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10/23/2023

Connected Healthcare Strategies to Boost Rural Access, Digital Equity

Article Excerpt: In the post-public health emergency (PHE) landscape, healthcare provider organizations are increasingly focused on incorporating and expanding hybrid, omnichannel, and connected models of care. These models leverage digital tools to enhance patient access and experience through capabilities like online scheduling, telehealth, and remote patient monitoring. However, organizations must ensure that medically underserved populations are not left behind, and health equity remains top-of-mind as connected healthcare efforts proliferate nationwide. At Xtelligent Healthcare Media’s 4th Annual Connected Health Virtual Summit in October, leaders from prominent health systems discussed these themes, delving into the opportunities and challenges of leveraging connected care efforts in underserved areas, as well as the importance of digital health equity and strategies for closing digital health gaps.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/2n2u9crc

Article Source: mHealth Intelligence

Posted in: Dissemination & Implementation, Emerging Technologies // Tagged: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
08/28/2023

Long-term participant retention and engagement patterns in an app and wearable-based multinational remote digital depression study

Zhang Y, Pratap A, Folarin AA, Sun S, Cummins N, Matcham F, Vairavan S, Dineley J, Ranjan Y, Rashid Z, Conde P, Stewart C, White KM, Oetzmann C, Ivan A, Lamers F, Siddi S, Rambla CH, Simblett S, Nica R, Mohr DC, Myin-Germeys I, Wykes T, Maria Haro J, Penninx BWJH, Annas P, Narayan VA, Hotopf M, Dobson RJB. (2023). Long-term participant retention and engagement patterns in an app and wearable-based multinational remote digital depression study. NPJ Digital Medicine, 6(1), 25–25. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-023-00749-3

This paper reported findings related to long-term participant retention and engagement in a large observational digital study for depression, using survey and passive sensor data collected via smartphones and Fitbit devices. Participants (N=614) were recruited from three sites in the United Kingdom, Spain and Netherlands. Data were collected for up to 2 years by the EU research program RADAR-MDD. The majority of participants (68%) remained engaged in the study after 43 weeks. Smartphone and Fitbit usage data showed 3 distinct engagement subgroups for each data stream (most engaged, medium engaged, and least engaged). The least engaged group tended to have the highest depression severity and took significantly longer to respond to survey notifications. The least engaged were on average 5 years younger than the most engaged group. Roughly 45% of participants who stopped completing surveys after 8 weeks continued to share Fitbit data (average of 42 weeks). Findings could inform the design of future digital health studies to enable equitable and balanced data collection from diverse populations.

Posted in: Cutting Edge Literature // Tagged: ; ; ; ; ;
06/01/2023

Immersive VR Headsets to Improve Mental Health Services

Article Excerpt: Research finds that therapy through VR headsets can achieve better mental health outcomes up to two to three times faster than traditional treatments. Along with cutting NHS wait times, these VR (virtual reality) headsets can also improve access to services and reduce the severity of some mental health condition symptoms.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/23ren2x2

Article Source: Open Access Government

Posted in: Emerging Technologies // Tagged: ; ; ; ; ;
05/30/2023

Predicting symptom response and engagement in a digital intervention among individuals with schizophrenia and related psychoses

Price GD, Heinz MV, Nemesure MD, McFadden J, Jacobson NC. Predicting symptom response and engagement in a digital intervention among individuals with schizophrenia and related psychoses. Front Psychiatry. 2022;13:807116. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.807116

This study utilized data from a trial delivering a psychosocial smartphone app designed for patients with psychosis (App4Independence or A4i) to better understand personalized markers of digital intervention engagement and response. Machine learning models were applied to baseline data, app use data, and semi-structured interview data to predict response to change in symptoms, level of engagement, and qualitative impressions of the A4i app. Thirty-eight participants received the A4i app intervention for one month. Machine learning models were capable of moderately predicting participant engagement and experience with the app (r=0.39) as well as changes in psychosis symptom severity (r=0.32). Participants with high baseline interpersonal sensitivity, versus low, benefitted more from the A4i intervention in reducing symptom severity. Additionally, participants with lower baseline psychotic and obsessive-compulsive traits were predicted to benefit more. Higher baseline depression predicted both higher engagement and satisfaction with the app. These findings demonstrate the potential of predicting response to a digital intervention for psychosis using unique patient factors. This study further highlights the need to investigate individual response to and engagement with digital-based mental health interventions. Future research should consider how individual demographic characteristics influence engagement with a digital intervention.

Posted in: Cutting Edge Literature // Tagged: ; ; ; ; ;
01/10/2023

Challenges in Recruiting University Students for Web-Based Indicated Prevention of Depression and Anxiety: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial (ICare Prevent)

Bolinski F, Kleiboer A, Neijenhuijs K, Karyotaki E, Wiers R, de Koning L, Jacobi C, Zarski A, Weisel K, Cuijpers P, Riper H. Challenges in Recruiting University Students for Web-Based Indicated Prevention of Depression and Anxiety: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial (ICare Prevent). J Med Internet Res 2022;24(12):e40892. DOI: 10.2196/40892

This study described recruitment challenges for a transdiagnostic, web-based prevention program and presented initial analysis on the intervention’s effectiveness on depression and anxiety symptoms. The study was a 3-arm randomized controlled trial with students (at least 16 years old) with subclinical symptoms of depression and anxiety to compare individually guided and automatically guided versions of ICare Prevent versus care as usual. ICare Prevent is a web-based and mobile-supported intervention for prevention of depression and anxiety. ICare Prevent is a 7-session web-based program (45-60 minutes each) and participants were instructed to complete 1-2 sessions weekly. ICare Prevent also provides elective modules and diaries that target factors common to mood and anxiety problems (i.e., sleep, alcohol use, positive activities). The individually guided version provided structured and personalized feedback on exercises and the automatically guided version provided standard and computerized feedback after each session. The study’s original recruitment goal was 252 student participants. Various strategies of recruitment were used, including social media campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, printed advertising at universities, paid participant platform, and other collaborations. Direct recruitment using students’ email addresses via the student administration was the most effective strategy. Despite these strategies, data was available for only 35 participants (individually guided: n=14, automatically guided: n=8, care as usual: n=13). Participants provided self-reported depression and anxiety symptoms at baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. Log data from the intervention platform showed low usage, with an average of 3 out of 7 sessions completed. Results did not show sufficient evidence of intervention effects on depression and anxiety over time in any intervention arm. Overall, recruitment for this population was challenging and more research is needed to identify factors to better engage college students in research studies.

Posted in: Cutting Edge Literature // Tagged: ; ; ; ; ; ;
11/02/2022

Digital Solution for Smoking Cessation Shows Positive Results in Randomized Trial

Article Excerpt: A behavioral change digital health company has announced positive results from a randomized controlled trial for its app-based digital tool for tobacco use cessation. Pivot’s tool provides evidence-based tobacco cessation interventions, an interactive breath sensor, human coaching, nicotine replacement therapy, a digital support community, as well as behavioral therapy, the company stated in a press release.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/5dhkv6fe

Article Source: Healio

Posted in: Emerging Technologies // Tagged: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
10/24/2022

Building Strong Futures: The Feasibility of Using a Targeted Digital Media Campaign to Improve Knowledge About Pregnancy and Low Birthweight Among Black Women

Bonnevie E, Rosenberg SD, Goldbarg J, Ashley-West A, & Smyser J. (2021). Building Strong Futures: The Feasibility of Using a Targeted Digital Media Campaign to Improve Knowledge About Pregnancy and Low Birthweight Among Black Women. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 25(1), 127–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-020-03068-1

This article reports the campaign methods for a digital intervention targeting Black women in one Florida county to promote positive pregnancy-related knowledge and attitudes related to low birthweight. The Strong Beautiful Future campaign was tailored toward Black women around a reproductive empowerment lens. Content focused on emphasizing healthy pregnancy-related behaviors (prenatal care, nutrition, weight gain, and birthweight) and creating positive representations of Black women throughout the pregnancy stages, using images and videos. Content was posted 5-7 times each week on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for 2 years and digital ads and local social media influencers were used to promote the campaign. Researchers measured campaign engagement through digital metrics. After two years of campaign implementation, social media accounts had 1784 total followers, with most on Facebook (n=920). In the two years, on a monthly average, Facebook had the highest number of times the content was displayed, but Instagram showed highest level of engagement (number of likes, comments, shares, views and clicks). Three cross-sectional surveys were conducted online over the study period to examine Black women’s pregnancy-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Findings showed a non-significant increase in knowledge about prenatal care, weight gain, exercise, and health impacts of low birthweight. Overall, this study highlights how a targeted digital campaign to providing health information is feasible in reaching Black women in targeted locations.

Posted in: Cutting Edge Literature // Tagged: ; ; ; ; ; ;
10/23/2022

Can VR Act as A Digital Therapeutic?

Article Excerpt: Our digital, two-dimensional lives leave little room for focus. Our eyes dart from screen to screen over the course of the day as notifications and messages draw our attention away from tasks, from relaxation, from the faces of our loved ones. Through all of its flatness, our digital lives are dominated by distraction—so much so that we can sometimes forget to breathe. Finding lasting inner peace from within this flattened world can be a neurological nightmare. Mindfulness and meditation apps, digital health’s answer in the last decade, use many of the same engagement methods that have propelled other consumer applications like games and fitness apps to success. Strategies like achievements and social connectivity have kept many users coming back to engage in evidence-based, clinically effective therapies. But even the most effective and engaging mindfulness apps can’t transcend the noise and distraction of our everyday lives.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/mryfpr8m

Article Source: Fast Company

Posted in: Emerging Technologies // Tagged: ; ; ; ; ;
09/26/2022

Predictors of adolescent engagement and outcomes – A cross-sectional study using the Togetherall (formerly Big White Wall) digital mental health platform

Marinova N, Rogers T, and MacBeth A. “Predictors of Adolescent Engagement and Outcomes – A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Togetherall (formerly Big White Wall) Digital Mental Health Platform.” Journal of affective disorders 311 (2022): 284–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.05.058

This study modelled predictors of engagement and symptom change in adolescent users of Togetherall anonymous digital mental health peer-support platform. Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of longitudinal user data from 606 Togetherall users (16-18 years old) referred from mental health services in the United Kingdom. Togetherall is a membership-based digital platform that supports delivery of peer support moderated by professionals, self-help materials, guided courses, digital art, and self-monitoring of mental well-being. Usage metrics, including number of logins, session duration, usage time, and number of guided courses and self-help materials accessed were collected. Participant characteristics and anxiety and depression symptoms were used to predict engagement and participants chose when and whether to complete a symptom measure. Average number of logins was 5.11 and mean usage time 64.22 minutes. 34% of participants discontinued use after one log-in. Total usage time predicted more access of self-help materials. Females made greater use of materials and courses than males. Higher baseline depression and anxiety, longer usage time, and session duration predicted lower post intervention depression scores. Higher baseline depression and anxiety and more self-help materials accessed predicted lower post intervention anxiety scores. Findings demonstrate that adolescents with significant levels of morbidity readily engaged with an anonymous online platform for support with mental health. Togetherall may offer a supportive community for adolescents using mental health services. Future studies are needed to establish effectiveness, adherence and acceptability using robust RCTs with active comparison groups.

Posted in: Cutting Edge Literature // Tagged: ; ; ; ; ; ; ;