Web-Based Psychoeducation Program for Caregivers of First-Episode of Psychosis: An Experience of Chinese Population in Hong Kong

Abstract

Caregivers of patients with first-episode psychosis are often with little knowledge about the illness and experience more burden of care. Psychoeducation to caregivers has shown to be effective in improving outcomes of patients and possibly reduce stress of the caregivers. This has been recommended as one of the key psychosocial interventions for specific early intervention for psychosis service. However, the accessibility of the service, high case load of the health care professionals and self-stigma of caregivers are often the barriers of implementation of these programs in the real world. Incorporating the convenience of information access via internet and the concept of self-management approach, an interactive internet-based self-help psychoeducation program (iPEP) (www.ipep.hk) for the caregivers of patients with psychosis was established targeting the caregivers of patients with psychosis at early stage in Hong Kong. It provides a comprehensive online resource center in both written and video format on knowledge about psychosis, skills of care, and information of local resources. It also has a forum facilitate information exchange between healthcare professionals and the caregivers, allowing for self-management. Over 800 caregivers have joined the program as members. The evaluation of the subset of the members/users of the iPEP suggested that the iPEP program has been well received and appreciated by the caregivers of patients with first episode psychosis locally. It can potentially serve as a platform for future development of specific manual-based psychoeducation program for caregivers targeting at the needs of different groups.

Digital Technology for Caregivers of People With Psychosis: Systematic Review (Preprint)

“…[45][46][47]53 With exception of one study, the remainder were conducted in Hong Kong, 48 Ireland, 50 Turkey, 52 and the United Kingdom. 51 There was one study, Perron,49 where 26 of the 30 participants were recruited from the USA and the remaining sample had come from Peru, Australia, and Canada.…”

“…The individual number of participants reported in each study ranged from n=16 47 to n=91. 48 Participants were predominately female in eight of the nine studies that provided gender data. 45,46,48,49,50,51,52,53 While more than half the studies employed carer only participants only, four papers reported data for carer participants and the individuals they provided informal care for.…”

“…No information was offered in Chan et al 48 while others described interventions that ranged in length from one month 51 to 12 months. 45,53 Comparisons between studies were difficult since the amount of exposure to the given intervention was often calculated and reported in different ways.…”

“…45,53 Comparisons between studies were difficult since the amount of exposure to the given intervention was often calculated and reported in different ways. Some papers provided data on the total number of minutes a participant was engaged with the intervention, 45,48,51 while others described the percentage of the sample who engaged with different components of the intervention.…”

“…Five studies could be best described as web based. 46,45,48,51,53 Two studies used a telepsychiatry approach comprising a phone 52 or video conferencing. 50 The remaining two studies used an emonitor 47 or combined email and bulletin board.…”