Preferences for telehealth: A qualitative study with people accessing a new mental health service
Objectives To examine preferences for telehealth versus in-person services for people who sought mental health support from an unfamiliar service during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the factors that influenced these preferences. Methods Data are drawn from semi-structured interviews with 45...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Digital Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231211083 |
| _version_ | 1797643176343764992 |
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| author | Anne Honey Monique Hines Rebecca Barton Bridget Berry John Gilroy Helen Glover Nicola Hancock Shifra Waks Karen Wells |
| author_facet | Anne Honey Monique Hines Rebecca Barton Bridget Berry John Gilroy Helen Glover Nicola Hancock Shifra Waks Karen Wells |
| author_sort | Anne Honey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives To examine preferences for telehealth versus in-person services for people who sought mental health support from an unfamiliar service during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the factors that influenced these preferences. Methods Data are drawn from semi-structured interviews with 45 participants (32 people who accessed mental health services, 7 informal support people, and 6 people who accessed services themselves as well as identifying as informal supports). Data relating to experiences of telehealth, comparisons with in-person services and preferences were coded inductively and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Just over half of the participants in our sample preferred telehealth or at least regarded it as a suitable option. Those who preferred telehealth were more likely to have had direct experience, particularly via videoconferencing, as part of their access to this new mental health service. Reasons for preferring in-person services included belief in the superiority of interpersonal communication in these settings, compatibility with personal communication style and discomfort with technology. Those preferring telehealth cited its convenience, elimination of the need to travel for services, the comfort and safety afforded by accessing services at home and the ability to communicate more openly. Conclusions Hybrid models of care which harness the unique benefits of both in-person and remote service modalities appear to have a legitimate place in models of mental health care outside of pandemic situations. These results illuminate the potential of telehealth services when engaging with people seeking mental health help for the first time and in situations where existing relationships with service providers have not yet been established. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T14:11:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-53e920dff20d4b3283ceee67fb1c212c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-2076 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T14:11:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Digital Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-53e920dff20d4b3283ceee67fb1c212c2023-11-01T23:35:03ZengSAGE PublishingDigital Health2055-20762023-11-01910.1177/20552076231211083Preferences for telehealth: A qualitative study with people accessing a new mental health serviceAnne Honey0Monique Hines1Rebecca Barton2Bridget Berry3John Gilroy4Helen Glover5Nicola Hancock6Shifra Waks7Karen Wells8 , Sydney, Australia , Sydney, Australia , Sydney, Australia , Sydney, Australia , Sydney, Australia Enlightened Consultants, Brisbane, Qld, Australia , Sydney, Australia , Sydney, Australia , Sydney, AustraliaObjectives To examine preferences for telehealth versus in-person services for people who sought mental health support from an unfamiliar service during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the factors that influenced these preferences. Methods Data are drawn from semi-structured interviews with 45 participants (32 people who accessed mental health services, 7 informal support people, and 6 people who accessed services themselves as well as identifying as informal supports). Data relating to experiences of telehealth, comparisons with in-person services and preferences were coded inductively and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Just over half of the participants in our sample preferred telehealth or at least regarded it as a suitable option. Those who preferred telehealth were more likely to have had direct experience, particularly via videoconferencing, as part of their access to this new mental health service. Reasons for preferring in-person services included belief in the superiority of interpersonal communication in these settings, compatibility with personal communication style and discomfort with technology. Those preferring telehealth cited its convenience, elimination of the need to travel for services, the comfort and safety afforded by accessing services at home and the ability to communicate more openly. Conclusions Hybrid models of care which harness the unique benefits of both in-person and remote service modalities appear to have a legitimate place in models of mental health care outside of pandemic situations. These results illuminate the potential of telehealth services when engaging with people seeking mental health help for the first time and in situations where existing relationships with service providers have not yet been established.https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231211083 |
| spellingShingle | Anne Honey Monique Hines Rebecca Barton Bridget Berry John Gilroy Helen Glover Nicola Hancock Shifra Waks Karen Wells Preferences for telehealth: A qualitative study with people accessing a new mental health service Digital Health |
| title | Preferences for telehealth: A qualitative study with people accessing a new mental
health service |
| title_full | Preferences for telehealth: A qualitative study with people accessing a new mental
health service |
| title_fullStr | Preferences for telehealth: A qualitative study with people accessing a new mental
health service |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preferences for telehealth: A qualitative study with people accessing a new mental
health service |
| title_short | Preferences for telehealth: A qualitative study with people accessing a new mental
health service |
| title_sort | preferences for telehealth a qualitative study with people accessing a new mental health service |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231211083 |
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