phenotyping in depression diagnostics: Integrating psychiatric and engineering perspectives. World J Psychiatry 2022; 12:393-409. [PMID: 35433319 PMCID: PMC8968499 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v12.i3.393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression is a serious medical condition and is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Current depression diagnostics and assessment has significant limitations due to heterogeneity of clinical presentations, lack of objective assessments, and assessments that rely on patients' perceptions, memory, and recall. Digital phenotyping (DP), especially assessments conducted using mobile health technologies, has the potential to greatly improve accuracy of depression diagnostics by generating objectively measurable endophenotypes. DP includes two primary sources of digital data generated using ecological momentary assessments (EMA), assessments conducted in real-time, in subjects' natural environment. This includes active EMA, data that require active input by the subject, and passive EMA or passive sensing, data passively and automatically collected from subjects' personal digital devices. The raw data is then analyzed using machine learning algorithms to identify behavioral patterns that correlate with patients' clinical status. Preliminary investigations have also shown that linguistic and behavioral clues from social media data and data extracted from the electronic medical records can be used to predict depression status. These other sources of data and recent advances in telepsychiatry can further enhance DP of the depressed patients. Success of DP endeavors depends on critical contributions from both psychiatric and engineering disciplines. The current review integrates important perspectives from both disciplines and discusses parameters for successful interdisciplinary collaborations. A clinically-relevant model for incorporating DP in clinical setting is presented. This model, based on investigations conducted by our group, delineates development of a depression prediction system and its integration in clinical setting to enhance depression diagnostics and inform the clinical decision making process. Benefits, challenges, and opportunities pertaining to clinical integration of DP of depression diagnostics are discussed from interdisciplinary perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayesh Kamath
- Department of Psychiatry and Immunology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032, United States
| | - Roberto Leon Barriera
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032, United States
| | - Neha Jain
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032, United States
| | - Efraim Keisari
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032, United States
| | - Bing Wang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, United States
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Abstract
Human-computer interaction (HCI) has contributed to the design and development of some efficient, user-friendly, cost-effective, and adaptable digital mental health solutions. But HCI has not been well-combined into technological developments resulting in quality and safety concerns. Digital platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) have a good potential to improve prediction, identification, coordination, and treatment by mental health care and suicide prevention services. AI is driving web-based and smartphone apps; mostly it is used for self-help and guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety and depression. Interactive AI may help real-time screening and treatment in outdated, strained or lacking mental healthcare systems. The barriers for using AI in mental healthcare include accessibility, efficacy, reliability, usability, safety, security, ethics, suitable education and training, and socio-cultural adaptability. Apps, real-time machine learning algorithms, immersive technologies, and digital phenotyping are notable prospects. Generally, there is a need for faster and better human factors in combination with machine interaction and automation, higher levels of effectiveness evaluation and the application of blended, hybrid or stepped care in an adjunct approach. HCI modeling may assist in the design and development of usable applications, and to effectively recognize, acknowledge, and address the inequities of mental health care and suicide prevention and assist in the digital therapeutic alliance.
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Abstract
The accelerating integration of telehealth technologies in neurology practice has transformed traditional interactions between neurologists and patients, allied clinicians and society. Despite the immense promise of these technologies to improve systems of neurological care, the infusion of telehealth technologies into neurology practice introduces a host of unique ethical challenges. Proactive consideration of the ethical dimensions of teleneurology and of the impact of these innovations on the field of neurology more generally can help to ensure responsible development and deployment across stages of implementation. Toward these ends, this article explores key ethical dimensions of teleneurology practice and policy, presents a normative framework for their consideration, and calls attention to underexplored questions ripe for further study at this evolving nexus of teleneurology and neuroethics. To promote successful and ethically resilient development of teleneurology across diverse contexts, clinicians, organizational leaders, and information technology specialists should work closely with neuroethicists with the common goal of identifying and rigorously assessing the trajectories and potential limits of teleneurology systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Young
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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14
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Vas V, North S, Rua T, Chilton D, Cashman M, Malhotra B, Garrood T. Delivering outpatient virtual clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic: early evaluation of clinicians' experiences. BMJ Open Qual 2022; 11:bmjoq-2020-001313. [PMID: 34996810 PMCID: PMC8743837 DOI: 10.1136/bmjoq-2020-001313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has put health systems across the world under significant pressure. In March 2020, a national directive was issued by the National Health Service (NHS) England instructing trusts to scale back face-to-face outpatient appointments, and rapidly implement virtual clinics. Methods A multidisciplinary team of change managers, analysts and clinicians were assembled to evaluate initial implementation of virtual clinics at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. In-depth interviews were conducted with clinicians who have delivered virtual clinics during the pandemic. An inductive thematic approach was used to analyse clinicians’ early experiences and identify enablers for longer term sustainability. Results Ninety-five clinicians from specialist services across the trust were interviewed between April and May 2020 to reflect on their experiences of delivering virtual clinics during Wave I COVID-19. Key reflections include the perceived benefits of virtual consultations to patients and clinicians; the limitations of virtual consultations compared with face-to-face consultations; and the key enablers that would optimise and sustain the delivery of virtual pathways longer term. Conclusions In response to the pandemic, outpatient services across the trust were rapidly redesigned and virtual clinics implemented. As a result, services have been able to sustain some level of service delivery. However, clinicians have identified challenges in delivering this model of care and highlighted enablers needed to sustaining the delivery of virtual clinics longer term, such as patient access to diagnostic tests and investigations closer to home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venessa Vas
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Shirley North
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Tiago Rua
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | | | | | - Toby Garrood
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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15
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Benacek J, Martin-Key NA, Barton-Owen G, Metcalfe T, Schei TS, Sarah Han SY, Olmert T, Cooper JD, Eljasz P, Farrag LP, Friend LV, Bell E, Cowell D, Tomasik J, Bahn S. Personality, symptom, and demographic correlates of perceived efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor monotherapy among current users with low mood: A data-driven approach. J Affect Disord 2021; 295:1122-1130. [PMID: 34706424 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.08.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often the first-line treatment option for depressive symptoms, however their efficacy varies across patients. Identifying predictors of response to SSRIs could facilitate personalised treatment of depression and improve treatment outcomes. The aim of this study was to develop a data-driven formulation of demographic, personality, and symptom-level factors associated with subjective response to SSRI treatment. METHODS Participants were recruited online and data were collected retrospectively through an extensive digital mental health questionnaire. Extreme gradient boosting classification with nested cross-validation was used to identify factors distinguishing between individuals with low (n=37) and high (n=111) perceived benefit from SSRI treatment. RESULTS The algorithm demonstrated a good predictive performance (test AUC=.88±.07). Positive affectivity was the strongest predictor of response to SSRIs and a major confounder of the remaining associations. After controlling for positive affectivity, as well as current wellbeing, severity of current depressive symptoms, and multicollinearity, only low positive affectivity, chronic pain, sleep problems, and unemployment remained significantly associated with diminished subjective response to SSRIs. LIMITATIONS This was an exploratory analysis of data collected at a single time point, for a study which had a different primary aim. Therefore, the results may not reflect causal relationships, and require validation in future prospective studies. Furthermore, the data were self-reported by internet users, which could affect integrity of the dataset and limit generalisability of the results. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that demographic, personality, and symptom data may offer a potential cost-effective and efficient framework for SSRI treatment outcome prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiri Benacek
- Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nayra A Martin-Key
- Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | - Sung Yeon Sarah Han
- Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tony Olmert
- Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jason D Cooper
- Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Pawel Eljasz
- Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Jakub Tomasik
- Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, UK.
| | - Sabine Bahn
- Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Psyomics Ltd., Cambridge, UK; Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, UK.
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16
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AI chatbots cannot replace human interactions in the pursuit of more inclusive mental healthcare. SSM - MENTAL HEALTH 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2021.100017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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17
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Chiauzzi E, Wicks P. Beyond the Therapist's Office: Merging Measurement-Based Care and Digital Medicine in the Real World. Digit Biomark 2021; 5:176-182. [PMID: 34723070 PMCID: PMC8460973 DOI: 10.1159/000517748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
This viewpoint focuses on the ways in which digital medicine and measurement-based care can be utilized in tandem to promote better assessment, patient engagement, and an improved quality of psychiatric care. To date, there has been an underutilization of digital measurement in psychiatry, and there is little discussion of the feedback and patient engagement process in digital medicine. Measurement-based care is a recognized evidence-based strategy that engages patients in an understanding of their outcome data. When implemented as designed, providers review the scores and trends in outcome immediately and then provide feedback to their patients. However, the process is typically confined to office visits, which does not provide a complete picture of a patient's progress and functioning. The process is labor intensive, even with digital feedback systems, but the integration of passive metrics obtained through wearables and apps can supplement office-based observations. This enhanced measurement-based care process can provide a picture of real-world patient functioning through passive metrics (activity, sleep, etc.). This can potentially engage patients more in their health data and involve a critically needed therapeutic alliance component in digital medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul Wicks
- Wicks Digital Health, Ltd., Lichfield, United Kingdom
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18
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Rykov Y, Thach TQ, Bojic I, Christopoulos G, Car J. Digital Biomarkers for Depression Screening With Wearable Devices: Cross-sectional Study With Machine Learning Modeling. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2021; 9:e24872. [PMID: 34694233 PMCID: PMC8576601 DOI: 10.2196/24872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Depression is a prevalent mental disorder that is undiagnosed and untreated in half of all cases. Wearable activity trackers collect fine-grained sensor data characterizing the behavior and physiology of users (ie, digital biomarkers), which could be used for timely, unobtrusive, and scalable depression screening. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the predictive ability of digital biomarkers, based on sensor data from consumer-grade wearables, to detect risk of depression in a working population. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 290 healthy working adults. Participants wore Fitbit Charge 2 devices for 14 consecutive days and completed a health survey, including screening for depressive symptoms using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), at baseline and 2 weeks later. We extracted a range of known and novel digital biomarkers characterizing physical activity, sleep patterns, and circadian rhythms from wearables using steps, heart rate, energy expenditure, and sleep data. Associations between severity of depressive symptoms and digital biomarkers were examined with Spearman correlation and multiple regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders, including sociodemographic characteristics, alcohol consumption, smoking, self-rated health, subjective sleep characteristics, and loneliness. Supervised machine learning with statistically selected digital biomarkers was used to predict risk of depression (ie, symptom severity and screening status). We used varying cutoff scores from an acceptable PHQ-9 score range to define the depression group and different subsamples for classification, while the set of statistically selected digital biomarkers remained the same. For the performance evaluation, we used k-fold cross-validation and obtained accuracy measures from the holdout folds. Results A total of 267 participants were included in the analysis. The mean age of the participants was 33 (SD 8.6, range 21-64) years. Out of 267 participants, there was a mild female bias displayed (n=170, 63.7%). The majority of the participants were Chinese (n=211, 79.0%), single (n=163, 61.0%), and had a university degree (n=238, 89.1%). We found that a greater severity of depressive symptoms was robustly associated with greater variation of nighttime heart rate between 2 AM and 4 AM and between 4 AM and 6 AM; it was also associated with lower regularity of weekday circadian rhythms based on steps and estimated with nonparametric measures of interdaily stability and autocorrelation as well as fewer steps-based daily peaks. Despite several reliable associations, our evidence showed limited ability of digital biomarkers to detect depression in the whole sample of working adults. However, in balanced and contrasted subsamples comprised of depressed and healthy participants with no risk of depression (ie, no or minimal depressive symptoms), the model achieved an accuracy of 80%, a sensitivity of 82%, and a specificity of 78% in detecting subjects at high risk of depression. Conclusions Digital biomarkers that have been discovered and are based on behavioral and physiological data from consumer wearables could detect increased risk of depression and have the potential to assist in depression screening, yet current evidence shows limited predictive ability. Machine learning models combining these digital biomarkers could discriminate between individuals with a high risk of depression and individuals with no risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Rykov
- Neuroglee Therapeutics, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thuan-Quoc Thach
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China (Hong Kong)
| | - Iva Bojic
- Centre for Population Health Sciences, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - George Christopoulos
- Division of Leadership, Management and Organisation, Nanyang Business School, College of Business, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Josip Car
- Centre for Population Health Sciences, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Smith-MacDonald L, Jones C, Sevigny P, White A, Laidlaw A, Voth M, Mikolas C, Heber A, Greenshaw AJ, Brémault-Phillips S. The Experience of Key Stakeholders During the Implementation and Use of Trauma Therapy via Digital Health for Military, Veteran, and Public Safety Personnel: Qualitative Thematic Analysis. JMIR Form Res 2021; 5:e26369. [PMID: 34387549 PMCID: PMC8391743 DOI: 10.2196/26369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Exposure to occupational stressors and potentially psychologically traumatic events experienced by public safety personnel (eg, paramedics, police, fire, and correctional officers), military members, and veterans can lead to the development of posttraumatic stress injuries and other mental health disorders. Providing emergency services during COVID-19 has intensified the challenges. Owing to COVID-19 restrictions, mental health service providers offering support to these populations have had to rapidly pivot to use digital versus in-person methods of service delivery. Objective This paper aims to explore the experience of mental health service providers regarding digital health service delivery, including the current state of digital mental health service delivery, barriers to and facilitators of the use of digital health for mental health service delivery experienced during the pandemic, and recommendations for implementing and integrating digital health into regular mental health service delivery. Methods This embedded mixed-methods study included questionnaires and focus groups with key stakeholders (N=31) with knowledge and experience in providing mental health services. Data analysis included descriptive, quantitative, and qualitative thematic analyses. Results The following three themes emerged: being forced into change, daring to deliver mental health services using digital health, and future possibilities offered by digital health. In each theme, participants’ responses reflected their perceptions of service providers, organizations, and clients. The findings offer considerations regarding for whom and at what point in treatment digital health delivery is appropriate; recommendations for training, support, resources, and guidelines for digitally delivering trauma therapy; and a better understanding of factors influencing mental health service providers’ perceptions and acceptance of digital health for mental health service delivery. Conclusions The results indicate the implementation of digital health for mental health service delivery to military members, public safety personnel, and veterans. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, remote service delivery methods for trauma therapy are urgently needed to support the well-being of those who have served and continue to serve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorraine Smith-MacDonald
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Chelsea Jones
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,1 Field Ambulance Physical Rehabilitation Department, Canadian Forces Health Services, Department of National Defense, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Phillip Sevigny
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Allison White
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alexa Laidlaw
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Melissa Voth
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Cynthia Mikolas
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Military Family Resource Centre, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alexandra Heber
- Health Professionals Division, Veterans Affairs Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew J Greenshaw
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Suzette Brémault-Phillips
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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20
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Vilaza GN, McCashin D. Is the Automation of Digital Mental Health Ethical? Applying an Ethical Framework to Chatbots for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Front Digit Health 2021; 3:689736. [PMID: 34713163 PMCID: PMC8521996 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2021.689736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need for mental health support across the whole spectrum of the population. Where global demand outweighs the supply of mental health services, established interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) have been adapted from traditional face-to-face interaction to technology-assisted formats. One such notable development is the emergence of Artificially Intelligent (AI) conversational agents for psychotherapy. Pre-pandemic, these adaptations had demonstrated some positive results; but they also generated debate due to a number of ethical and societal challenges. This article commences with a critical overview of both positive and negative aspects concerning the role of AI-CBT in its present form. Thereafter, an ethical framework is applied with reference to the themes of (1) beneficence, (2) non-maleficence, (3) autonomy, (4) justice, and (5) explicability. These themes are then discussed in terms of practical recommendations for future developments. Although automated versions of therapeutic support may be of appeal during times of global crises, ethical thinking should be at the core of AI-CBT design, in addition to guiding research, policy, and real-world implementation as the world considers post-COVID-19 society.
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21
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Roth CB, Papassotiropoulos A, Brühl AB, Lang UE, Huber CG. Psychiatry in the Digital Age: A Blessing or a Curse? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:8302. [PMID: 34444055 PMCID: PMC8391902 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Social distancing and the shortage of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of population aging on the healthcare system, as well as the rapid pace of digital innovation are catalyzing the development and implementation of new technologies and digital services in psychiatry. Is this transformation a blessing or a curse for psychiatry? To answer this question, we conducted a literature review covering a broad range of new technologies and eHealth services, including telepsychiatry; computer-, internet-, and app-based cognitive behavioral therapy; virtual reality; digital applied games; a digital medicine system; omics; neuroimaging; machine learning; precision psychiatry; clinical decision support; electronic health records; physician charting; digital language translators; and online mental health resources for patients. We found that eHealth services provide effective, scalable, and cost-efficient options for the treatment of people with limited or no access to mental health care. This review highlights innovative technologies spearheading the way to more effective and safer treatments. We identified artificially intelligent tools that relieve physicians from routine tasks, allowing them to focus on collaborative doctor-patient relationships. The transformation of traditional clinics into digital ones is outlined, and the challenges associated with the successful deployment of digitalization in psychiatry are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl B. Roth
- University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Clinic for Adults, University of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.P.); (A.B.B.); (U.E.L.); (C.G.H.)
| | - Andreas Papassotiropoulos
- University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Clinic for Adults, University of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.P.); (A.B.B.); (U.E.L.); (C.G.H.)
- Transfaculty Research Platform Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Basel, Birmannsgasse 8, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
- Division of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Birmannsgasse 8, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
- Biozentrum, Life Sciences Training Facility, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Annette B. Brühl
- University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Clinic for Adults, University of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.P.); (A.B.B.); (U.E.L.); (C.G.H.)
| | - Undine E. Lang
- University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Clinic for Adults, University of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.P.); (A.B.B.); (U.E.L.); (C.G.H.)
| | - Christian G. Huber
- University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Clinic for Adults, University of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.P.); (A.B.B.); (U.E.L.); (C.G.H.)
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22
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Laacke S, Mueller R, Schomerus G, Salloch S. Artificial Intelligence, Social Media and Depression. A New Concept of Health-Related Digital Autonomy. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2021; 21:4-20. [PMID: 33393864 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2020.1863515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The development of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine raises fundamental ethical issues. As one example, AI systems in the field of mental health successfully detect signs of mental disorders, such as depression, by using data from social media. These AI depression detectors (AIDDs) identify users who are at risk of depression prior to any contact with the healthcare system. The article focuses on the ethical implications of AIDDs regarding affected users' health-related autonomy. Firstly, it presents the (ethical) discussion of AI in medicine and, specifically, in mental health. Secondly, two models of AIDDs using social media data and different usage scenarios are introduced. Thirdly, the concept of patient autonomy, according to Beauchamp and Childress, is critically discussed. Since this concept does not encompass the specific challenges linked with the digital context of AIDDs in social media sufficiently, the current analysis suggests, finally, an extended concept of health-related digital autonomy.
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23
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Williams A, Fossey E, Farhall J, Foley F, Thomas N. Impact of Jointly Using an e-Mental Health Resource (Self-Management And Recovery Technology) on Interactions Between Service Users Experiencing Severe Mental Illness and Community Mental Health Workers: Grounded Theory Study. JMIR Ment Health 2021; 8:e25998. [PMID: 34132647 PMCID: PMC8277385 DOI: 10.2196/25998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND e-Mental health resources are increasingly available for people who experience severe mental illness, including those who are users of community mental health services. However, the potential for service users (SUs) living with severe mental illness to use e-mental health resources together with their community mental health workers (MHWs) has received little attention. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify how jointly using an interactive website called Self-Management And Recovery Technology (SMART) in a community mental health context influenced therapeutic processes and interactions between SUs and MHWs from their perspective. METHODS We conducted a qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Data were collected through individual semistructured interviews with 37 SUs and 15 MHWs who used the SMART website together for 2 to 6 months. Data analysis involved iterative phases of coding, constant comparison, memo writing, theoretical sampling, and consultation with stakeholders to support the study's credibility. RESULTS A substantive grounded theory, discovering ways to keep life on track, was developed, which portrays a shared discovery process arising from the SU-worker-SMART website interactions. The discovery process included choosing to use the website, revealing SUs' experiences, exploring these experiences, and gaining new perspectives on how SUs did and could keep their lives on track. SUs and MHWs perceived that their three-way interactions were enjoyable, beneficial, and recovery focused when using the website together. They experienced the shared discovery process as relationship building-their interactions when using the website together were more engaging and equal. CONCLUSIONS Jointly using an e-mental health resource elicited recovery-oriented interactions and processes between SUs and MHWs that strengthened their therapeutic relationship in real-world community mental health services. Further work to develop and integrate this novel use of e-mental health in community mental health practice is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Williams
- Department of Nursing and Allied Health, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ellie Fossey
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Living with a Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - John Farhall
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.,NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Fiona Foley
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Neil Thomas
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.,Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Alfred Hospital and Monash University Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Australia
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24
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Rauseo-Ricupero N, Henson P, Agate-Mays M, Torous J. Case studies from the digital clinic: integrating digital phenotyping and clinical practice into today's world. Int Rev Psychiatry 2021; 33:394-403. [PMID: 33792463 DOI: 10.1080/09540261.2020.1859465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The following case series provides several examples from the Digital Clinic, an outpatient mental health program which uses smartphone technology to augment traditional mental health care. The themes highlighted in this piece, expanding emotional-awareness, symptom tracking, and medication management, provide real-clinical examples of how the Digital Clinic offered remote mental health care to a diverse group of people. Furthermore, the following piece demonstrates to practicing clinicians how digital technologies, like smartphone apps, can diversify methods of clinical engagement, assist with collecting health metrics in a safe and ethical manner, and promote person centred care. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing re-evaluation of how mental health services are provided, it is critical to ensure that digitally infused systems of care, like the Digital Clinic, are effective, accessible, and scalable.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philip Henson
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mica Agate-Mays
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, MA, USA
| | - John Torous
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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25
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Le TP, Moscardini E, Cowan T, Elvevåg B, Holmlund TB, Foltz PW, Tucker RP, Schwartz EK, Cohen AS. Predicting self-injurious thoughts in daily life using ambulatory assessment of state cognition. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 138:335-341. [PMID: 33895607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Self-injurious thoughts (SITs) fluctuate considerably from moment to moment. As such, "static" and temporally stable predictors (e.g., demographic variables, prior history) are suboptimal in predicting imminent SITs. This concern is particularly true for "online" cognitive abilities, which are important for understanding SITs, but are typically measured using tests selected for temporal stability. Advances in ambulatory assessments (i.e., real-time assessment in a naturalistic environment) allow for measuring cognition with improved temporal resolution. The present study measured relationships between "state" cognitive performance, measured using an ambulatory-based Trail Making Test, and SITs. Self-reported state hope and social connectedness was also measured. Data were collected using a specially designed mobile application (administered 4x/week up to 28 days) in substance use inpatients (N = 99). Consistent with prior literature, state hope and social connectedness was significantly associated with state SITs. Importantly, poorer state cognitive performance also significantly predicted state SITs, independent of hallmark static and state self-report risk variables. These findings highlight the potential importance of "online" cognition to predict SITs. Ambulatory recording reflects an efficient, sensitive, and ecological valid methodology for evaluating subjective and objectives predictors of imminent SITs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanh P Le
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, USA.
| | | | - Tovah Cowan
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, USA
| | - Brita Elvevåg
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø - the Arctic University of Norway, Norway; The Norwegian Centre for eHealth Research, University Hospital of North Norway, Norway
| | - Terje B Holmlund
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø - the Arctic University of Norway, Norway
| | - Peter W Foltz
- Institue of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, USA
| | | | | | - Alex S Cohen
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, USA
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Darcy A, Daniels J, Salinger D, Wicks P, Robinson A. Evidence of Human-Level Bonds Established With a Digital Conversational Agent: Cross-sectional, Retrospective Observational Study. JMIR Form Res 2021; 5:e27868. [PMID: 33973854 PMCID: PMC8150389 DOI: 10.2196/27868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There are far more patients in mental distress than there is time available for mental health professionals to support them. Although digital tools may help mitigate this issue, critics have suggested that technological solutions that lack human empathy will prevent a bond or therapeutic alliance from being formed, thereby narrowing these solutions’ efficacy. Objective We aimed to investigate whether users of a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)–based conversational agent would report therapeutic bond levels that are similar to those in literature about other CBT modalities, including face-to-face therapy, group CBT, and other digital interventions that do not use a conversational agent. Methods A cross-sectional, retrospective study design was used to analyze aggregate, deidentified data from adult users who self-referred to a CBT-based, fully automated conversational agent (Woebot) between November 2019 and August 2020. Working alliance was measured with the Working Alliance Inventory-Short Revised (WAI-SR), and depression symptom status was assessed by using the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2). All measures were administered by the conversational agent in the mobile app. WAI-SR scores were compared to those in scientific literature abstracted from recent reviews. Results Data from 36,070 Woebot users were included in the analysis. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 78 years, and 57.48% (20,734/36,070) of participants reported that they were female. The mean PHQ-2 score was 3.03 (SD 1.79), and 54.67% (19,719/36,070) of users scored over the cutoff score of 3 for depression screening. Within 5 days of initial app use, the mean WAI-SR score was 3.36 (SD 0.8) and the mean bond subscale score was 3.8 (SD 1.0), which was comparable to those in recent studies from the literature on traditional, outpatient, individual CBT and group CBT (mean bond subscale scores of 4 and 3.8, respectively). PHQ-2 scores at baseline weakly correlated with bond scores (r=−0.04; P<.001); however, users with depression and those without depression had high bond scores of 3.45. Conclusions Although bonds are often presumed to be the exclusive domain of human therapeutic relationships, our findings challenge the notion that digital therapeutics are incapable of establishing a therapeutic bond with users. Future research might investigate the role of bonds as mediators of clinical outcomes, since boosting the engagement and efficacy of digital therapeutics could have major public health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Paul Wicks
- Woebot Health, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Fagherazzi G, Fischer A, Ismael M, Despotovic V. Voice for Health: The Use of Vocal Biomarkers from Research to Clinical Practice. Digit Biomark 2021; 5:78-88. [PMID: 34056518 PMCID: PMC8138221 DOI: 10.1159/000515346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases can affect organs such as the heart, lungs, brain, muscles, or vocal folds, which can then alter an individual's voice. Therefore, voice analysis using artificial intelligence opens new opportunities for healthcare. From using vocal biomarkers for diagnosis, risk prediction, and remote monitoring of various clinical outcomes and symptoms, we offer in this review an overview of the various applications of voice for health-related purposes. We discuss the potential of this rapidly evolving environment from a research, patient, and clinical perspective. We also discuss the key challenges to overcome in the near future for a substantial and efficient use of voice in healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Fagherazzi
- Deep Digital Phenotyping Research Unit, Department of Population Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Aurélie Fischer
- Deep Digital Phenotyping Research Unit, Department of Population Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Muhannad Ismael
- IT for Innovation in Services Department (ITIS), Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Vladimir Despotovic
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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Balcombe L, De Leo D. Psychological Screening and Tracking of Athletes and Digital Mental Health Solutions in a Hybrid Model of Care: Mini Review. JMIR Form Res 2020; 4:e22755. [PMID: 33271497 PMCID: PMC7746225 DOI: 10.2196/22755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a persistent need for mental ill-health prevention and intervention among at-risk and vulnerable subpopulations. Major disruptions to life, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, present an opportunity for a better understanding of the experience of stressors and vulnerability. Faster and better ways of psychological screening and tracking are more generally required in response to the increased demand upon mental health care services. The argument that mental and physical health should be considered together as part of a biopsychosocial approach is garnering acceptance in elite athlete literature. However, the sporting population are unique in that there is an existing stigma of mental health, an underrecognition of mental ill-health, and engagement difficulties that have hindered research, prevention, and intervention efforts. OBJECTIVE The aims of this paper are to summarize and evaluate the literature on athletes' increased vulnerability to mental ill-health and digital mental health solutions as a complement to prevention and intervention, and to show relationships between athlete mental health problems and resilience as well as digital mental health screening and tracking, and faster and better treatment algorithms. METHODS This mini review shapes literature in the fields of athlete mental health and digital mental health by summarizing and evaluating journal and review articles drawn from PubMed Central and the Directory of Open Access Journals. RESULTS Consensus statements and systematic reviews indicated that elite athletes have comparable rates of mental ill-health prevalence to the general population. However, peculiar subgroups require disentangling. Innovative expansion of data collection and analytics is required to respond to engagement issues and advance research and treatment programs in the process. Digital platforms, machine learning, deep learning, and artificial intelligence are useful for mental health screening and tracking in various subpopulations. It is necessary to determine appropriate conditions for algorithms for use in recommendations. Partnered with real-time automation and machine learning models, valid and reliable behavior sensing, digital mental health screening, and tracking tools have the potential to drive a consolidated, measurable, and balanced risk assessment and management strategy for the prevention and intervention of the sequelae of mental ill-health. CONCLUSIONS Athletes are an at-risk subpopulation for mental health problems. However, a subgroup of high-level athletes displayed a resilience that helped them to positively adjust after a period of overwhelming stress. Further consideration of stress and adjustments in brief screening tools is recommended to validate this finding. There is an unrealized potential for broadening the scope of mental health, especially symptom and disorder interpretation. Digital platforms for psychological screening and tracking have been widely used among general populations, but there is yet to be an eminent athlete version. Sports in combination with mental health education should address the barriers to help-seeking by increasing awareness, from mental ill-health to positive functioning. A hybrid model of care is recommended, combining traditional face-to-face approaches along with innovative and evaluated digital technologies, that may be used in prevention and early intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Balcombe
- School of Health and Sport Science, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, Australia.,Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Diego De Leo
- Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
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Chiauzzi E, Clayton A, Huh-Yoo J. Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health: Important Questions for the COVID-19 Era From Clinical and Patient-Centered Perspectives. JMIR Ment Health 2020; 7:e24021. [PMID: 33180739 PMCID: PMC7725495 DOI: 10.2196/24021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the search for digital approaches in mental health treatment, particularly due to patients and clinicians practicing social distancing. This has resulted in the dramatic growth of videoconferencing-based telemental health (V-TMH) services. It is critical for behavioral health providers and those in the mental health field to understand the implications of V-TMH expansion on the stakeholders who use such services, such as patients and clinicians, to provide the service that addresses both patient and clinical needs. Several key questions arise as a result, such as the following: (1) in what ways does V-TMH affect the practice of psychotherapy (ie, clinical needs), (2) to what extent are ethical and patient-centered concerns warranted in terms of V-TMH services (ie, patient needs), and (3) how do factors related to user experience affect treatment dynamics for both the patient and therapist (ie, patient and clinical needs)? We discuss how behavioral health providers can consider the future delivery of mental health care services based on these questions, which pose strong implications for technological innovation, the adaptation of treatments to new technologies, and training professionals in the delivery of V-TMH services and other digital health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashley Clayton
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Jina Huh-Yoo
- Department of Information Science, College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Haliday H, Gauld C, Micoulaud-Franchi JA. [The COVID-19 crisis, revealing the challenges of computational psychiatry]. ANNALES MEDICO-PSYCHOLOGIQUES 2020; 179:61-62. [PMID: 33250519 PMCID: PMC7687400 DOI: 10.1016/j.amp.2020.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Héloïse Haliday
- Laboratoire Psy-DREPI-EA 7458, université de Bourgogne, Esplanade Erasme, 21078 Dijon, France
| | - Christophe Gauld
- Institut d'histoire et de philosophie des sciences et des techniques, 13, rue du Four, 75006 Paris, France.,Département de psychiatrie, CHU de Grenoble-Alpes, avenue du maquis de Grésivaudan, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jean-Arthur Micoulaud-Franchi
- Service universitaire de médecine du sommeil (SUMS), CHU de Bordeaux, place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux, France.,USR CNRS 3413 SANPSY, CHU de Pellegrin, université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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Rodriguez-Villa E, Rauseo-Ricupero N, Camacho E, Wisniewski H, Keshavan M, Torous J. The digital clinic: Implementing technology and augmenting care for mental health. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2020; 66:59-66. [PMID: 32688094 PMCID: PMC7324929 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2020.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Increasing both access to and quality of mental healthcare is a global priority. One solution is to integrate technologies such as smartphone apps and sensors directly into care. Acknowledging many prior attempts and barriers, we introduce the Digital Clinic which is an already functioning clinic using smartphone apps to augment and extend care today at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, Massachusetts. In this piece, we outline the theoretical foundation of the Digital Clinic and its emphasis on the therapeutic alliance, measurement-based care, and shared decision making. We explore both workflow and engagement challenges as well as solutions including a new care team member, the Digital Navigator, and the customization of technology. Acknowledging that the Digital Clinic is an evolving program, we offer details on our implementation in order to allow others to replicate, expand on, and improve these initial efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Rodriguez-Villa
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Natali Rauseo-Ricupero
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Erica Camacho
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Hannah Wisniewski
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Matcheri Keshavan
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - John Torous
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America.
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McCashin D, Coyle D, O'Reilly G. A qualitative evaluation of Pesky gNATs in primary care - The experiences of assistant psychologists providing computer-assisted CBT to children experiencing low mood and anxiety. Internet Interv 2020; 22:100348. [PMID: 32904717 PMCID: PMC7458094 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2020.100348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Technology-assisted cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is recognized as an evidence-based and cost-effective way to address psychological difficulties in children. Increasingly, these interventions are provided by staff with different levels of psychological training, such as assistant psychologists (APs). However, there is limited qualitative understanding regarding their experiences of providing technology-assisted CBT. METHOD Semi-structured interviews were conducted with APs (n = 14) in primary care settings in Ireland. This qualitative evaluation is part of an ongoing RCT for the CBT game Pesky gNATs (O'Reilly and Coyle, 2015). All data were inductively analysed using qualitative thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke (2006). RESULTS Five overarching themes were identified: 1) positive experiences, 2) integrating Pesky gNATs with traditional CBT, 3) managing parental 'buy-in', 4) implementation complexities, and 5) future perspectives. Two subthemes were reported for each overarching theme: benefits for children, AP professional growth, facilitating engagement, different child characteristics, unclear role for parents, child autonomy, managing waitlists, external factors, design considerations and advice to future APs. CONCLUSIONS Pesky gNATs is well-received by APs in primary care, and is mostly experienced as helpful by both APs and children. However, a number of factors may be impacting the ability of APs to effectively provide the intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darragh McCashin
- University College Dublin, School of Psychology, Dublin, Ireland
- Corresponding author.
| | - David Coyle
- University College Dublin, School of Computer Science, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gary O'Reilly
- University College Dublin, School of Psychology, Dublin, Ireland
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Tremain H, McEnery C, Fletcher K, Murray G. The Therapeutic Alliance in Digital Mental Health Interventions for Serious Mental Illnesses: Narrative Review. JMIR Ment Health 2020; 7:e17204. [PMID: 32763881 PMCID: PMC7442952 DOI: 10.2196/17204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Digital mental health interventions offer unique advantages, and research indicates that these interventions are effective for a range of mental health concerns. Although these interventions are less established for individuals with serious mental illnesses, they demonstrate significant promise. A central consideration in traditional face-to-face therapies is the therapeutic alliance, whereas the nature of a digital therapeutic alliance and its relationship with outcomes requires further attention, particularly for individuals with serious mental illnesses. OBJECTIVE This narrative review aims to encourage further consideration and critical evaluation of the therapeutic alliance in digital mental health, specifically for individuals with serious mental illnesses. METHODS A narrative review was conducted by combining 3 main areas of the literature: the first examining the evidence for digital mental health interventions for serious mental illnesses, the second illuminating the nature and role of the therapeutic alliance in digital interventions, and the third surrounding practical considerations to enhance a digital therapeutic alliance. RESULTS Results indicated that a therapeutic alliance can be cultivated in digital interventions for those with serious mental illnesses, but that it may have unique, yet-to-be-confirmed characteristics in digital contexts. In addition, a therapeutic alliance appears to be less directly associated with outcomes in digital interventions than with those in face-to-face therapies. One possibility is that the digital therapeutic alliance is associated with increased engagement and adherence to digital interventions, through which it appears to influence outcomes. A number of design and implementation considerations may enhance the digital therapeutic alliance, including human support and technological features. CONCLUSIONS More research is required to further understand the nature and specific role of a therapeutic alliance in digital interventions for serious mental illnesses, particularly in informing their design. This review revealed several key research priorities to advance the therapeutic alliance in digital interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey Tremain
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia
| | | | - Kathryn Fletcher
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia
| | - Greg Murray
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia
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Sustainable Population Growth in Low-Density Areas in a New Technological Era: Prospective Thinking on How to Support Planning Policies Using Complex Spatial Models. LAND 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/land9070221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Urban development is the result of the interaction between anthropogenic and environmental dimensions. From the perspective of its density, it ranges from high-density populated areas, associated with large cities that concentrate the main economic and social thrust of societies, to low-density populated areas (e.g., rural areas, small–medium-sized cities). Against the backdrop of the new technological and environmental era, this commentary offers insights on how to support spatial planning policies for sustainable urban growth in low-density areas. We propose the integration of technological drivers such as Internet networks, telecommuting, distance-learning education, the use of electric cars, etc. into the complex spatial models to project and thus to identify the best locations for urban development in low-density areas. This understanding can help to mitigate the disparities between high- and low-density populated areas, and to reduce the inequality among regions as promoted in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
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Faruk N, Surajudeen-Bakinde N, Abdulkarim A, Oloyede AA, Olawoyin L, Bello OW, Popoola SI, Edoh TO. Rural Healthcare Delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND INFORMATICS 2020. [DOI: 10.4018/ijhisi.2020070101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Access to quality healthcare is a major problem in Sub-Saharan Africa with a doctor-to-patient ratio as high as 1:50,000, which is far above the recommended ratio by the World Health Organization (WHO) which is 1:600. This has been aggravated by the lack of access to critical infrastructures such as the health care facilities, roads, electricity, and many other factors. Even if these infrastructures are provided, the number of medical practitioners to cater for the growing population of these countries is not sufficient. In this article, how information and communication technology (ICT) can be used to drive a sustainable health care delivery system through the introduction and promotion of Virtual Clinics and various health information systems such as mobile health and electronic health record systems into the healthcare industry in Sub-Saharan Africa is presented. Furthermore, the article suggests ways of attaining successful implementation of telemedicine applications /services and remote health care facilities in Africa.
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Edirippulige S, Gong S, Hathurusinghe M, Jhetam S, Kirk J, Lao H, Leikvold A, Ruelcke J, Yau NC, Zhang Q, Armfield N, Senanayake B, Zhou X, Smith AC, Judd MM, Coulthard MG. Medical students' perceptions and expectations regarding digital health education and training: A qualitative study. J Telemed Telecare 2020; 28:258-265. [PMID: 32571157 DOI: 10.1177/1357633x20932436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Digital health - the convergence of digital technologies within health and health care to enhance the efficiency of health-care delivery - is fast becoming an integral part of routine medical practice. The integration of digital health into traditional practice brings significant changes. Logic dictates that for medical practitioners to operate in this new digitally enabled environment, they require specific knowledge, skills and competencies relating to digital health. However, very few medical programmes in Australia and globally include digital health within their regular curriculum. This pilot study aimed to explore medical students' perceptions and expectations of digital health education and training (ET). METHODS An online survey and focus groups were used to collect information about medical students' perceptions and expectations relating to digital health and ET relating to this field within the medical programme at the University of Queensland. Sixty-three students took part in the survey, and 17 students were involved in four focus groups. RESULTS Most participants had no formal ET in digital health. Most participants (n = 43; 68%) expressed a willingness to learn about digital health as part of their medical programme. DISCUSSION Primarily, knowledge- and practice-related factors have motivated students to learn about digital health. The analysis of focus group data identified two superordinate themes: (a) drivers of digital health ET and (b) expectations relating to digital health ET. Students agreed that digital health is a relevant field for their future practice that should be taught as part of their regular curriculum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisira Edirippulige
- Centre for Online Health, The University of Queensland, Australia.,Centre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Henry Lao
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Australia
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Lecomte T, Potvin S, Corbière M, Guay S, Samson C, Cloutier B, Francoeur A, Pennou A, Khazaal Y. Mobile Apps for Mental Health Issues: Meta-Review of Meta-Analyses. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2020; 8:e17458. [PMID: 32348289 PMCID: PMC7293054 DOI: 10.2196/17458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental health apps have great potential to help people needing support to cope with distress or specific symptoms. In fact, there is an exponential increase in the number of mental health apps available on the internet, with less than 5% being actually studied. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the quality of the available evidence regarding the use of mental health apps and to summarize the results obtained so far. METHODS Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were searched, specifically for mobile apps on mental health issues or symptoms, and rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. RESULTS A total of 7 meta-analyses were carefully reviewed and rated. Although some meta-analyses looked at any mental health issue and analyzed the data together, these studies were of poorer quality and did not offer strong empirical support for the apps. Studies focusing specifically on anxiety symptoms or depressive symptoms were of moderate to high quality and generally had small to medium effect sizes. Similarly, the effects of apps on stress and quality of life tended to offer small to medium effects and were of moderate to high quality. Studies looking at stand-alone apps had smaller effect sizes but better empirical quality than studies looking at apps with guidance. The studies that included follow-ups mostly found a sustained impact of the app at an 11-week follow-up. CONCLUSIONS This meta-review revealed that apps for anxiety and depression hold great promise with clear clinical advantages, either as stand-alone self-management or as adjunctive treatments. More meta-analyses and more quality studies are needed to recommend apps for other mental health issues or for specific populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Lecomte
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche, l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Stéphane Potvin
- Centre de recherche, l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marc Corbière
- Centre de recherche, l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Education, Career Counselling, University du Quebec a Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Stéphane Guay
- Centre de recherche, l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Crystal Samson
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Briana Cloutier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Audrey Francoeur
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Antoine Pennou
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yasser Khazaal
- Department of Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Towards clinically actionable digital phenotyping targets in schizophrenia. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2020; 6:13. [PMID: 32372059 PMCID: PMC7200667 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-020-0100-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Digital phenotyping has potential to quantify the lived experience of mental illness and generate real-time, actionable results related to recovery, such as the case of social rhythms in individuals with bipolar disorder. However, passive data features for social rhythm clinical targets in individuals with schizophrenia have yet to be studied. In this paper, we explore the relationship between active and passive data by focusing on temporal stability and variance at an individual level as well as large-scale associations on a population level to gain clinically actionable information regarding social rhythms. From individual data clustering, we found a 19% cluster overlap between specific active and passive data features for participants with schizophrenia. In the same clinical population, two passive data features in particular associated with social rhythms, "Circadian Routine" and "Weekend Day Routine," and were negatively associated with symptoms of anxiety, depression, psychosis, and poor sleep (Spearman ρ ranged from -0.23 to -0.30, p < 0.001). Conversely, in healthy controls, more stable social rhythms were positively correlated with symptomatology (Spearman ρ ranged from 0.20 to 0.44, p < 0.05). Our results suggest that digital phenotyping in schizophrenia may offer clinically relevant information for understanding how daily routines affect symptomatology. Specifically, negative correlations between smartphone reported anxiety, depression, psychosis, and poor sleep in individuals with schizophrenia, but not in healthy controls, offer an actionable clinical target and area for further investigation.
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Huckvale K, Nicholas J, Torous J, Larsen ME. Smartphone apps for the treatment of mental health conditions: status and considerations. Curr Opin Psychol 2020; 36:65-70. [PMID: 32553848 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Clinical and research interest in the potential of mobile health apps for the management of mental health conditions has recently been given added impetus by growing evidence of consumer adoption. In parallel, there is now a developing evidence base that includes meta-analyses demonstrating reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety, and reduction in suicidal ideation. While these findings are encouraging, recent research continues to identify a number of potential barriers to the widespread adoption of mental health apps. These challenges include poor data governance and data sharing practices; questions of clinical safety relating to the management of adverse events and potentially harmful content; low levels of user engagement and the possibility of 'digital placebo' effects; and workforce barriers to integration with clinical practice. Current efforts to address these include the development of new models of care, such as 'digital clinics' that integrate health apps. Other contemporary innovations in the field such as digital sensing and just-in-time adaptive interventions are showing early promise for providing accessible and personalised care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Nicholas
- Orygen, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - John Torous
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Figueroa CA, DeMasi O, Hernandez-Ramos R, Aguilera A. Who Benefits Most from Adding Technology to Depression Treatment and How? An Analysis of Engagement with a Texting Adjunct for Psychotherapy. Telemed J E Health 2020; 27:39-46. [PMID: 32213012 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2019.0248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an established treatment for depression, but its success is often impeded by low attendance. Supportive text messages assessing participants' mood in between sessions might increase attendance to in-clinic CBT, although it is not fully understood who benefits most from these interventions and how. This study examined (1) user groups showing different profiles of study engagement and (2) associations between increased response rates to mood texts and psychotherapy attendance. Methods: We included 73 participants who attended Group CBT (GCBT) in a primary care clinic and participated in a supportive automated text-messaging intervention. Using unsupervised machine learning, we identified and characterized subgroups with similar combinations of total texting responsiveness and total GCBT attendance. We used mixed-effects models to explore the association between increased previous week response rate and subsequent week in-clinic GCBT attendance and, conversely, response rate following attendance. Results: Participants could be divided into four clusters of overall study engagement, showing distinct profiles in age and prior texting knowledge. The response rate to texts in the week before GCBT was not associated with GCBT attendance, although the relationship was moderated by age; there was a positive relationship for younger, but not older, participants. Attending GCBT was, however, associated with higher response rate the week after an attended session. Conclusion: User groups of study engagement differ in texting knowledge and age. Younger participants might benefit more from supportive texting interventions when their purpose is to increase psychotherapy attendance. Our results have implications for tailoring digital interventions to user groups and for understanding therapeutic effects of these interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Figueroa
- School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Orianna DeMasi
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Rosa Hernandez-Ramos
- School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA.,Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Adrian Aguilera
- School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA.,Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Kemp J, Zhang T, Inglis F, Wiljer D, Sockalingam S, Crawford A, Lo B, Charow R, Munnery M, Singh Takhar S, Strudwick G. Delivery of Compassionate Mental Health Care in a Digital Technology-Driven Age: Scoping Review. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e16263. [PMID: 32141833 PMCID: PMC7084292 DOI: 10.2196/16263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compassion is a vital component to the achievement of positive health outcomes, particularly in mental health care. The rise of digital technologies may influence the delivery of compassionate care, and thus this relationship between compassion and digital health care needs to be better understood. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aimed to identify existing digital technologies being used by patients and health professionals in the delivery of mental health care, understand how digital technologies are being used in the delivery of compassionate mental health care, and determine the facilitators of and barriers to digital technology use among patients and health professionals in the delivery of compassionate mental health care. METHODS We conducted this scoping review through a search of Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), MEDLINE In-Process and EPub Ahead of Print, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for articles published from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS Of the 4472 articles screened, 37 articles were included for data extraction. Telemedicine was the most widely used technology by mental health professionals. Digital technologies were described as facilitating compassionate care and were classified using a conceptual model to identify each digital intersection with compassionate care. Facilitators of and barriers to providing compassionate care through digital technology were identified, including increased safety for providers, health care professional perceptions and abilities, and the use of picture-in-picture feedback to evaluate social cues. CONCLUSIONS Implementing digital technology into mental health care can improve the current delivery of compassionate care and create novel ways to provide compassion. However, as this is a new area of study, mental health professionals and organizations alike should be mindful that compassionate human-centered care is maintained in the delivery of digital health care. Future research could develop tools to facilitate and evaluate the enactment of compassion within digital health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kemp
- Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- Information Management Group, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Timothy Zhang
- Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- Information Management Group, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Fiona Inglis
- Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David Wiljer
- Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Education Technology and Innovation, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sanjeev Sockalingam
- Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Allison Crawford
- Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brian Lo
- Information Management Group, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rebecca Charow
- Education Technology and Innovation, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mikayla Munnery
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shuranjeet Singh Takhar
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gillian Strudwick
- Information Management Group, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Doherty K, Barry M, Belisario JM, Morrison C, Car J, Doherty G. Personal information and public health: Design tensions in sharing and monitoring wellbeing in pregnancy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN-COMPUTER STUDIES 2020; 135:102373. [PMID: 32127731 PMCID: PMC6959837 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.102373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Mobile technologies are valuable tools for the self-report of mental health and wellbeing. These systems pose many unique design challenges which have received considerable attention within HCI, including the engagement of users. However, less attention has been paid to the use of personal devices in public health. Integrating self-reported data within the context of clinical care suggests the need to design interfaces to support data management, sense-making, risk-assessment, feedback and patient-provider relationships. This paper reports on a qualitative design study for the clinical interface of a mobile application for the self-report of psychological wellbeing and depression during pregnancy. We examine the design tensions which arise in managing the expectations and informational needs of pregnant women, midwives, clinical psychologists, GPs and other health professionals with respect to a broad spectrum of wellbeing. We discuss strategies for managing these tensions in the design of technologies required to balance personal information with public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Doherty
- Copenhagen Center for Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
- School of Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marguerite Barry
- School of Information and Communication Studies, University College Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | - Josip Car
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Population Health Sciences, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Gavin Doherty
- School of Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
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Melia R, Francis K, Hickey E, Bogue J, Duggan J, O'Sullivan M, Young K. Mobile Health Technology Interventions for Suicide Prevention: Systematic Review. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2020; 8:e12516. [PMID: 31939744 PMCID: PMC6996750 DOI: 10.2196/12516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Digital interventions are proposed as one way by which effective treatments for self-harm and suicidal ideation may be improved and their scalability enhanced. Mobile devices offer a potentially powerful medium to deliver evidence-based interventions with greater specificity to the individual when the intervention is needed. The recent proliferation of publicly available mobile apps designed for suicide prevention underlines the need for robust evidence to promote safe practice. OBJECTIVE This review aimed to examine the effectiveness of currently available mobile health (mHealth) technology tools in reducing suicide-specific outcomes. METHODS The following databases were searched: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and relevant sources of gray literature. All published and unpublished randomized controlled trials (RCTs), pseudo-RCTs, and pre-post observational studies that evaluated the effectiveness of mHealth technology in suicide prevention delivered via mobile computing and communication technology were included. Studies were included if they measured at least one suicide outcome variable (ie, suicidal ideation, suicidal intent, nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior, and suicidal behavior). A total of 2 review authors independently extracted data and assessed study suitability, in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool, on July 31, 2018. Owing to the heterogeneity of outcomes found across studies, results were not amenable for pooled synthesis, and a meta-analysis was not performed. A narrative synthesis of the available research is presented here. RESULTS A total of 7 studies met criteria for inclusion . Four published articles that reported on the effectiveness of the following mobile phone apps were included: iBobbly, Virtual Hope Box, BlueIce, and Therapeutic Evaluative Conditioning. Results demonstrated some positive impacts for individuals at elevated risk of suicide or self-harm, including reductions in depression, psychological distress, and self-harm and increases in coping self-efficacy. None of the apps evaluated demonstrated the ability to significantly decrease suicidal ideation compared with a control condition. In addition, 3 unpublished and recently completed trials also met criteria for inclusion in the review. CONCLUSIONS Further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of stand-alone mHealth technology-based interventions in suicide prevention. The small number of studies reported in this review tentatively indicate that such tools may have a positive impact on suicide-specific outcomes. Future mHealth intervention evaluations would benefit from addressing the following 3 main methodological limitations : (1) heterogeneity of outcomes: a lack of standardized measurement of suicide outcomes across studies; (2) ecological validity: the tendency to exclude potential participants because of the elevated suicide risk may reduce generalizability within clinical settings; and (3) app regulation and definition: the lack of a standardized classification system for mHealth intervention type points to the need for better definition of the scope of such technologies to promote safe practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42017072899; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=72899. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/resprot.8635.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Melia
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Psychology Department, Health Service Executive Mid-West, Ennis, Ireland
| | - Kady Francis
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Emma Hickey
- Psychology Department, Health Service Executive Mid-West, Limerick, Ireland
| | - John Bogue
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Jim Duggan
- Discipline of Information Technology, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Mary O'Sullivan
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Karen Young
- Insight-Centre, Discipline of Information Technology, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
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Torous J, Cerrato P, Halamka J. Targeting depressive symptoms with technology. Mhealth 2019; 5:19. [PMID: 31463305 PMCID: PMC6691087 DOI: 10.21037/mhealth.2019.06.04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in digital mental health, driven largely by the need to increase access to mental health services, presents new opportunities as well as challenges. This article provides a selective overview of several new approaches, including chatbots and apps, with a focus on exploring their unique characteristics. To understand the broader issues around digital mental health apps, we discuss recent reviews in this space in the context of how they can inform care today, and how these apps fail to address several important gaps. Framing apps as either tools to augment versus deliver care, we explore ongoing struggles in this space that will determine how apps are used, regulated, and reimbursed for. Realizing that many mental health apps today exist in this still undefined space and often possess no evidence, we conclude with an overview of the American Psychiatric Association (APA)'s app evaluation framework with the goal of offering a more informed approach to these digital tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Torous
- Department of Psychiatry and Division of Clinical Informatics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - John Halamka
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Chairman of the New England Healthcare Exchange Network, Boston, MA, USA
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Torous J, Woodyatt J, Keshavan M, Tully LM. A new hope for early psychosis care: the evolving landscape of digital care tools. Br J Psychiatry 2019; 214:269-272. [PMID: 30739613 PMCID: PMC6478506 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2019.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Improving understanding of and outcomes for early-course psychosis (ECP) is a recognised global mental health priority. We argue digital health technologies can advance care for ECP by better accounting for clinical heterogeneity, offering better predictive models, increasing access to early interventions and enhancing existing treatment options.Declaration of interestL.M.T. owns shares in Safari Health Inc - a digital health technology company.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Torous
- Director of the Digital Psychiatry Division,Department of Psychiatry,Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,Harvard Medical School,USA
| | - Jessica Woodyatt
- Lab Manager,Social Cognition in Psychopathology Lab,Department of Psychology,University of Rochester,USA
| | - Matcheri Keshavan
- Vice Chair of Public Psychiatry,Department of Psychiatry,Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Massachusetts Mental Health Center,Harvard Medical School,USA
| | - Laura M Tully
- Assistant Professor in Psychiatry,Department of Psychiatry,University of California; andDirector of Clinical Training,UC Davis Imaging Research Center,USA
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Henson P, Wisniewski H, Hollis C, Keshavan M, Torous J. Digital mental health apps and the therapeutic alliance: initial review. BJPsych Open 2019; 5:e15. [PMID: 30762511 PMCID: PMC6381418 DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2018.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As mental healthcare expands to smartphone apps and other technologies that may offer therapeutic interventions without a therapist involved, it is important to assess the impact of non-traditional therapeutic relationships.AimsTo determine if there were any meaningful data regarding the digital therapeutic alliance in smartphone interventions for serious mental illnesses. METHOD A literature search was conducted in four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase and Web of Science). RESULTS There were five studies that discuss the therapeutic alliance when a mobile application intervention is involved in therapy. However, in none of the studies was the digital therapeutic alliance the primary outcome. The studies looked at different mental health conditions, had different duration of technology use and used different methods for assessing the therapeutic alliance. CONCLUSIONS Assessing and optimising the digital therapeutic alliance holds the potential to make tools such as smartphone apps more effective and improve adherence to their use. However, the heterogeneous nature of the five studies we identified make it challenging to draw conclusions at this time. A measure is required to evaluate the digital therapeutic alliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Henson
- Research Assistant, Division of Digital Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - Hannah Wisniewski
- Research Assistant, Division of Digital Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - Chris Hollis
- Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Director, NIHR MindTech MedTech Co-operative, NIHR Nottingham BRC Mental Health; and Technology Theme Lead, University of Nottingham and Institute of Mental Health, UK
| | - Matcheri Keshavan
- Stanley Cobb Professor and Vice-Chair for Public Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - John Torous
- Director of Digital Psychiatry, Departments of Psychiatry and Clinical Informatics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, USA
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Hsin H, Torous J. Creating boundaries to empower digital health technology. BJPsych Open 2018; 4:235-237. [PMID: 29998820 PMCID: PMC6060491 DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2018.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
SummaryThe potential of digital health tools such as smartphones and sensors to increase access to and enhance delivery of healthcare is well known. However, a lack of regulation and delineation between those technologies seeking to offer direct clinical diagnostics and treatments and those involving clinical care enhancements or direct-to-consumer resources has led to patient and clinician confusion about the appropriate use and role of digital health. Here, we propose that creating boundaries and better defining the scope of digital health technology will advance the field through matching the right use cases with the right tools. We further propose that ethical clinicians, as stewards of standard of care, are well suited to uphold these boundaries and to safeguard best practices in digital health.Declaration of interestH.H. is an employee of Verily Life Sciences and owns equity in this company. The views expressed here are those of the authors and are not official views of Verily Life Sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honor Hsin
- Clinical Psychiatrist, Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - John Torous
- Clinical Psychiatrist, Departments of Psychiatry and Clinical Informatics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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