Reducing readmission rates for individuals discharged from acute psychiatric care in Alberta using peer and text message support: Protocol for an innovative supportive program.

BACKGROUND: Individuals discharged from inpatient psychiatry units have the highest readmission rates of all hospitalized patients. These readmissions are often due to unmet need for mental health care compounded by limited human resources. Reducing the need for hospital admissions by providing alternative effective care will mitigate the strain on the healthcare system and for people with mental illnesses and their relatives. We propose implementation and evaluation of an innovative program which augments Mental Health Peer Support with an evidence-based supportive text messaging program developed using the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy. METHODS: A pragmatic stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial, where daily supportive text messages (Text4Support) and mental health peer support are the interventions, will be employed. We anticipate recruiting 10,000 participants at the point of their discharge from 9 acute care psychiatry sites and day hospitals across four cities in Alberta. The primary outcome measure will be the number of psychiatric readmissions within 30 days of discharge. We will also evaluate implementation outcomes such as reach, acceptability, fidelity, and sustainability. Our study will be guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, and the Reach-Effectiveness-Adoption-Implementation-Maintenance framework. Data will be extracted from administrative data, surveys, and qualitative methods. Quantitative data will be analysed using machine learning. Qualitative interviews will be transcribed and analyzed thematically using both inductive and deductive approaches. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this will be the first large-scale clinical trial to assess the impact of a daily supportive text message program with and without mental health peer support for individuals discharged from acute psychiatric care. We anticipate that the interventions will generate significant cost-savings by reducing readmissions, while improving access to quality community mental healthcare and reducing demand for acute care. It is envisaged that the results will shed light on the effectiveness, as well as contextual barriers and facilitators to implementation of automated supportive text message and mental health peer support interventions to reduce the psychological treatment and support gap for patients who have been discharged from acute psychiatric care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05133726 . Registered 24 November 2021.

Improving community care for patients discharged from hospital through zone-wide implementation of a seamless care transition policy.

BACKGROUND: Several studies within the psychiatry literature have illustrated the importance of discharge planning and execution, as well as accessibility of outpatient follow-up post-discharge. We report the results of implementing a new seamless care transition policy to expedite post-discharge follow-up in the community Addiction and Mental Health (AMH) program in the Edmonton Zone, Alberta, Canada. The policy involved a distribution mechanism for assessment by a mental health therapist (MHT) within 7 days of discharge as well as a dedicated roster of community psychiatrists to accept newly discharged patients. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the feasibility of this novel policy and to assess its effect on our outcome measures of wait time to first outpatient MHT assessment and re-admission rate to hospital. METHODS: Our study involved a retrospective clinical audit with total sampling design and a comparison of data 1 year before (2015/2016 fiscal year) and 1 year after (2017/2018 fiscal year) the implementation of the seamless care policy within the Edmonton Zone. Extracted data were analyzed with simple descriptive statistics and presented as percentages, mean and median. RESULTS: Overall, with the enactment of this policy, follow-up volumes ultimately increased, while wait times for initial assessment decreased on average for patients discharged from the hospital. In the 2015/2016 fiscal year, MHT completed 128 assessments of post-discharge patients who were new to the community AMH program compared to 298 completed new assessments for the 2017/2018 fiscal year. The corresponding wait times for the new MHT assessments were 12.7 days (median of 12 days) and 7.8 days (median of 6 days), respectively. Similarly, psychiatrists completed only 59 assessments of post-discharge patients who were new to AMH compared to 133 new psychiatric assessments for the 2017/2018 fiscal year. The corresponding wait times for the new psychiatric assessments were 15.3 days (median of 14 days) and 8.8 days (median of 7 days), respectively. We correspondingly found a slight decline in readmission rates after the implementation of our model in the subsequent fiscal year. CONCLUSION: We envision that this policy will set a precedent with regard to streamlining post-discharge follow-up care for admitted inpatients, ultimately improving mental health outcomes for patients.

COVID-19 pandemic: demographic and clinical correlates of passive death wish and thoughts of self-harm among Canadians.

BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation can be triggered or exacerbated by psychosocial stressors including natural disasters and pandemics. AIMS: This study investigated prevalence rates and demographic and clinical correlates of self-reported passive death wishes and thoughts of self-harm among Canadians subscribing to Text4Hope; a daily supportive text message program. METHODS: A survey link was sent out to Text4Hope subscribers. Demographic information was captured and clinical data collected using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7-item (GAD-7) scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data were analysed with descriptive analysis, the chi-square test, and logistic regression. RESULTS: Responders showed an increase in prevalence rates for passive death wish and thoughts of self-harm compared to baseline Canadian statistics on suicidality. Responders aged ⩽25years, Indigenous, had less than high school education, unemployed, single, living with family, with increased anxiety, disordered sleep, and recent concerns about germs and contamination were at greatest risk. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that suicidal thoughts may have increased in the general population as a result of COVID-19 and signals an urgent need for public education on appropriate health seeking methods and increased access to mental and social support especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and its immediate aftermath.

COVID-19 pandemic: demographic and clinical correlates of disturbed sleep among 6,041 Canadians.

OBJECTIVES: Psychological burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to impact sleep negatively. We investigate prevalence and correlates of disturbed sleep among subscribers to Text4Hope a daily supportive text message program launched in Alberta to support residents to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression. METHODS: A survey link was sent to Text4Hope subscribers to assess demographic and clinical variables, including disturbed sleep, stress, anxiety, and depression using the third question on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Perceived Stress Scale, Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, and PHQ-9, respectively. Data were analysed using univariate and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Overall, 6041 out of 32,805 Text4Hope subscribers completed the survey (18.4% response rate). Prevalence of disturbed sleep was 77.8%. Subscribers aged 41-60 years were twice as likely to present with sleep disturbance compared to individuals ≤25 years (OR 1.89, 95% CI: 1.27-2.81). Individuals with moderate/high anxiety and stress symptoms and those with passive death wish/suicidal ideation had higher probability for sleep disturbance [(OR 4.05, 95% CI: 3.33-4.93), (OR 2.42, 95% CI: 1.99-2.94), and (OR 2.39, 95% CI: 1.69-3.38)], respectively. CONCLUSION: As the pandemic continues, more Canadians are likely to develop sleep problems, an important consideration for planning mental health services.KEY POINTSThis is the first study to examine the prevalence rates and demographic and clinical correlates of disturbed sleep in a large sample (n = 6041) of Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic.Prevalence of disturbed sleep was high at 77.8%.Individuals aged 41-60 years were twice as likely to present with sleep disturbance compared to individuals ≤25 years (OR 1.89, 95% CI: 1.27-2.81).Individuals with moderate/high anxiety symptoms, moderate/high stress symptoms, and suicidal ideation/thoughts of self-harm had higher likelihood of developing sleep disturbance, compared to individuals lacking these symptoms [(OR 4.05, 95% CI: 3.33-4.93) and (OR 2.42, 95% CI: 1.98-2.94)], respectively.As the pandemic continues, with fear of multiple waves, more Canadians are likely to develop sleep problems, an important consideration for planning the provision of mental health services.

Cancer Care Supportive Text Messaging Program (Text4Hope) for People Living With Cancer and Their Caregivers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada, and living with cancer generates psychological demands, including depression and anxiety among cancer survivors and caregivers. Text4Hope-Cancer Care SMS text messaging-based service was provided to people with cancer and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic to support their mental health. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine the clinical effectiveness of and satisfaction with Text4Hope-Cancer Care in addressing mental health conditions among people living with cancer and caregivers. METHODS: The study was conducted in Alberta, Canada. People who were diagnosed or receiving cancer treatment and caregivers self-subscribed to receive 3-months daily supportive cognitive behavioral therapy-based SMS text messages and a web-based survey was sent at designated time points to collect clinical and nonclinical data. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) was used to examine changes in anxiety and depression symptoms after receiving the service. Satisfaction with the service was assessed using a survey with a Likert scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used, and test significance was considered with P≤.05. RESULTS: Overall, 107 individuals subscribed to the service, and 93 completed the program (completion rate 93/107, 86.9%). A significant improvement in the anxiety symptoms (HADS-Anxiety [HADS-A] subscale) was reported after 3 months of Text4Hope-Cancer Care (t11=2.62; P=.02), with medium effect size (Hedges g=0.7), but not depression symptoms (HADS-Depression [HADS-D] subscale). Subscribers expressed high satisfaction and agreed that the service has helped them to cope with mental health symptoms and improve their quality of life. Most subscribers read the SMS text messages more than once (30/30, 100%); took time to reflect or took a beneficial action after reading the messages (27/30, 90%); and highly agreed (27/30, >80%) with the value of the received supportive SMS text messages as being relevant, succinct, affirmative, and positive. All subscribers recommended SMS text messaging for stress, anxiety, and depression and for cancer care support (30/30, 100%). CONCLUSIONS: Text4Hope-Cancer Care was well-perceived and effectively addressed anxiety symptoms among people living with cancer and caregivers during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provides evidence-based support and insight for policy and stakeholders to implement similar convenient, economic, and accessible mental health services that support vulnerable populations during crises. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/20240.

Effectiveness of Group Physical Exercise in Treating Major Depressive Disorder: An Analysis of Secondary Data from an Aborted Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Depression is highly prevalent and a significant cause of mortality and morbidity across the globe. Although antidepressants and/or psychotherapy are often used to treat depression, some recent studies indicate that exercise may play an important role in lowering depression symptoms among patients meeting the clinical criteria of a depressive episode. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the mental health and wellbeing of adult participants diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) after fourteen weeks of receiving a supervised physical exercise program. METHODS: In a pre-post design, the assessments were performed at baseline, seven weeks and fourteen weeks following the exercise intervention program using facilitated self-reported psychometric scales. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-2) and Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) were used to assess depression. The short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used for the self-reporting of participants' physical activity. RESULTS: At the beginning of the study, the baseline total mean scores and standard deviations for the BDI-2, CORE-OM, and IPAQ in both genders did not differ significantly (p-value > 0.05). Patients showed significant improvement in all assessment scales after completing fourteen weeks of the physical exercise program. Based on the BDI-2, the baseline score dropped from 31.25 (indicating moderate to severe depression) to 14.25 (indicating mild to minimal depression), with a p-value of <0.001. The CORE-OM total mean score was reduced from 1.91 to 0.98 with a significant p-value < 0.005 indicating effective clinical improvement in depression symptoms. The IPAQ total MET-minutes/week mean score increased from 1713.22 to 4367.62, indicating an improvement in the participants' weekly P.E. intake; however, the change was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Exercise treatment is linked with considerable therapeutic improvement in patients with MDD, particularly when exercise is sustained over time. The BDI-2 and CORE-OM total scores significantly decreased after the fourteen-week P.E. programme, indicating a change from moderate and severe depression to minimal and mild depression. Our findings offer insightful information to primary care doctors and psychiatrists, indicating that prescribing exercise to depressed patients may be a helpful adjunctive therapy.

The effectiveness of CBT-based daily supportive text messages in improving female mental health during COVID-19 pandemic: results from the Text4Hope program.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly exacerbated gender disparities in mental health, particularly impacting women. To address this, Alberta, Canada, launched Text4Hope, a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy-based text messaging intervention, to provide support and resources for psychological challenges during the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Text4Hope in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, sleeping disturbances, and suicidal ideation among female subscribers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study employed both an uncontrolled longitudinal design and a controlled cohort design. The uncontrolled longitudinal study analyzed a one-year dataset (n = 9,545) of clinical outcomes, comparing mean differences in mental health symptoms from baseline to 6 weeks after subscription. The controlled cohort design compared two groups, with (n = 1,763) and without (n = 567) intervention exposure during the same period. Data were collected through self-administered online surveys completed at baseline and six weeks after subscription. Sociodemographic information and validated scales (e.g., 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)) were used to assess mental health outcomes. Results: The results from the longitudinal study indicated a significant reduction in anxiety prevalence and anxiety symptoms, with a 19.63% decrease in GAD-7 mean score and a 32.02% decrease in likely anxiety from baseline to six weeks. Depressive symptoms and perceived stress also showed a significant reduction (p < 0.001), albeit to a lesser extent. In the controlled cohort study, the intervention group had significantly (p < 0.001) lower PHQ-9 [19.5 (SD 7.05)], GAD-7 [7.5 (SD 5.27)], and CMH [35.53 (SD 18.45)] scores. Additionally, the study found substantial differences (p < 0.001) in suicidal ideation (26.1 vs. 15.7) between groups but no significant differences in sleep disruption. Discussion: These findings suggest that Text4Hope could be an effective intervention for reducing stress, depression, suicidal ideation, and particularly anxiety symptoms among women during public emergencies. The study provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of text messaging interventions in supporting mental health during crisis situations.

Text4Hope Effectiveness in Reducing Psychological Symptoms among Young Adults in Canada: Longitudinal and Naturalistic Controlled Program Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Chronic stress, anxiety, and depression are psychological problems that can hurt young adults, interfering with their everyday function, academic achievement, and interpersonal relationships. This study aimed to assess the impact of Text4Hope, an online mental health service, on the psychological well-being of young adults. METHODS: This study adopted both longitudinal and naturalistic controlled trial designs. It examined clinical outcomes in young adult (≤26 years old) subscribers of Text4Hope who completed surveys at baseline and six weeks and compared clinical parameters in two groups of subscribers. The first group comprised the intervention group (IG) (young adult subscribers who received once-daily supportive text messages for six weeks and completed sixth-week evaluation measures between 26 April and 12 July 2020), and the second group was the control group (CG) (young adult subscribers who joined Text4Hope in the same time frame and completed a baseline survey and were yet to receive any text messages). The prevalence of moderate to high stress, anxiety, and depression was measured at baseline and six weeks in the longitudinal study and between the two groups for the naturalistic controlled study using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Inferential statistics, including the t-test, McNemar test, chi-square, and binary logistic regression analyses, were used to evaluate the differences in the prevalence and severity of the psychological symptoms. RESULTS: In the longitudinal study, of the 9214 subscribers to Text4Hope who completed the baseline survey, 1047 (11.4%) were identified as youth. For the young adult subscribers who completed both the baseline and sixth-week surveys (n = 114), a significant reduction in the prevalence of moderate to high stress (8%) and likely GAD (20%) from baseline to six weeks was reported. Similarly, there was a significant reduction in the mean scores on the PSS-10, GAD-7, and Composite Mental Health score but not the PHQ-9 from baseline to six weeks. The largest reduction in mean scores was for the GAD-7 scale (18.4%), with a small effect size overall. For the naturalistic study, the IG included 173 young adult subscribers of Text4Hope who completed the sixth-week survey compared to 92 subscribers in the CG who completed the baseline survey during the designated period. There was a significantly lower prevalence for likely Moderate Depressive Disorder (MDD) (25.2%) and suicidal thoughts/thoughts of self-harm (48.4%), with a small effect size in the IG compared to the CG. Similarly, lower mean scores were reported for all outcome variables in the IG compared to the CG, with a small to medium effect size. The receipt of daily supportive text messages for six weeks resulted in significantly lower odds of both likely GAD and experiencing thoughts of self-harm or death wish while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The Text4Hope service is an effective tool for mental health support for young adult subscribers. Young adults receiving the service exhibited a reduction in psychological symptoms, including thoughts of self-harm or death wish. This population-level intervention program can be used to effectively support young adult mental health and in suicide prevention programs.

Effects of Text4Hope-Addiction Support Program on Cravings and Mental Health Symptoms: Results of a Longitudinal Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Drug misuse is complex, and various treatment modalities are emerging. Providing supportive text messages to individuals with substance use disorder offers the prospect of managing and improving symptoms of drug misuse and associated comorbidities. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the impact of the daily supportive text message program (Text4Hope-Addiction Support) in mitigating cravings and mental health symptoms in subscribers and quantify user satisfaction with the Text4Hope-Addiction Support program. METHODS: Subscribers to the Text4Hope-Addiction Support program received daily supportive text messages for 3 months; the messages were crafted based on addiction counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy principles. Participants completed an anonymous web-based questionnaire to assess cravings, anxiety, and depressive symptoms using the Brief Substance Craving Scale (BSCS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale at enrollment (baseline), after 6 weeks, and after 3 months. Likert scale satisfaction responses were used to assess various aspects of the Text4Hope-Addiction program. RESULTS: In total, 408 people subscribed to the program, and 110 of 408 (26.9%) subscribers completed the surveys at least at one time point. There were significant differences between the mean baseline and 3-month BSCS scores P=.01 (-2.17, 95% CI -0.62 to 3.72), PHQ-9 scores, P=.004 (-5.08, 95% CI -1.65 to -8.51), and GAD-7 scores, P=.02 (-3.02, 95% CI -0.48 to -5.56). Participants who received the supportive text messages reported a reduced desire to use drugs and a longer time interval between substance use, which are reflected in 41.1% and 32.5% decrease, respectively, from baseline score. Approximately 89% (23/26) of the participants agreed that Text4Hope-Addiction program helped them cope with addiction-related stress, and 81% (21/25) of the participants reported that the messages assisted them in dealing with anxiety. Overall, 69% (18/26) of the participants agreed that it helped them cope with depression related to addiction; 85% (22/26) of the participants felt connected to a support system; 77% (20/26) of the participants were hopeful of their ability to manage addiction issues; and 73% (19/26) of the participants felt that their overall mental well-being was improved. Most of the participants agreed that the interventions were always positive and affirmative (19/26, 73%), and succinct (17/26, 65%). Furthermore, 88% (21/24) of the participants always read the messages; 83% (20/24) of the participants took positive or beneficial actions after reading; and no participant took a negative action after reading the messages. In addition, most participants agreed to recommend other diverse technology-based services as an adjunctive treatment for their mental and physical health disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Subscribers of Text4Hope-Addiction Support program experienced improved mental health and addiction symptoms. Addiction care practitioners and policy makers can implement supportive text-based strategies to complement conventional treatments for addiction, given that mobile devices are widely used.

Apparent Lack of Benefit of Combining Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation with Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for the Treatment of Resistant Depression: Patient-Centered Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

Background: Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is considered one of the major clinical challenges in the field of psychiatry. An estimated 44% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not respond to two consecutive antidepressant therapies, and 33% do not respond to up to four antidepressants. Over 15% of all patients with MDD remain refractory to any treatment intervention. rTMS is considered a treatment option for patients with TRD. Likewise, iCBT is evidence-based, symptom-focused psychotherapy recommended for the treatment of TRD. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the initial comparative clinical effectiveness of rTMS treatment with and without iCBT as an innovative intervention for the treatment of participants diagnosed with TRD. Methods: This study is a prospective two-arm randomized controlled trial. Overall, 78 participants diagnosed with TRD were randomized to one of two treatment interventions: rTMS sessions alone and rTMS sessions plus iCBT. Participants in each group were made to complete evaluation measures at baseline, and 6 weeks (discharge) from treatment. The primary outcome measure was baseline to six weeks change in mean score for the 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD-17). Secondary outcomes included mean baseline to six-week changes in the Columbia suicide severity rating scale (CSSRS) for the rate of suicidal ideations, the QIDS-SR16 for subjective depression, and the EQ-5D-5L to assess the quality of health in participants. Results: A majority of the participants were females 50 (64.1%), aged ≥ 40 39 (50.0%), and had college/university education 54 (73.0%). After adjusting for the baseline scores, the study failed to find a significant difference in the changes in mean scores for participants from baseline to six weeks between the two interventions under study on the HAMD-17 scale: F (1, 53) = 0.15, p = 0.70, partial eta squared = 0.003, CSSRS; F (1, 56) = 0.04 p = 0.85, partial eta squared = 0.001, QIDS-SR16 scale; F (1, 53) = 0.04 p = 0.61, partial eta squared = 0.005, and EQ-5D-VAS; F (1, 51) = 0.46 p = 0.50, and partial eta squared = 0.009. However, there was a significant reduction in means scores at week six compared to baseline scores for the combined study population on the HAMD-17 scale (42%), CSSRS (41%), QIDS-SR16 scale (35%), and EQ-VAS scale (62%). Conclusion: This study did not find that combined treatment of TRD with rTMS + iCBT (unguided) was superior to treatment with rTMS alone. Our findings do not support the use of combined treatment of rTMS + iCBT for the management of TRD disorders.

Return on investment from service transformation for young people experiencing mental health problems: Approach to economic evaluations in ACCESS Open Minds (Esprits ouverts), a multi-site pan-Canadian youth mental health project.

Introduction: Mental health problems are common globally, and typically have their onset in adolescence and early adulthood-making youth (aged 11-25) an optimal target for prevention and early intervention efforts. While increasing numbers of youth mental health (YMH) initiatives are now underway, thus far few have been subject to economic evaluations. Here we describe an approach to determining the return on investment of YMH service transformation via the pan-Canadian ACCESS Open Minds (AOM) project, for which a key focus is on improving access to mental health care and reducing unmet need in community settings. Approach: As a complex intervention package, it is hoped that the AOM transformation will: (i) enable early intervention through accessible, community-based services; (ii) shift care away toward these primary/community settings and away from acute hospital and emergency services; and (iii) offset at least some of the increased costs of primary care/community-based mental health services with reductions in the volume of more resource-intensive acute, emergency, hospital or specialist services utilized. Co-designed with three diverse sites that represent different Canadian contexts, a return on investment analysis will (separately at each site) compare the costs generated by the intervention, including volumes and expenditures associated with the AOM service transformation and any contemporaneous changes in acute, emergency, hospital or service utilization (vs. historical or parallel comparators). Available data from health system partners are being mobilized to assess these hypotheses. Anticipated results: Across urban, semi-urban and Indigenous sites, the additional costs of the AOM transformation and its implementation in community settings are expected to be at least partially offset by a reduction in the need for acute, emergency, hospital or specialist care. Discussion: Complex interventions such as AOM aim to shift care "upstream": away from acute, emergency, hospital and specialist services and toward community-based programming which is more easily accessible, often more appropriate for early-stage presentations, and more resource-efficient. Carrying out economic evaluations of such interventions is challenging given the constraints of available data and health system organization. Nonetheless, such analyses can advance knowledge, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and further implementation of this public health priority.

Clinicians' Attitudes Toward Telepsychology in Addiction and Mental Health Services, and Prediction of Postpandemic Telepsychology Uptake: Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented uptake of telepsychology services; however, clinicians have mixed attitudes toward virtual technologies. OBJECTIVE: This study (1) explored clinicians' experiences of and intentions to use video, telephone, and in-person services, and (2) tested the utility of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to predict clinicians' intentions to offer telepsychology after the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Clinician satisfaction and therapeutic alliance were compared across in-person, video, and telephone services, while technology attitudes and intention to use after the pandemic were compared across video and telephone services among 118 addiction and mental health clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Clinicians reported more positive experiences with in-person services than both virtual technologies; further, clinicians reported greater positive experiences, attitudes, and intentions to use video services than telephone services across measures. Based on the UTAUT, performance expectancy positively predicted concurrent intentions to use video services (ß=0.46; P<.001) and telephone services (ß=0.35; P<.001) after the pandemic. Social influence (ß=0.24; P=.004) and facilitating conditions (ß=0.19; P=.03) additionally predicted the intention to use telephone services. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians rated in-person services more positively than virtual technologies, with video services perceived more positively than telephone services. Performance expectancy was the primary facilitator of the uptake of both virtual modalities.

Patients' Expectations and Experiences With a Mental Health-Focused Supportive Text Messaging Program: Mixed Methods Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Web-based services are an economical and easily scalable means of support that uses existing technology. Text4Support is a supportive, complementary text messaging service that supports people with different mental health conditions after they are discharged from inpatient psychiatric care. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aim to assess user satisfaction with the Text4Support service to gain a better understanding of subscribers' experiences. METHODS: This was a mixed methods study using secondary data from a pilot observational controlled trial. The trial included 181 patients discharged from acute psychiatric care and distributed into 4 randomized groups. Out of the 4 study groups in the initial study, 2 groups who received supportive text messages (89/181, 49.2% of patients), either alone or alongside a peer support worker, were included. Thematic and descriptive analyses were also performed. Differences in feedback based on sex at birth and primary diagnosis were determined using univariate analysis. The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (trial registration number: NCT03404882). RESULTS: Out of 89 participants, 36 (40%) completed the follow-up survey. The principal findings were that Text4Support was well perceived with a high satisfaction rate either regarding the feedback of the messages or their perceived impact. Meanwhile, there was no statistically significant difference between satisfactory items based on the subscriber's sex at birth or primary diagnosis. The patients' initial expectations were either neutral or positive in relation to the expected nature or the impact of the text messages received on their mental well-being. In addition, the subscribers were satisfied with the frequency of the messages, which were received once daily for 6 consecutive months. The participants recommended more personalized messages or mutual interaction with health care personnel. CONCLUSIONS: Text4Support was generally well perceived by patients after hospital discharge, regardless of their sex at birth or mental health diagnosis. Further personalization and interactive platforms were recommended by participants that may need to be considered when designing similar future services.

The Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Physicians, Nurses, and Other Health Care Providers in Alberta: Cross-sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, threats to mental health, psychological safety, and well-being are evident, particularly among the first responders and the health care staff. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the prevalence and potential predictors of the likely stress, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder among health care workers (HCWs). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was used through a survey link sent to gather demographic information and responses on several self-report scales, including the Perceived Stress Scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 among HCWs enrolled in the Text4Hope program. RESULTS: The result from this study suggests that during the COVID-19 pandemic, HCWs reported a high likelihood of moderate-to-high perceived stress (n=840, 81.2%), moderate-to-severe anxiety (n=369, 38.6%), and depression (n=317, 32.7%) symptoms. Nurses and other HCWs were significantly more likely to report depressive symptoms compared to physicians (F(2, 159.47)=15.89, 95% CI -5.05 to -2.04). Younger age groups of HCWs (≤30 years) were more prone to report likely stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms compared to HCWs 41-50 and >50 years old (odds ratio [OR] 1.82-3.03). Similarly, females and those who reported a lack of social support (separated/divorced and single) among HCWs had a higher likelihood to report likely stress and depressive symptoms, respectively (OR 1.8 and 1.6, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional study explored a high level of mental health burdens during the COVID-19 pandemic among HCWs in Alberta. Levels of psychological symptoms were more noticeable in the female gender and the nursing profession.

Naturalistic randomized controlled trial demonstrating effectiveness of Text4Hope in supporting male population mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Mental illness is not uncommon among males. It is estimated that males are more likely to die by suicide, become dependent on alcohol, report frequent drug use, and be dissatisfied with their life, compared to women. In this study, we assessed the potential to offer support to this population using Text4Hope, a texting mental health service. Methods: The study was a naturalistic randomized controlled trial comparing two populations of Text4Hope male subscribers; an intervention group (IG, Text4Hope subscribers who received once-daily supportive text messages for 6 weeks) and a control group (CG, Text4Hope subscribers who joined the program in the same time frame but were yet to receive text messages). Inferential statistics were used to compare the severity and the prevalence of the likely stress, anxiety, and depression, between the two groups, using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and defined the Composite Mental Health (CMH) score as the sum of these three. T-test, Chi-squared association, and binary logistic regression analyses were applied. Results: There were 286 male subscribers to Text4Hope. The majority were above 40 years, white, employed, had postsecondary education, were in a relationship, and owned a home. Mean scores of PSS-10, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scales and the CMH were significantly higher for the CG compared to the IG, 11.4, 28.8, 25.8, and 18.7%, respectively. Similarly, a statistically significantly lower prevalence in IG, compared to the CG, on likely MDD (58.15 vs. 37.4%) and likely GAD (50 vs. 30.8%), with a small effect size. The IG was a significant predictor for lower odds of both likely MDD and likely GAD while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions: The Text4Hope service is an effective tool for mental health support for male subscribers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the males who didn't receive the service, those who received it were in better mental health conditions. Further effort is still needed to encourage males to participate in such online services that can help them receive adequate support, particularly during crisis times.

Shared Care Practices in Community Addiction and Mental Health Services: A Qualitative Study on the Experiences and Perspectives of Stakeholders.

Shared care involves collaboration between primary care, secondary and tertiary care that enables the allocation of responsibilities of care according to the treatment needs of patients over the course of a mental illness. This study aims to determine stakeholders' perspectives on the features of an ideal shared care model and barriers to practicing shared care within addiction and mental health programs in Edmonton, Canada. This is a qualitative cross-sectional study with data collected through focus group discussions. Participants included patients, general practitioners, psychiatrists, management, and therapists working in primary and secondary addiction and mental health. Responses were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. Perceived barriers to the implementation of an ideal shared care model identified by participants include fragmented communication between primary and secondary healthcare providers, patient and family physician discomfort with discussing addiction and mental health, a lack of staff capacity, confidentiality issues, and practitioner buy-in. Participants also identified enablers to include implementing shared electronic medical record systems, improving communication and collaboration, physical co-location, and increasing practitioner awareness of appropriate referrals and services. This original research provides stakeholders' perspectives on the features of an ideal shared care model and barriers to practicing shared care within addiction and mental health programs.

COVID-19 pandemic: influence of relationship status on stress, anxiety, and depression in Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of relationship status on levels of stress, anxiety, and depression during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to identify relationship status groups who are at greater risk of mental health difficulties. METHODS: The sample was drawn from individuals who subscribed to the Text4Hope program, a cognitive behavioral therapy inspired text messaging service developed to support Albertans during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey link was sent to the subscribers to ascertain their relationship status and assess psychopathology using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data analysis was carried out using SPSS-26 for descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Within the first 6 weeks of the pandemic, 8267 of 44·992 subscribers responded to the online survey giving a response rate of 19.4%. Mean scores on the PSS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 were highest among those who were single and lowest among those who were widowed. Overall, mean scores on the PHQ-9 were higher in groups who self-identified as separated or divorced when compared with groups who identified as having partners, including the categories of married or cohabiting. CONCLUSIONS: Relationship status during the COVID-19 pandemic has an influence on the mental health of individuals. Our findings highlight relationship groups at risk of mental health problems during the pandemic and for whom treatments and mitigation should be targeted.

Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Measures for Patients Discharged from Acute Psychiatric Care: Four-Arm Peer and Text Messaging Support Controlled Observational Study.

Background: Peer support workers (PSW) and text messaging services (TxM) are supportive health services that are frequently examined in the field of mental health. Both interventions have positive outcomes, with TxM demonstrating clinical and economic effectiveness and PSW showing its utility within the recovery-oriented model. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of PSW and TxM in reducing psychological distress of recently discharged patients receiving psychiatric care. Methods: This is a prospective, rater-blinded, pilot-controlled observational study consisting of 181 patients discharged from acute psychiatric care. Patients were randomized into one of four conditions: daily supportive text messages only, peer support only, peer support plus daily text messages, or treatment as usual. Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation­Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), a standardized measure of mental distress, was administered at four time points: baseline, six weeks, three months, and six months. MANCOVA was used to assess the impact of the interventions on participants' scores on four CORE-OM subscales across the three follow-up time points. Recovery, clinical change, and reliable change in CORE-OM all-item analysis were examined across the four groups, and the prevalence of risk symptoms was measured. Results: A total of 63 patients completed assessments at each time point. The interaction between PSW and TxM was predictive of differences in scores on the CORE-OM functioning subscale with a medium effect size (F1,63 = 4.19; p = 0.045; ηp2 = 0.07). The PSW + TxM group consistently achieved higher rates of recovery and clinical and reliable improvement compared to the other study groups. Additionally, the text message group and the PSW + TxM group significantly reduced the prevalence of risk of self/other harm symptoms after six months of intervention, with 27.59% (χ2(1) = 4.42, p = 0.04) and 50% (χ2(1) = 9.03, p < 0.01) prevalence reduction, respectively. Conclusions: The combination of peer support and supportive text messaging is an impactful intervention with positive clinical outcomes for acute care patients. Adding the two interventions into routine psychiatric care for patients after discharge is highly recommended.

Text4Hope: Receiving Daily Supportive Text Messages for 3 Months During the COVID-19 Pandemic Reduces Stress, Anxiety, and Depression.

BACKGROUND: This study reports on the changes in stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms of subscribers after 3 months using Text4Hope, a supportive text messaging program designed to provide support during the pandemic. METHODS: Standardized self-report measures were used to evaluate perceived stress (measured with the Perceived Stress Scale-10 [PSS-10]), anxiety (measured with the General Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 [GAD-7]), and depressive symptoms (measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]), at baseline and 3rd month (n = 373). RESULTS: After 3 months of using Text4Hope, subscribers' self-reports revealed significant (p< 0.001) mean score reductions compared with baseline on: the GAD-7 by 22.7%, PHQ-9 by 10.3%, and PSS-10 scores by 5.7%. Reductions in inferred prevalence rates for moderate to high symptoms were also observed, with anxiety demonstrating the largest reduction (15.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Observed Text4Hope-related reductions in psychological distress during COVID-19 indicate that Text4Hope is an effective, convenient, and accessible means of implementing a population-level psychological intervention.