scholarly journals Digital Peer Support Mental Health Interventions for People With a Lived Experience of a Serious Mental Illness: Systematic Review (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L Fortuna ◽  
John A Naslund ◽  
Jessica M LaCroix ◽  
Cynthia L Bianco ◽  
Jessica M Brooks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Clinical Effectiveness ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Inclusion Criteria

BACKGROUND Peer support is recognized globally as an essential recovery service for people with mental health conditions. With the influx of digital mental health services changing the way mental health care is delivered, peer supporters are increasingly using technology to deliver peer support. In light of these technological advances, there is a need to review and synthesize the emergent evidence for peer-supported digital health interventions for adults with mental health conditions. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify and review the evidence of digital peer support interventions for people with a lived experience of a serious mental illness. METHODS This systematic review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) procedures. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 1946 and December 2018 that examined digital peer support interventions for people with a lived experience of a serious mental illness. Additional articles were found by searching the reference lists from the 27 articles that met the inclusion criteria and a Google Scholar search in June 2019. Participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design (PICOS) criteria were used to assess study eligibility. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, and reviewed all full-text articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Discrepancies were discussed and resolved. All included studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Methodological Quality Rating Scale. RESULTS Thirty studies (11 randomized controlled trials, 2 quasiexperimental, 15 pre-post designs, and 2 qualitative studies) were included that reported on 24 interventions. Most of the studies demonstrated feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of peer-to-peer networks, peer-delivered interventions supported with technology, and asynchronous and synchronous technologies. CONCLUSIONS Digital peer support interventions appear to be feasible and acceptable, with strong potential for clinical effectiveness. However, the field is in the early stages of development and requires well-powered efficacy and clinical effectiveness trials. CLINICALTRIAL PROSPERO CRD42020139037; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID= 139037

scholarly journals Digital Peer Support Mental Health Interventions for People With a Lived Experience of a Serious Mental Illness: Systematic Review

10.2196/16460 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e16460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L Fortuna ◽  
John A Naslund ◽  
Jessica M LaCroix ◽  
Cynthia L Bianco ◽  
Jessica M Brooks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Clinical Effectiveness ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Inclusion Criteria

Background Peer support is recognized globally as an essential recovery service for people with mental health conditions. With the influx of digital mental health services changing the way mental health care is delivered, peer supporters are increasingly using technology to deliver peer support. In light of these technological advances, there is a need to review and synthesize the emergent evidence for peer-supported digital health interventions for adults with mental health conditions. Objective The aim of this study was to identify and review the evidence of digital peer support interventions for people with a lived experience of a serious mental illness. Methods This systematic review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) procedures. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 1946 and December 2018 that examined digital peer support interventions for people with a lived experience of a serious mental illness. Additional articles were found by searching the reference lists from the 27 articles that met the inclusion criteria and a Google Scholar search in June 2019. Participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design (PICOS) criteria were used to assess study eligibility. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, and reviewed all full-text articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Discrepancies were discussed and resolved. All included studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Methodological Quality Rating Scale. Results Thirty studies (11 randomized controlled trials, 2 quasiexperimental, 15 pre-post designs, and 2 qualitative studies) were included that reported on 24 interventions. Most of the studies demonstrated feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of peer-to-peer networks, peer-delivered interventions supported with technology, and asynchronous and synchronous technologies. Conclusions Digital peer support interventions appear to be feasible and acceptable, with strong potential for clinical effectiveness. However, the field is in the early stages of development and requires well-powered efficacy and clinical effectiveness trials. Trial Registration PROSPERO CRD42020139037; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID= 139037

scholarly journals Certified Older Adult Peer Support Specialists' Use of Technology to Support Older Adults in the Community

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 128-129
Author(s):  
Karen Fortuna
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Middle Aged

Abstract Middle-aged and older adults with mental health conditions have a high likelihood of experiencing comorbid physical health conditions, premature nursing home admissions, and early death compared with the general population of middle-aged and older adults. An emerging workforce of certified older adult peer support specialists aged 50 years or above is one of the fastest growing mental health workforces and may be a suitable community-based workforce to simultaneously support the mental health, physical health, and aging needs of middle-aged and older adults with a serious mental illness. Older adult peer support specialists are people with a lived experience of aging into middle age and older adulthood with a mental health condition. This presentation will present three single-arm pilot studies examining how certified older adult peer support specialists’ incorporate technology, including text messaging, ecological momentary assessments, and smartphone applications into practice and clinical outcomes among older adults with serious mental illness.

scholarly journals Peer Support in Mental Health: Literature Review (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reham A Hameed Shalaby ◽  
Vincent I O Agyapong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Care System

BACKGROUND A growing gap has emerged between people with mental illness and health care professionals, which in recent years has been successfully closed through the adoption of peer support services (PSSs). Peer support in mental health has been variously defined in the literature and is simply known as the help and support that people with lived experience of mental illness or a learning disability can give to one another. Although PSSs date back to several centuries, it is only in the last few decades that these services have formally evolved, grown, and become an integral part of the health care system. Debates around peer support in mental health have been raised frequently in the literature. Although many authors have emphasized the utmost importance of incorporating peer support into the health care system to instill hope; to improve engagement, quality of life, self-confidence, and integrity; and to reduce the burden on the health care system, other studies suggest that there are neutral effects from integrating PSSs into health care systems, with a probable waste of resources. OBJECTIVE In this general review, we aimed to examine the literature, exploring the evolution, growth, types, function, generating tools, evaluation, challenges, and the effect of PSSs in the field of mental health and addiction. In addition, we aimed to describe PSSs in different, nonexhaustive contexts, as shown in the literature, that aims to draw attention to the proposed values of PSSs in such fields. METHODS The review was conducted through a general search of the literature on MEDLINE, Google Scholar, EMBASE, Scopus, Chemical Abstracts, and PsycINFO. Search terms included peer support, peer support in mental health, social support, peer, family support, and integrated care. RESULTS There is abundant literature defining and describing PSSs in different contexts as well as tracking their origins. Two main transformational concepts have been described, namely, intentional peer support and transformation from patients to peer support providers. The effects of PSSs are extensive and integrated into different fields, such as forensic PSSs, addiction, and mental health, and in different age groups and mental health condition severity. Satisfaction of and challenges to PSS integration have been clearly dependent on a number of factors and consequently impact the future prospect of this workforce. CONCLUSIONS There is an internationally growing trend to adopt PSSs within addiction and mental health services, and despite the ongoing challenges, large sections of the current literature support the inclusion of peer support workers in the mental health care workforce. The feasibility and maintenance of a robust PSS in health care would only be possible through collaborative efforts and ongoing support and engagement from all health care practitioners, managers, and other stakeholders.

scholarly journals Peer Support in Mental Health: Literature Review

10.2196/15572 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. e15572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reham A Hameed Shalaby ◽  
Vincent I O Agyapong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Care System

Background A growing gap has emerged between people with mental illness and health care professionals, which in recent years has been successfully closed through the adoption of peer support services (PSSs). Peer support in mental health has been variously defined in the literature and is simply known as the help and support that people with lived experience of mental illness or a learning disability can give to one another. Although PSSs date back to several centuries, it is only in the last few decades that these services have formally evolved, grown, and become an integral part of the health care system. Debates around peer support in mental health have been raised frequently in the literature. Although many authors have emphasized the utmost importance of incorporating peer support into the health care system to instill hope; to improve engagement, quality of life, self-confidence, and integrity; and to reduce the burden on the health care system, other studies suggest that there are neutral effects from integrating PSSs into health care systems, with a probable waste of resources. Objective In this general review, we aimed to examine the literature, exploring the evolution, growth, types, function, generating tools, evaluation, challenges, and the effect of PSSs in the field of mental health and addiction. In addition, we aimed to describe PSSs in different, nonexhaustive contexts, as shown in the literature, that aims to draw attention to the proposed values of PSSs in such fields. Methods The review was conducted through a general search of the literature on MEDLINE, Google Scholar, EMBASE, Scopus, Chemical Abstracts, and PsycINFO. Search terms included peer support, peer support in mental health, social support, peer, family support, and integrated care. Results There is abundant literature defining and describing PSSs in different contexts as well as tracking their origins. Two main transformational concepts have been described, namely, intentional peer support and transformation from patients to peer support providers. The effects of PSSs are extensive and integrated into different fields, such as forensic PSSs, addiction, and mental health, and in different age groups and mental health condition severity. Satisfaction of and challenges to PSS integration have been clearly dependent on a number of factors and consequently impact the future prospect of this workforce. Conclusions There is an internationally growing trend to adopt PSSs within addiction and mental health services, and despite the ongoing challenges, large sections of the current literature support the inclusion of peer support workers in the mental health care workforce. The feasibility and maintenance of a robust PSS in health care would only be possible through collaborative efforts and ongoing support and engagement from all health care practitioners, managers, and other stakeholders.

scholarly journals Social Connection and Online Engagement: Insights From Interviews With Users of a Mental Health Online Forum

10.2196/11084 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. e11084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Smith-Merry ◽  
Gerard Goggin ◽  
Andrew Campbell ◽  
Kirsty McKenzie ◽  
Brad Ridout ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Connection ◽  
Online Forums ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Online Forum ◽  
Being There

Background Over the past 2 decades, online forums for mental health support have emerged as an important tool for improving mental health and well-being. There has been important research that analyzes the content of forum posts, studies on how and why individuals engage with forums, and how extensively forums are used. However, we still lack insights into key questions on how they are experienced from the perspective of their users, especially those in rural and remote settings. Objective The aim of our study was to investigate the dynamics, benefits, and challenges of a generalized peer-to-peer mental health online forum from a user perspective; in particular, to better explore and understand user perspectives on connection, engagement, and support offered in such forums; information and advice they gained; and what issues they encountered. We studied experiences of the forums from the perspective of both people with lived experience of mental illness and people who care for people with mental illness. Methods To understand the experience of forum users, we devised a qualitative study utilizing semistructured interviews with 17 participants (12 women and 5 men). Data were transcribed, and a thematic analysis was undertaken. Results The study identified 3 key themes: participants experienced considerable social and geographical isolation, which the forums helped to address; participants sought out the forums to find a social connection that was lacking in their everyday lives; and participants used the forums to both find and provide information and practical advice. Conclusions The study suggests that online peer support provides a critical, ongoing role in providing social connection for people with a lived experience of mental ill-health and their carers, especially for those living in rural and remote areas. Forums may offer a way for individuals to develop their own understanding of recovery through reflecting on the recovery experiences and peer support shown by others and individuals enacting peer support themselves. Key to the success of this online forum was the availability of appropriate moderation, professional support, and advice.

scholarly journals Social Connection and Online Engagement: Insights From Interviews With Users of a Mental Health Online Forum (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Smith-Merry ◽  
Gerard Goggin ◽  
Andrew Campbell ◽  
Kirsty McKenzie ◽  
Brad Ridout ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Connection ◽  
Online Forums ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Online Forum ◽  
Being There

BACKGROUND Over the past 2 decades, online forums for mental health support have emerged as an important tool for improving mental health and well-being. There has been important research that analyzes the content of forum posts, studies on how and why individuals engage with forums, and how extensively forums are used. However, we still lack insights into key questions on how they are experienced from the perspective of their users, especially those in rural and remote settings. OBJECTIVE The aim of our study was to investigate the dynamics, benefits, and challenges of a generalized peer-to-peer mental health online forum from a user perspective; in particular, to better explore and understand user perspectives on connection, engagement, and support offered in such forums; information and advice they gained; and what issues they encountered. We studied experiences of the forums from the perspective of both people with lived experience of mental illness and people who care for people with mental illness. METHODS To understand the experience of forum users, we devised a qualitative study utilizing semistructured interviews with 17 participants (12 women and 5 men). Data were transcribed, and a thematic analysis was undertaken. RESULTS The study identified 3 key themes: participants experienced considerable social and geographical isolation, which the forums helped to address; participants sought out the forums to find a social connection that was lacking in their everyday lives; and participants used the forums to both find and provide information and practical advice. CONCLUSIONS The study suggests that online peer support provides a critical, ongoing role in providing social connection for people with a lived experience of mental ill-health and their carers, especially for those living in rural and remote areas. Forums may offer a way for individuals to develop their own understanding of recovery through reflecting on the recovery experiences and peer support shown by others and individuals enacting peer support themselves. Key to the success of this online forum was the availability of appropriate moderation, professional support, and advice.

scholarly journals The future of mental health care: peer-to-peer support and social media

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Naslund ◽  
K. A. Aschbrenner ◽  
L. A. Marsch ◽  
S. J. Bartels
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Physical Wellbeing ◽  
Potential Risks

Aims:People with serious mental illness are increasingly turning to popular social media, including Facebook, Twitter or YouTube, to share their illness experiences or seek advice from others with similar health conditions. This emerging form of unsolicited communication among self-forming online communities of patients and individuals with diverse health concerns is referred to as peer-to-peer support. We offer a perspective on how online peer-to-peer connections among people with serious mental illness could advance efforts to promote mental and physical wellbeing in this group.Methods:In this commentary, we take the perspective that when an individual with serious mental illness decides to connect with similar others online it represents a critical point in their illness experience. We propose a conceptual model to illustrate how online peer-to-peer connections may afford opportunities for individuals with serious mental illness to challenge stigma, increase consumer activation and access online interventions for mental and physical wellbeing.Results:People with serious mental illness report benefits from interacting with peers online from greater social connectedness, feelings of group belonging and by sharing personal stories and strategies for coping with day-to-day challenges of living with a mental illness. Within online communities, individuals with serious mental illness could challenge stigma through personal empowerment and providing hope. By learning from peers online, these individuals may gain insight about important health care decisions, which could promote mental health care seeking behaviours. These individuals could also access interventions for mental and physical wellbeing delivered through social media that could incorporate mutual support between peers, help promote treatment engagement and reach a wider demographic. Unforeseen risks may include exposure to misleading information, facing hostile or derogatory comments from others, or feeling more uncertain about one's health condition. However, given the evidence to date, the benefits of online peer-to-peer support appear to outweigh the potential risks.Conclusion:Future research must explore these opportunities to support and empower people with serious mental illness through online peer networks while carefully considering potential risks that may arise from online peer-to-peer interactions. Efforts will also need to address methodological challenges in the form of evaluating interventions delivered through social media and collecting objective mental and physical health outcome measures online. A key challenge will be to determine whether skills learned from peers in online networks translate into tangible and meaningful improvements in recovery, employment, or mental and physical wellbeing in the offline world.

scholarly journals Usability Testing of a Mobile Health Application for Self-Management of Serious Mental Illness in a Norwegian Community Mental Health Setting

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8667
Author(s):  
Marianne Storm ◽  
Hilde Marie Hunsbedt Fjellså ◽  
Jorunn N. Skjærpe ◽  
Amanda L. Myers ◽  
Stephen J. Bartels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Task Analysis ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Mental Health Setting ◽  
Health Application

Background: For digital tools to have high usability and fit service users’ health needs and socio-environmental context, it is important to explore usability with end-users and identify facilitators and barriers to uptake. Objective: To conduct user testing of the smartphone health application, PeerTECH, in a Norwegian community mental health setting. Methods: Semistructured interviews and usability testing of the PeerTECH app using the Think-Aloud approach and task analysis among 11 people (three individuals with a serious mental illness, two peer support workers, and six mental health professionals). Results: Study participants perceived PeerTECH as a relevant tool to support self-management of their mental and physical health conditions, and they provided valuable feedback on existing features as well as suggestions for adaptions to the Norwegian context. The task analysis revealed that PeerTECH is easy to manage for service users and peer support workers. Conclusions: Adapting the PeerTECH smartphone app to the Norwegian context may be a viable and useful tool to support individuals with serious mental illness.

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