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Summarizing current news and empirical literature related to digital health technologies
Eye on Innovation

Summarizing current news and empirical literature related to digital health technologies

The field of behavioral health and technology moves at a rapid pace. CTBH follows news and empirical publications and compiles references to and synopses of pieces describing cutting edge applications of technology in behavioral health.
Eye on Innovation
05/24/2023

Telehealth for Addiction Treatment Rose Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Article Excerpt: Published in JAMA Network Open, new study findings indicate that insured adults, particularly those who were younger, had higher participation rates in overall and telehealth-enabled addiction treatment following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an unprecedented and widespread shift to virtual care modalities. Although many studies have indicated success associated with telehealth use, researchers aimed to discern its relationship with treatment for addiction. They also sought to determine whether there were differences in addiction treatment utilization after telehealth policy changes by demographics such as age, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/y5jb33ud

Article Source: mHealth Intelligence

05/22/2023

Addiction Recovery Provider Uses AI to Monitor Telehealth Meds for Opioid Use Disorder

Article Excerpt: In senior living communities and nursing homes, it’s often a challenge to keep residents with opioid-use disorder in treatment and monitor their medications when they can’t visit the doctor. An addiction medicine practice in Indiana found a fix by creating a platform combining smartphone and AI technology to connect patients with doctors and help providers comply with treatment regulations.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/9xuzfu5y

Article Source: McKnights Senior Living

05/12/2023

Health Inequities Impact on Digital Therapeutics

Article Excerpt: When we look at health inequities, we’ve been using different applications to bridge some of those inequities, primarily around language. We still have a long way to go with some of the cultural barriers, but we can slowly break down some of them and instill a greater understanding with different populations by putting information in front of them in a way that engages them.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/25f7cmc2

Article Source: Managed Healthcare Executive

05/09/2023

Can Machine Learning, Wearable Tech Help Treat Mental Health?

Article Excerpt: New research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York indicated that using Apple Watch data, such as heart rate variability and resting heart rate, could assist in training machine learning models to determine patient well-being and resilience. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 20 percent of US adults have a mental illness. The CDC also noted that mental health diagnoses are some of the most common health conditions in the US. This latest study showed that wearable devices could help support patients with mental health diagnoses by collecting assistive data.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/3xubk4du

Article Source: Health IT Analytics

05/02/2023

When Naloxone Isn’t Enough: How Technology Can Save Lives when People Use Drugs Alone

Article Excerpt: Researchers from Brown and Rhode Island Hospital are working with Rhode Island community members to understand how apps, monitors and other emerging technologies can help prevent opioid overdose deaths.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/b47n7373

Article Source: News from Brown

04/27/2023

ChatGPT Is Giving Therapy. a Mental Health Revolution May Be Next

Article Excerpt: ChatGPT itself warns that it is not a replacement for a psychologist or counsellor. But that has not stopped some people from using the platform as their personal therapist. In posts on online forums such as Reddit, users have described their experiences asking ChatGPT for advice about personal problems and difficult life events like breakups. Some have reported their experience with the chatbot being as good or better than traditional therapy.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/ybekzdkp

Article Source: Aljazeera

04/18/2023

Translating Violence Prevention Programs from Research to Practice: SafERteens Implementation in an Urban Emergency Department

Carter PM, Cunningham RM, Eisman AB, Resnicow K, Roche JS, Cole JT, Goldstick J, Kilbourne AM, & Walton MA. (2022). Translating Violence Prevention Programs from Research to Practice: SafERteens Implementation in an Urban Emergency Department. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 62(1), 109–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2021.09.003

This study examined the translation of SafERteens, an evidence-based violence prevention program, into clinical care. Implementation of the program was piloted in an emergency department (ED) hospital setting with youth (14-18 years old) who screened positive for recent aggression during an ED visit. Youth participants were randomized to SafERteens (delivered remotely by study therapists or in-person by hospital staff) or enhanced usual care. The SafERteens intervention is a 30–45-minute brief behavioral intervention that integrates motivational interviewing for cognitive behavioral strategies. Participants also received an optional 2-month tailored text messaging program on self-efficacy, reminders on their goals, and tools to avoid violence. Data was collected from hospital staff on implementation facilitators and barriers using the RE-AIM framework. SafERteens completion rate was found to be 77.6% for remote delivery and 49.1% for in-person delivery. The SafERteens and tailored text messaging demonstrated high acceptability among youth; 84.9% of participants found it helpful. After the intervention, participants reported increased self-efficacy to avoid fighting and decreased pro-violence attitudes compared to baseline. Hospital staff reported a number of barriers to implementation such as limited staff availability and lack of reimbursement for staff time to conduct intervention delivery. Remote delivery of SafERteens can be a promising strategy to overcome resource limitations. Results demonstrate that policymakers should continue to expand reimbursement mechanisms in hospitals for violence screening and interventions.

04/17/2023

Technology Can Reduce Providers’ Mental Healthcare Challenges

Article Excerpt: During HIMSS Global Conference’s Behavioral Health Forum, John MacKenzie, clinical program manager and behavioral health specialist at CommonSpirit Telehealth Network, discussed how to support caregivers and help patients suffering from behavioral health issues using virtual care… MacKenzie said organizations should aim to provide technological tools based on data and outcomes – such as telepsychiatry and remote behavioral health support, to improve behavioral health treatment options.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/5n97tem2

Article Source: MobiHealth News

04/10/2023

Combined Laboratory and Field Test of a Smartphone Breath Alcohol Device and Blood Alcohol Concentration Estimator to Facilitate Moderate Drinking Among Young Adults

Leeman RF, Berey BL, Frohe T, Rowland BHP, Martens MP, Fucito LM, Stellefson M, Nixon SJ, & O’Malley SS. (2022). A combined laboratory and field test of a smartphone breath alcohol device and blood alcohol concentration estimator to facilitate moderate drinking among young adults. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 36(6), 710–723. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000780

This paper evaluated feasibility, usability, acceptability, and efficacy of blood alcohol content (BAC) related moderate drinking technology during a laboratory alcohol self-administration session and follow-up field test in real-world situations. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 technologies to use during a laboratory alcohol drinking session: (1) breathalyzer alcohol device connected to an app, (2) BAC estimator app where participants make entries about drinking behavior, and (3) a self-texting control condition where participants send a text after each alcoholic drink consumed. All participants completed a laboratory alcohol-drinking session while using the assigned technology procedure. After this session, participants were instructed to use all three forms of technologies for two weeks. At the end of the field-testing period, acceptability, usability, and perspectives on all three technologies were The breathalyzer and BAC estimator app both had favorable acceptability and usability ratings. Participants used at least one form of technology on 67% of drinking days. Based on self-reported data, as also significantly lower during the field-test period than at baseline. Overall, combining lab and field methods to test drinking technologies was feasible among young adults. Results support the potential of mobile interventions to help young adults in motivating behavior change given their willingness to use apps.