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Shalaby R, Vuong W, Agyapong B, Gusnowski A, Surood S, Agyapong V. Cancer Care Supportive Text Messaging Program (Text4Hope) for People Living With Cancer and Their Caregivers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Observational Study. JMIR Form Res 2024; 8:e53668. [PMID: 38657234 PMCID: PMC11079769 DOI: 10.2196/53668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reham Shalaby
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Wesley Vuong
- Alberta Health Services, Addiction & Mental Health, Edmonton, Canada, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Belinda Agyapong
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - April Gusnowski
- Alberta Health Services, Addiction & Mental Health, Edmonton, Canada, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Shireen Surood
- Alberta Health Services, Addiction & Mental Health, Edmonton, Canada, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Vincent Agyapong
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Elgendy H, Shalaby R, Owusu E, Nkire N, Agyapong VIO, Wei Y. A Scoping Review of Adult Inpatient Satisfaction with Mental Health Services. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:3130. [PMID: 38132021 PMCID: PMC10743343 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11243130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Patient satisfaction with hospital services has been increasingly discussed as an important indicator of healthcare quality. It has been demonstrated that improving patient satisfaction is associated with better compliance with treatment plans and a decrease in patient complaints regarding doctors' and nurses' misconduct. This scoping review's objective is to investigate the pertinent literature on the experiences and satisfaction of patients with mental disorders receiving inpatient psychiatric care. Our goals are to highlight important ideas and explore the data that might serve as a guide to enhance the standard of treatment and patient satisfaction in acute mental health environments. This study is a scoping review that was designed in adherence with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) statement. A systematic search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and EMBASE. A comprehensive review was completed, including articles from January 2012 to June 2022. Qualitative and quantitative studies were included in this review based on our eligibility criteria, such as patient satisfaction as a primary outcome, adult psychiatric inpatients, and non-review studies published in the English language. Studies were considered ineligible if they included nonpsychiatric patients or patients with neurocognitive disorders, review studies, or study measure outcomes other than inpatient satisfaction. For the eligible studies, data extraction was conducted, information was summarized, and the findings were reported. A total of 31 studies representing almost all the world's continents were eligible for inclusion in this scoping review. Different assessment tools and instruments were used in the included studies to measure the level of patients' satisfaction. The majority of the studies either utilized a pre-existing or newly created inpatient satisfaction questionnaire that appeared to be reliable and of acceptable quality. This review has identified a variety of possible factors that affect patients' satisfaction and can be used as a guide for service improvement. More than half of the included studies revealed that the following factors were strongly recommended to enhance inpatient satisfaction with care: a clear discharge plan, less coercive treatment during the hospital stay, more individualized, higher quality information and teaching about the mental disorder to patients by staff, better therapeutic relationships with staff, and specific treatment components that patients enjoy, such as physical exercise sessions and music therapy. Patients also value staff who spend more time with them. The scope of patient satisfaction with inpatient mental health services is a growing source of concern. Patient satisfaction is associated with better adherence to treatment regimens and fewer complaints against health care professionals. This scoping review has identified several patient satisfaction research gaps as well as important determinants of satisfaction and how to measure and utilize patient satisfaction as a guide for service quality improvement. It would be useful for future research and reviews to consider broadening their scope to include the satisfaction of psychiatric patients with innovative services, like peer support groups and other technologically based interventions like text for support. Future research also could benefit from utilizing additional technological tools, such as electronic questionnaires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossam Elgendy
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (R.S.); (E.O.); (N.N.); (V.I.O.A.); (Y.W.)
| | - Reham Shalaby
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (R.S.); (E.O.); (N.N.); (V.I.O.A.); (Y.W.)
| | - Ernest Owusu
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (R.S.); (E.O.); (N.N.); (V.I.O.A.); (Y.W.)
| | - Nnamdi Nkire
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (R.S.); (E.O.); (N.N.); (V.I.O.A.); (Y.W.)
- Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J E34, Canada
| | - Vincent I. O. Agyapong
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (R.S.); (E.O.); (N.N.); (V.I.O.A.); (Y.W.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Yifeng Wei
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (R.S.); (E.O.); (N.N.); (V.I.O.A.); (Y.W.)
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Loitz CC, Johnston JC, Johansen S, Spackman E, Devolin M. Cost analysis of COVID-19 test result notification using an automated messaging system compared to a staff caller practice in Alberta. Can J Public Health 2023; 114:207-217. [PMID: 36795278 PMCID: PMC9933816 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-023-00748-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
SETTING In Alberta, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 tests were an important step in detecting and isolating contagious individuals throughout the pandemic. Initially, a staff member provided results to all PCR COVID-19 test clients by phone. As the number of tests increased, new approaches were essential for timely result notification. INTERVENTION An innovative automated IT system was introduced during the pandemic to reduce workloads and support timely result notification. At the time of the COVID-19 test booking and again following swabbing, clients had an option to consent to receive their test results via an automated text or voice message. Prior to implementation, a privacy impact assessment was approved, a pilot was undertaken, and changes to lab information systems were made. OUTCOMES Health administration data were used in a cost analysis to compare the unique costs associated with the novel automated IT practice (e.g., administration, integration, messages, staffing costs) and a hypothetical staff caller practice (e.g., administration, staffing costs) for negative test results. The costs of sharing 2,161,605 negative test results in 2021 were assessed. The automated IT practice demonstrated a cost savings of $6,272,495 over the staff caller practice. A follow-up analysis determined the cost savings threshold of 46,463 negative tests to break even. IMPLICATIONS Using an automated IT practice for consenting clients can be a cost-effective approach to reach clients in a timely manner during a pandemic or other instances warranting direct notification. This approach is being explored for test result notification of other communicable diseases in other contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina C Loitz
- Provincial Population and Public Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
| | - J Cyne Johnston
- Provincial Population and Public Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sandra Johansen
- Provincial Population and Public Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Eldon Spackman
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Maureen Devolin
- Provincial Population and Public Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Dias RDL, Shalaby R, Agyapong B, Obuobi-Donkor G, Adu MK, Eboreime E, Obeng Nkrumah S, Sridharan S, Simon P, Taylor B, Henderson N, White MD, Maguire H, Gray G, Rahman F, Fair J, Wadden N, Sulyman M, Williams O, Akinkunmi O, Edem D, Arenella P, Morrison J, Awara M, Natarajan A, Nunes A, Hajek T, O’Donavan C, Uher R, Wang J, Rusak B, Wozney L, Sampalli T, Grant D, Tomblin Murphy G, Warford J, Hodder S, Boe R, Agyapong VIO. Augmenting Mental Health Support for Patients Accessing Different Degrees of Formal Psychiatric Care through a Supportive Text Messaging Program: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. Methods Protoc 2023; 6:mps6010019. [PMID: 36827506 PMCID: PMC9959317 DOI: 10.3390/mps6010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients feel more vulnerable when accessing community mental health programs for the first time or after being discharged from psychiatric inpatient units. Long wait times for follow-up appointments, shortage of mental health professionals, lack of service integration, and scarcity of tailored support can weaken their connection to the health care system. As a result, patients can present low adherence, dissatisfaction with treatment, and recurrent hospitalizations. Finding solutions to avoid unnecessary high-cost services and providing tailored and cost-effective mental health interventions may reduce the health system burden and augment patient support. We propose implementing an add-on, supportive text messaging service (Text4Support), developed using cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) principles to augment mental health support for patients attending to or being discharged from psychiatric care in Nova Scotia, Canada. This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effectiveness of Text4Support in improving mental health outcomes and overall mental well-being compared with usual care. We also will examine the intervention's impact on health services utilization and patient satisfaction. The results from this study will provide evidence on stepped and technology-based mental health care, which will contribute to generating new knowledge about mental health innovations in various clinical contexts, which is not only helpful for the local context but to other jurisdictions in Canada and abroad that are seeking to improve their health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel da Luz Dias
- Department of Psychiatry, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
| | - Reham Shalaby
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Belinda Agyapong
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Gloria Obuobi-Donkor
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
| | - Medard K. Adu
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
| | - Ejemai Eboreime
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
| | | | - Sanjana Sridharan
- Department of Psychiatry, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
| | - Patryk Simon
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Bryanne Taylor
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Neal Henderson
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Mathew D. White
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Hugh Maguire
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Gerald Gray
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Faisal Rahman
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Janah Fair
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Nadine Wadden
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Mutiat Sulyman
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Olugbenga Williams
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Oluseye Akinkunmi
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Dorothy Edem
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Pamela Arenella
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Jason Morrison
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Mahmoud Awara
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Anand Natarajan
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Abraham Nunes
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Tomas Hajek
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Claire O’Donavan
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - Rudolf Uher
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3S 1B8, Canada
| | - JianLi Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub, Halifax, NS B3S 0H6, Canada
| | - Benjamin Rusak
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
| | - Lori Wozney
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, IWK Health, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada
| | - Tara Sampalli
- Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub, Halifax, NS B3S 0H6, Canada
| | - Doris Grant
- Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub, Halifax, NS B3S 0H6, Canada
| | | | - Jordan Warford
- Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub, Halifax, NS B3S 0H6, Canada
| | - Samantha Hodder
- School of Nursing, Cape Breton University, Cape Breton, NS B1M 1A2, Canada
| | - Rachel Boe
- Addictions and Mental Health, Horizon Health Network, Fredericton, NB E3B 4R3, Canada
| | - Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong
- Department of Psychiatry, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, Canada
- Correspondence: or
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