Application of telemental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Fountoulakis, KN
Davids, J
Ashrafian, H
Type
Chapter
Abstract
The 2019 SARS-CoV-2 significantly impacted mental health service delivery across the globe. The Global Mental Health crisis carries a significant psychosocial burden to societies with economic repercussions. The extent of the crises is yet to be fully appreciated.
However, in one 2020 WHO survey, it was reported that over 60% of disruptions were related to mental health services for vulnerable people, including children and adolescents (72%); older adults (70%), and women requiring antenatal or postnatal services (61%). Furthermore, around 67% of populations encountered significant disruptions to counseling and psychotherapy with 65% seeing disruptions to critical harm reduction services. Also, 45% of these disruptions were related to opioid maintenance treatment and dependence. Greater than a third (35%) reported disruptions to emergency interventions, including those for people experiencing prolonged seizures; severe withdrawal syndromes from substance misuse; and delirium, often a sign of a serious underlying medical condition and over 30% reporting significant disruptions in accessing medication for mental health (WHO Survey 2020). These disruptions have undoubtedly led to significant delays in the provision of effective mental healthcare services to patients with a gamut of disorders that require acute and chronic management.
We present a loco-regional case study from the 3rd Department of Psychiatry of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, which has established the first official tele-psychiatry outpatient unit to support the growing impact of disruption to mental health services during the pandemic. This model is presented as a model of good clinical practice.
However, in one 2020 WHO survey, it was reported that over 60% of disruptions were related to mental health services for vulnerable people, including children and adolescents (72%); older adults (70%), and women requiring antenatal or postnatal services (61%). Furthermore, around 67% of populations encountered significant disruptions to counseling and psychotherapy with 65% seeing disruptions to critical harm reduction services. Also, 45% of these disruptions were related to opioid maintenance treatment and dependence. Greater than a third (35%) reported disruptions to emergency interventions, including those for people experiencing prolonged seizures; severe withdrawal syndromes from substance misuse; and delirium, often a sign of a serious underlying medical condition and over 30% reporting significant disruptions in accessing medication for mental health (WHO Survey 2020). These disruptions have undoubtedly led to significant delays in the provision of effective mental healthcare services to patients with a gamut of disorders that require acute and chronic management.
We present a loco-regional case study from the 3rd Department of Psychiatry of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, which has established the first official tele-psychiatry outpatient unit to support the growing impact of disruption to mental health services during the pandemic. This model is presented as a model of good clinical practice.
Editor(s)
Azzopardi Muscat, Natasha
Date Issued
2021-12-02
Citation
1st Meeting of the Minds: vol. 1, 2021, pp.42-46
ISBN
978-2-8325-1218-0
Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A.
Start Page
42
End Page
46
Journal / Book Title
1st Meeting of the Minds: vol. 1
Copyright Statement
© 2021 The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed.
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