The relationship between therapeutic alliance, frequency of consultation and uptake of telemedicine among patients seeking treatment for early psychosis: A moderated mediation model.

Background: Telehealth services ensure the delivery of healthcare services to a wider range of consumers through online platforms. Nonetheless, the acceptance and uptake of telehealth remain elusive. This study aims to understand the (a) uptake and (b) acceptability of telemedicine, (c) if therapeutic alliance mediates the relationship between the frequency of consultations with clinicians and the uptake of telemedicine in patients with early psychosis, and (d) role of education in moderating the relationship between therapeutic alliance and the uptake of telemedicine for their mental healthcare. Methods: A convenience sample of outpatients (n = 109) seeking treatment for early psychosis and their care providers (n = 106) were recruited from a tertiary psychiatric care centre. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, therapeutic alliance (Working Alliance Inventory), and telemedicine use were captured through self-administered surveys. The moderated mediation analysis was performed using PROCESS macro 3.4.1 with therapeutic alliance and level of education as the mediating and moderating factors, respectively. Results: The acceptance of telemedicine was high (possibly will use: 47.7%; definitely will use: 26.6%) whilst the uptake was low (11%). Therapeutic alliance mediated the relationship between the frequency of consultation and the uptake of telemedicine (ß: 0.326; CI: 0.042, 0.637). This effect was moderated by the level of education (ß: -0.058; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Therapeutic alliance mediates the relationship between the frequency of consultations and the uptake of telemedicine services with the level of education moderating this mediation. Focusing on the patients with lower education to improve their telemedicine knowledge and therapeutic alliance might increase the uptake.

Needs of patients with early psychosis: A comparison of patient's and mental health care provider's perception.

Background: Needs define the capacity of a patient to benefit from health care services and a systematic assessment of needs allows planning and delivery of effective treatment to suit patients. This study aimed to understand the (a) needs felt by patients and those perceived by the care providers (CPs), (b) agreement between patients and CPs in the identified needs and (c) factors associated with unmet needs. Methods: Participants (N = 215) were recruited through convenience sampling from the Early Psychosis Intervention Programme (EPIP). Data was captured from patients and CPs using the Camberwell Assessment of Needs Short Appraisal Schedule (CANSAS). Results: Patients and CPs identified an average of 4.06 and 3.84 needs, respectively. The highest number of unmet needs were identified for the social (50% of patients and CPs) and health domains (31.13% of patients' vs. 28.30% of CPs). Company, intimate relationships, psychotic symptoms, money, sexual expression and psychological distress, information and benefits were the unmet needs identified by patients, whereas company, intimate relationships, physical health, and daytime activities were identified by CPs. The concordance between patients and CPs was low with majority of the items scoring slight to fair agreement (Cohen's kappa = 0-0.4). Older age, depression, severe anxiety and having Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) were positively associated with unmet needs in patients. Conclusion: While there was an overall consensus on the total needs and met needs between patients and CPs, the level of agreement between the two groups on various items were low. Different perceptions regarding unmet needs were noted between the groups. A holistic approach that takes into account different facets of the needs of patients together with strategic planning to address unmet needs might improve treatment outcomes and satisfaction.

Acceptance of healthy lifestyle nudges in the general population of Singapore.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, behaviourally driven policies such as nudges have been increasingly implemented to steer desired outcomes in public health. This study examines the different nudges and the socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle behaviours that are associated with public acceptance of lifestyle nudges. METHODS: The study used data from the nationwide Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices study (KAP) on diabetes in Singapore. Three types of nudges arranged in increasing order of intrusiveness were examined: (1) information government campaigns, (2) government mandated information and (3) default rules and choice architecture. Acceptance was assessed based upon how much respondents 'agreed' with related statements describing heathy lifestyle nudges. Multivariable linear regressions were performed with socio-demographics and lifestyle behaviours using scores calculated for each nudge. RESULTS: The percentage of respondents who agreed to all statements related to each nudge were: 75.9% (information government campaigns), 73.0% (government mandated information), and 33.4% (default rules and choice architecture). Respondents of Malay/Others ethnicity (vs. Chinese) were more likely to accept information government campaigns. Respondents who were 18 - 34 years old (vs 65 years and above), female, of Malay/Indian ethnicity (vs Chinese), were sufficiently physically active, and with a healthier diet based on the DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) score were more likely to accept nudges related to government mandated information. Respondents of Malay/Indian ethnicity (vs Chinese), and who had a healthier diet were more likely to accept default rules and choice architecture. CONCLUSION: Individuals prefer less intrusive approaches for promoting healthy lifestyle. Ethnicity and lifestyle behaviours are associated with acceptance of nudges and should be taken into consideration during the formulation and implementation of behaviourally informed health policies.

Dietary patterns of persons with chronic conditions within a multi-ethnic population: results from the nationwide Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices survey on diabetes in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Chronic conditions are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and respective data on dietary patterns remain scant. The present study aimed to investigate dietary patterns and identify sociodemographic factors associated with Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scores within a multi-ethnic population with various chronic conditions. METHODS: The present study utilised data from the 2019-2020 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices study on diabetes in Singapore - a nationwide survey conducted to track the knowledge, attitudes, and practices pertaining to diabetes. The study analysed data collected from a sample of 2,895 Singapore residents, with information from the sociodemographic section, DASH diet screener, and the modified version of the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) version 3.0 checklist of chronic physical conditions. RESULTS: Respondents with no chronic condition had a mean DASH score of 18.5 (±4.6), those with one chronic condition had a mean DASH score of 19.2 (±4.8), and those with two or more chronic conditions had a mean DASH score of 19.8 (±5.2). Overall, the older age groups [35- 49 years (B = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.23 - 2.33, p <0.001), 50-64 years (B = 2.86, 95% CI: 22.24 - 3.47, p <0.001) and 65 years and above (B = 3.45, 95% CI: 2.73 - 4.17, p <0.001)], Indians (B = 2.54, 95% CI: 2.09 - 2.98, p <0.001) reported better diet quality, while males (B = -1.50, 95% CI: -1.87 - -1.14, p <0.001) reported poorer diet quality versus females. CONCLUSION: Overall, respondents with two or more chronic conditions reported better quality of diet while the sociodemographic factors of age, gender and ethnicity demonstrated a consistent pattern in correlating with diet quality, consistent with the extant literature. Results provide further insights for policymakers to refine ongoing efforts in relation to healthy dietary practices for Singapore.