Digital Health Applications in Mental Health Care for Immigrants and Refugees: A Rapid Review

Liem, Andrian; Natari, Rifani B.; Jimmy,; Hall, Brian J.

doi:10.1089/tmj.2020.0012

Cited by 47 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The primary goal of the feasibility trial is to assess the DHI's usability and acceptability among the targeted group. Secondary, we aim to give an indication on its initial efficacy in leading to a substance use reduction.According to our preliminary research and a rapid review by Liem et al (70), which identified 16 digital mental health technologies for immigrants and refugees, however, none of which targeting substance use prevention or treatment, we believe the "BePrepared App" to be one of the first digital health intervention to deal with the indicated prevention of substance use disorder among refugee populations worldwide and to be scientifically evaluated (71). If successful, this study may contemplate to overcoming care barriers by providing refugee populations with urgently needed access to preventive health care through delivering accessible indicated prevention.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Evaluation of a Digital Health Intervention for Substance Use Reduction in Young Refugees With Problematic Use of Alcohol and/or Cannabis—Study Protocol for a Single-Armed Feasibility Trial

Fischer

Kölligan

Wieland

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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Background: Refugee populations are at substantial risk of developing substance use disorder (SUD) and other mental health disorders. At the same time, refugee populations face numerous barriers to accessing mental health services. Digital interventions can address some of these issues, as emerging evidence indicates that digital interventions offer an effective, low-cost alternative with high accessibility and similar efficacy as standard SUD prevention programs. As an add-on to traditional services, they further present a viable approach to the lack of personnel available for foreign language communication in preventive and therapeutic settings. In the present study, we thus aim to develop and evaluate a digital health intervention (DHI) for the reduction of substance use for young refugees with problematic use of alcohol and/or cannabis. The intervention will be implemented in a smartphone app, translated into Arabic, English, Farsi, German, and Pashto, and is to be used stand-alone. It is based on methods from cognitive behavioral therapy, contains culturally adapted elements, provides practical information on how to deal safely with alcohol and cannabis, and motivates behavior change through increased self-reflection and behavioral, cognitive, and emotional skills-training in interactive exercises.Methods: We conduct a single-armed feasibility trial among 150 young refugees with problematic use of alcohol and/or cannabis. Participants will receive a digital screening and digital health intervention (DHI) for the reduction of problematic substance use, carried out over a 4-week time frame. The primary outcomes are the intervention's feasibility and the target population's acceptance of the intervention. The secondary outcome is a change in substance use post-intervention from baseline. Measurements are taken pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (after 4 weeks), and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. We expect the intervention to be feasible and accepted by the target group.Discussion: The present study will establish to what degree the digital intervention (the “BePrepared App”) is feasible and accepted by the target group. The evaluation of an easily accessible, feasible, and accepted intervention may impact refugees' mental health and health-related consequences. It aims at overcoming barriers to preventive health care in the substance use field for underserved refugee populations as a tool within a larger set of urgently needed interventions.Trial Registration: DRKS00021095 at the “German Clinical Trials Register” (30.03.2020).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Evaluation of a Digital Health Intervention for Substance Use Reduction in Young Refugees With Problematic Use of Alcohol and/or Cannabis—Study Protocol for a Single-Armed Feasibility Trial

Fischer

Kölligan

Wieland

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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“…E-learning has been highlighted as a significant way of offering flexible learning to refugees, however, little research has been done assessing its impact, while there is a need to bridge the knowledge gap of digital health applications for refugees [3]. In this study the RLO development process for refugees' health integration is discussed, while the important role of the involvement of multiple stakeholders in a participatory process of conceptualizing digital learning and its subsequent design is designated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mass migration movement of more than 28 million refugees and asylum seekers, reported in 2017, has undoubtedly reached unprecedented levels [1,2]. In the absence of adequate and decent living, refugees and asylum-seekers are arguably confronted with certain challenges to accessing healthcare, including financial, administrative, language and cultural barriers, as well as insufficient understanding of how healthcare is organized and delivered [3]. On the basis of this increased arrival of multicultural low healthliterate refugees, improving their health and reducing health inequalities have been highlighted [4] and in this context, the World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed digital health crucial in improving health services, particularly for vulnerable populations [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, utilization of digital technology by both refugees and humanitarian aid providers has been increasing [6] and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) now advocates for the use of technology and e-learning to support refugee health needs [7]. However, digital learning for refugee education is a new field with little research assessing its take-up and impact and there is a knowledge gap of digital health applications for refugees [3]. Certainly, there have been many initiatives for designing and developing e-learning resources and objects, however, they rarely involve stakeholders directly in the design and development process [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Supporting Healthcare Integration of Refugees Exploiting Reusable Learning Objects: The ASPIRE Framework

Dratsiou

Varella

Stathakarou

et al. 2021

Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

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The significant increase of refugees’ migration has demonstrated an overwhelming need for their access and integration to healthcare systems. E-learning, especially in the form of experiential digital learning, has been highlighted as an important ally in supporting refugees’ health needs. This paper aims to discuss the design and development process of Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) to enhance digital health applications for refugees and integrate them to healthcare systems. The participatory approach based on the “ASPIRE” framework was followed. Using the “ASPIRE” process, 9 stakeholders were involved in the first phase of the development process, where a co-creation storyboarding workshop was held in Greece by the Medical Physics Laboratory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Essential qualitative and quantitative feedback was collected from stakeholders through an online questionnaire administered in Google Forms. Overall, enlightening ideas were expressed and all stakeholders commented positively on the value and efficacy of the workshop.

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“…There are five key ethical concerns clinicians need to be aware of before engaging in telemental health (Liem et al, 2020). First is to ensure confidentiality due to the complexities inherent in online treatment (Lustgarten and Elhai, 2018).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethical standards for telemental health must be maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic

Liem

Sit

Arjadi

et al. 2020

Asian Journal of Psychiatry

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Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company's public news and information website. Elsevier hereby grants permission to make all its COVID-19-related research that is available on the COVID-19 resource centre-including this research content-immediately available in PubMed Central and other publicly funded repositories, such as the WHO COVID database with rights for unrestricted research re-use and analyses in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for free by Elsevier for as long as the COVID-19 resource centre remains active.

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Digital Health Applications in Mental Health Care for Immigrants and Refugees: A Rapid Review

Cited by 47 publications

References 40 publications

Development and Evaluation of a Digital Health Intervention for Substance Use Reduction in Young Refugees With Problematic Use of Alcohol and/or Cannabis—Study Protocol for a Single-Armed Feasibility Trial

Development and Evaluation of a Digital Health Intervention for Substance Use Reduction in Young Refugees With Problematic Use of Alcohol and/or Cannabis—Study Protocol for a Single-Armed Feasibility Trial

Supporting Healthcare Integration of Refugees Exploiting Reusable Learning Objects: The ASPIRE Framework

Ethical standards for telemental health must be maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic

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