Using digital technologies in community mental health

Aisling Treanor; Adil Abrar; Katie Harris; Eric Morris; Jerome Carson

doi:10.1921/swssr.v14i3.498

Authors

Aisling Treanor
Adil Abrar
Katie Harris
Eric Morris
Jerome Carson

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v14i3.498

Keywords:

recovery, SMS, self-management, internet, mental health

Abstract

The Internet is not a ‘fad’ that will soon disappear, but is rather a new ‘environment’ in which people interact with others, engage and have experiences. The Internet is a tool with never before seen potential. Utilizing this new technology, mental health professionals can provide evidence based interventions and prevention programs to a number of mentally ill and distressed persons. The following study explores the use of ‘Buddy’ an online mood monitoring service to determine whether self-reflection can help people with mental health problems understand the relationship between the things they do in their daily lives and their mental state and then endeavour to change their behaviour for the better. Through the personal accounts of 12 service users, the use of ‘Buddy’ as a self-management tool is investigated and a number of positive and negative issues are discussed.

References

Bowen, A.M., Horvath, K., & Williams, M.L. (2007). A randomised control trial of internet-delivered HIV prevention targeting rural MSM. Health Education Research, 22, 120-127\nChristensen, H., Griffiths, K.M., & Evans, K (2002). E-mental health in Australia: Implications of the internet and related technologies for policy (ISC Discussion Paper No. 3). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth Department for Health and Ageing\nCleary, M., Walter, G., & Matheson, S (2008). What is the role of e-technology in mental health services and Psychiatric research. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 46, 42-46\nEysenbach, G (2000). Consumer health informatics. British Medical Journal, 320, 1713-1316\nEysenbach, G (2001). What is e-health? Journal of Medical Internet Research, 3, 2, E20\nFarrell, S.P., Mahone, I.H., & Guilbaud, P (2004). Web technology for persons with serious mental illness. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 18, 121-125\nFaulkner, A., & Layzell, S. (2000). Strategies for Living: A report of user led research into people’s strategies for living with mental distress. London: Mental Health Foundation\nFjeldsoe, B.S., Marshall, A.L., & Miller, Y.D. (2009). Behaviour change interventions delivered by mobile telephone short-message service. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36, 2, 165-173\nForesight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project (2008) Final Project Report: Executive Summary. London: Government Office for Science\nFox, K.R. (2000). Physical activity and mental health promotion: The natural partnership. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2, 1, 4-12\nFox, S., Raine, L., Horrigan, J., Lenhart, A., Spooner, T., Burke, M et al (2000) The online healthcare revolution: How the web helps Americans take better care of themselves. Pew Internet and American Life Project\nGriffiths, K.M., Farrer, L., & Christensen, H (2007). Clickety-Click: E-mental health train on track. Australasian Psychiatry, 15, 100-108\nHaviland, M.G., Pincus, H.A., & Dial, T.H. (2003). Type of illness and use of the internet for health information. Psychiatric Services, 58, 307\nHenwood F, Wyatt S, Hart A, Smith J (2003) ‘Ignorance is bliss sometimes.’ Constraints on the emergence of the ‘informed patient’ in the changing landscapes of health information. Sociology of Health and Illness. 25,: 589-607\nKlein, B & Richards, C (2005). A brief Internet-based treatment for panic disorder. Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapy, 29, 1, 536-542\nLevy, J.A & Strombeck, R (2002). Health benefits and risks of the internet. Journal of Medical Systems, 26, 495-510\nLykken D (1999) Happiness: The nature and nurture of joy and contentment. New York: St Martin’s Griffin\nMatilla, E., Parkka, J., Hermersdorf, M., Kaasinen, J., Vainio, J., Samposalo, K., Merilhati, J., Kolari, J., Kulju, M., Lappalainen, R., & Korhonen, I. (2008). ‘Mobile diary for Wellness Management- results on usage and usability in two user studies’, IEEE Transaction on Information Technology in Biomedicine, 12, 4\nMcKendree-Smith, N.L., Floyd, M., & Scogin, F.R. (2003). Self-administered treatments for depression: A review. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59, 275-288\nMorris, M.E., Kathawala, Q., Leen, T.K., Gorenstein, E.E., Guilak, F., Labhard, M., & Deleeuw, W. (2010). Mobile Therapy: Case Study Evaluation of a Cell Phone Application for Emotional Self-Awareness. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 12, 2, e10\nNewman, M.G., Consoli, A., & Barr, T.C. (1997). Computers in assessment and cognitive behavioral treatment of clinical disorders. Anxiety as a case in point. Behaviour Therapy, 28, 211-235\nNeville, R., Greene, A., McLeod, J., Tracy, A., & Surie, J. (2002) Mobile phone text messaging can help young people manage asthma. British Medical Journal 325-600\nPowell, J., & Clarke, A (2006). Internet information seeking in mental health: Population survey. British Journal of Psychiatry, 189, 273-277\nPreziosa, A., Grassi, A., Gaggioli, A & Riva, G (2009). Therapeutic applications of the mobile phone. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 37, 313-325\nPriebe, S. Huxley, P. Knight, S. & Evans, S. (1999) Application and results of the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life, MANSA. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 45, 1, 7-12\nRichards, D (2004). Self-help: Empowering service users or aiding cash strapped mental health services. Journal of Mental Health, 13, 2, 117-123\nRideout, V (2001). Generation Rx.com: How young people use the internet for health information. Menlo Park, CA: Kaiser Family Foundation\nRiva, G., Preziosa, A., Grassi, A., & Villani, D. (2006). ‘Stress management using UMTS cellular phones: a controlled trial.’ Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 119, 461-463\nRobertson, L., Smith, M, Castle, D., & Tannenbaum, D (2006). Using the internet to enhance the treatment of depression. Australasian Psychiatry, 14, 413-417\nRogers, A., Corbett, T., Bramley, D., Riddell, T., Wills, M., Lin, R-B., et al. (2005). ‘Do you smoke after txt? Results of a randomised controlled trial of smoking cessation using mobile phone text messaging.’ Tobacco Control, 14, 255-261\nSalyers MP, Godfrey JL, Meuser KT, Labriola S (2007) Measuring illness management outcomes: A psychometric study of clinician and consumer rating scales for illness self-management and recovery. Community Mental Health Journal, 43. 5. 459-480\nScogin, F.R., Hanson, A., & Welsh, D (2003). Self-administered treatment in stepped care models of depression treatment. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59, 341-349\nShapiro, J.R., Bauer, S., Andrews, E., Pisetsky, E., Bulik-Sullivan, B & Hammer, R.M. (2010). Mobile Therapy: Use of Text-Messaging in the Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 43, 6, 513-519\nStewart-Brown, S. Tennant, A. Tennant, A. Platt, S. Parkinson, J. & Weich, S. (2009) Internal construct validity of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): a Rasch analysis using data from the Scottish Health Education Population Survey. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 7, 15\nTaylor, C.B., Jobson, K.O., Winzelberg, A & Abascal, L (2002). The use of the internet to provide evidence based integrated treatment programs fro mental Health Psychiatric Annals, 32, 11, 677\nWagner, E.H., Austin, B.T., Von Koroff, M. (1996). Organising care for patients with chronic illness. Milbank Quarterly, 74, 511-544\n<a target="_blank" href='http://www.nice.org.uk'>www.nice.org.uk</a>\n<a target="_blank" href='http://www.bis.gov.uk/foresight'>www.bis.gov.uk/foresight</a>\n