The potential of telemental health in improving access to mental health services in Lebanon: Analysis of barriers, opportunities, and recommendations

Naal, Hady; Mahmoud, Hossam; Whaibeh, Emile

doi:10.1080/00207411.2020.1863743

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…This is unsurprising given that mental health has become a booming topic in Lebanon in recent years, as evidenced by the numerous advocacy campaigns and increased awareness of the general public regarding mental health (5). Furthermore, TMH has also been perceived as essential for the Lebanese context following the COVID-19 pandemic (3). In this regard, prior to delivering the course, students explained in the survey that they expected the course to increase their knowledge about mental health and deepen their understanding about the applicability of TMH in Lebanon.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is evident from the multiple advocacy and awareness raising efforts, the increase in calls for research production, and steady shift of the general public's sensitization towards mental health topics (1). Following the COVID-19 pandemic, and in view of the multiple crises that hit Lebanon in the past couple of years such as the severe economic crisis, the Beirut Port Explosion, and continuous social and political upheavals, an increased interest in and a shift towards Telemental Health (TMH) has also been observed (2,3). This transition was largely triggered by the mobility restrictions imposed on the general public in Lebanon and especially on vulnerable groups during lockdowns, by the shortage and skyrocketing prices of fuel, road blocks, and other internal con icts (2,4).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating the First University-Based Online Graduate Course on Telemental Health in the Middle East: Lessons Learned from Lebanon

Naal

Whaibeh

Nakhlé

2022

Preprint

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Background: Despite the increasing interest in mental health and shift of many clinicians to using telemental health (TMH) services following the COVID-19 pandemic, university-based educational opportunities covering TMH remain scarce in multiple regions of the world including Lebanon. Through a mixed-methods design, we evaluated the first implementation of a university-based online graduate course on TMH in Lebanon. Data was collected from students of different disciplines during class time and were triangulated and synthesized.Results: Despite this being an online course, high engagement and low absenteeissm was observed with students who remained interested in the topic. In-class interactive activities, limited theoretical pedagogical approaches, participation of international guest speakers, and contextualized material were all listed as key factors to the success of the course. Additionally, students demonstrated much critical thinking when asked about potential applicability of TMH in Lebanon during and after the course.Conclusions: Our experience demonstrates that online learning for TMH in Lebanon can be highly engaging for students depending on certain key factors that should be considered in the design and implementation of the course. This course may have potential to be replicated in other settings across the Middle East in this format to improve knowledge and confidence in TMH in other settings. Recommendations for future studies and similar implementations are discussed in the manuscript.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the First University-Based Online Graduate Course on Telemental Health in the Middle East: Lessons Learned from Lebanon

Naal

Whaibeh

Nakhlé

2022

Preprint

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“…36 There is increasing evidence of the efficacy and potential of telehealth interventions for mental illness and marginalised groups in developing countries. 37,38 The caregivers recommended that future interventions consider community awareness initiatives to improve mental health literacy and reduce mental health stigma within communities to improve the social landscape for people living with a mental illness. Understandably, community stigma remains a vital issue of concern for both caregivers and service users.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility and acceptability of a mental health stigma intervention for low-income South African caregivers: A qualitative investigation

Monnapula-Mazabane

Petersen

2022

South African Journal of Psychiatry

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Background: Common mental health illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders are increasing globally. There remain significant gaps in health services provision and support for mental illness linked to stigma in developing countries.Aim: Our study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a mental health intervention for caregivers of mental health service users.Setting: Low-income South African communities.Method: Our study qualitatively assessed the feasibility of an anti-stigma mental health intervention for family caregivers in low-income settings. The intervention was structured into five sessions delivered over three days. Caregivers attended all the sessions at a centralised community venue. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were held separately with caregivers (n = 10) and their service users (n = 9) eight weeks post-intervention. Interviews were translated verbatim from local languages to English prior to framework analysis.Results: Post-intervention, service users reported improved family relations and understanding of mental illness among family members. The intervention was reported as acceptable and helpful by caregivers as it increased knowledge, fostering better relationships with service users. Group discussions were noted as a critical driver of intervention success. Widespread mental health stigma within communities remained a key concern for caregivers and service users.Conclusion: With the government’s drive for deinstitutionalisation, the need to integrate anti-stigma interventions within community mental health services is vital, as is the need for population-wide anti-stigma interventions to support the integration of mental health service users within communities.

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“…Eleven studies assessed the feasibility, effectiveness, and user perception of interventions targeting both healthcare providers and clients as intended users [24,28,35,39,40,65,66,88,98,101,107] (S4 Table ). Five of these studies assessed interventions aiming at leveraging technology to provide virtual care [35,39,40,88,98] while two studies assessed a multi-component intervention aiming at mobilizing different technologies for e-learning and mental health screening and awareness [65,66].…”

Section: Healthcare Providers and Clients As Intended Users (N = 11)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital health in fragile states in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: A scoping review of the literature

et al. 2023

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Introduction Conflict, fragility and political violence, that are taking place in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have devastating effects on health. Digital health technologies can contribute to enhancing the quality, accessibility and availability of health care services in fragile and conflict-affected states of the MENA region. To inform future research, investments and policy processes, this scoping review aims to map out the evidence on digital health in fragile states in the MENA region. Method We conducted a scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. We conducted descriptive analysis of the general characteristics of the included papers and thematic analysis of the key findings of included studies categorized by targeted primary users of different digital health intervention. Results Out of the 10,724 articles identified, we included 93 studies. The included studies mainly focused on digital health interventions targeting healthcare providers, clients and data services, while few studies focused on health systems or organizations managers. Most of the included studies were observational studies (49%). We identified no systematic reviews. Most of the studies were conducted in Lebanon (32%) followed by Afghanistan (13%) and Palestine (12%). The first authors were mainly affiliated with institutions from countries outside the MENA region (57%), mainly United Kingdom and United States. Digital health interventions provided a platform for training, supervision, and consultation for health care providers, continuing education for medical students, and disease self-management. The review also highlighted some implementation considerations for the adoption of digital health such as computer literacy, weak technological infrastructure, and privacy concerns. Conclusion This review showed that digital health technologies can provide promising solutions in addressing health needs in fragile and conflict-affected states. However, rigorous evaluation of digital technologies in fragile settings and humanitarian crises are needed to inform their design and deployment.

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The potential of telemental health in improving access to mental health services in Lebanon: Analysis of barriers, opportunities, and recommendations

Cited by 6 publications

References 47 publications

Evaluating the First University-Based Online Graduate Course on Telemental Health in the Middle East: Lessons Learned from Lebanon

Evaluating the First University-Based Online Graduate Course on Telemental Health in the Middle East: Lessons Learned from Lebanon

Feasibility and acceptability of a mental health stigma intervention for low-income South African caregivers: A qualitative investigation

Digital health in fragile states in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: A scoping review of the literature

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