Acceptability and feasibility of digital technology for training community health workers to deliver brief psychological treatment for depression in rural India

Muke, Shital; Shrivastava, Ritu; Mitchell, Lauren M.; Khan, Azaz; Murhar, Vaibhav; Tugnawat, Deepak; Shidhaye, Rahul; Patel, Vikram; Naslund, John A.

doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2019.09.006

Cited by 48 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Similar challenges have previously been reported in other studies. For example, a study conducted to assess the acceptability and feasibility of using digital technology in mental health care in rural India also reported limited familiarity of health care providers’ with digital technology as a key challenge for delivering depression care [ 46 ]. Similarly, our results also support the findings of the review of available statistics and evidence of smartphone use among elderly people which demonstrated that they use a smartphone for making calls but rarely did they utilized downloaded apps [ 47 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perception of healthcare workers on mobile app-based clinical guideline for the detection and treatment of mental health problems in primary care: a qualitative study in Nepal

Pokhrel¹,

Karmacharya²,

Salisbury

et al. 2021

BMC Med Inform Decis Mak

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Background In recent years, a significant change has taken place in the health care delivery systems due to the availability of smartphones and mobile software applications. The use of mobile technology can help to reduce a number of barriers for mental health care such as providers’ workload, lack of qualified personnel, geographical and attitudinal barriers to seek treatment. This study assessed the perception of Nepali primary healthcare workers about the feasibility, acceptability, and benefits of using a mobile app-based clinical guideline for mental health care. Method A qualitative study was conducted in two districts Chitwan and Ramechhap of Nepal with purposively selected medical officers (n = 8) and prescribing primary healthcare workers (n = 35) who were trained in the World Health Organization mental health Gap Action Program Intervention Guide. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted in Nepali, audio recorded, transcribed and translated into English for data analysis. Data were analysed manually using a thematic analysis approach. Results The majority of the healthcare workers and medical officers reported a high level of interest, motivation and positive attitudes towards the mobile app-based clinical guidelines for detection and treatment of people with mental disorders in primary care. They respondents suggested that several features and functions should be included in the app: suggestive diagnosis and treatment options; clinical data recording system; sending messages to patients to promote follow-up visits; allow offline functions; minimal typing options and content to be available in Nepali language. The study participants reported that the app could help in bringing uniformity in diagnosis and management of mental disorders across all health facilities, enabling remote supervision, helping verification of health workers’ diagnosis and treatment; and increasing patients’ trust in the treatment. Lack of reliable internet connection in health facilities, possibility of distracting interaction between patient and provider, and confidentiality were the key factors potentially hindering the use of the app. Conclusion The suggested functions and features as well as the potential risk factors highlighted by the health workers, will be considered when further developing the mobile app-based clinical guidelines, training modality and materials, and the supervision system.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perception of healthcare workers on mobile app-based clinical guideline for the detection and treatment of mental health problems in primary care: a qualitative study in Nepal

Pokhrel¹,

Karmacharya²,

Salisbury

et al. 2021

BMC Med Inform Decis Mak

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“…57 Digital technology can play a very important role in providing implementation support to healthcare providers by providing performance feedback and helping in problem-solving remotely. 58 Digital technology has the potential to increase access to training programs for healthcare staff, particularly through online delivery of content. Digital technology may also be used to increase support for primary care from specialists to facilitate task-sharing, particularly in rural settings, as well as facilitating multidisciplinary care.…”

Section: The Role Of Digital Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

<p>The APEC Digital Hub-WONCA Collaborative Framework on Integration of Mental Health into Primary Care in the Asia Pacific</p>

Dowrick¹,

Kassai²,

Lam³

et al. 2020

JMDH

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Mental ill health affects individual well-being and national economic prosperity and makes up a substantial portion of the burden of disease globally, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Integrating mental health into primary care is widely considered a key strategy to improve access to mental health care. Integration, however, is a complex process that needs to be addressed at multiple levels. A collaboration between the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital Hub for Mental Health and the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) is described in this paper, which outlines a framework and next steps to improve the mental health of communities in APEC economies. This paper notes gaps related to the integration of mental health into primary care across the region and identifies enablers and current best practices from several APEC economies. The potential of digital technology to benefit primary mental health care for populations in the APEC region, including delivery of training programs for healthcare staff and access to resources for patients, is described. Finally, key next steps are proposed to promote enhanced integration into primary care and improve mental health care throughout the APEC region.

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“…These factors have been studied largely in the context of adoption of mobile health, electronic medical records, and telepsychiatry. Early studies point to a need for interactive technologies that take factors such as language differences into account (Muke et al, 2019). From this extant literature, we can only infer that culture-specific factors would have an even more significant and nuanced impact in the context of a condition like dementia.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementing adaptive technologies in dementia care: local solutions for a global problem

Heintz

Vahia

2020

Int. Psychogeriatr.

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Acceptability and feasibility of digital technology for training community health workers to deliver brief psychological treatment for depression in rural India

Cited by 48 publications

References 33 publications

Perception of healthcare workers on mobile app-based clinical guideline for the detection and treatment of mental health problems in primary care: a qualitative study in Nepal

Perception of healthcare workers on mobile app-based clinical guideline for the detection and treatment of mental health problems in primary care: a qualitative study in Nepal

<p>The APEC Digital Hub-WONCA Collaborative Framework on Integration of Mental Health into Primary Care in the Asia Pacific</p>

Implementing adaptive technologies in dementia care: local solutions for a global problem

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