Digital health for early psychosis in Ghana: patient and caregiver needs and preferences
Abstract In West Africa, the long-term consequences of poor early psychosis recovery include poverty, neglect, and community ostracization. To understand the potential for digital health approaches to support early psychosis care in Ghana, we conducted a survey study among early psychosis patients a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Schizophrenia |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-025-00554-9 |
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| author | Anna Larsen Joel Agorinya Alexa Beaulieu Emmanuel Quame Sottie Benjamin Buck Kwadwo Obeng Bill Kyeremeh Fredrick Kwame Dogbe Muhammed Izudeen Iddrisu Phil Emil Okwei Dowuona Olivia Oteba Abbey Tetteh Omari Boakye Emmanuel Angela Ofori-Atta Dror Ben-Zeev |
| author_facet | Anna Larsen Joel Agorinya Alexa Beaulieu Emmanuel Quame Sottie Benjamin Buck Kwadwo Obeng Bill Kyeremeh Fredrick Kwame Dogbe Muhammed Izudeen Iddrisu Phil Emil Okwei Dowuona Olivia Oteba Abbey Tetteh Omari Boakye Emmanuel Angela Ofori-Atta Dror Ben-Zeev |
| author_sort | Anna Larsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In West Africa, the long-term consequences of poor early psychosis recovery include poverty, neglect, and community ostracization. To understand the potential for digital health approaches to support early psychosis care in Ghana, we conducted a survey study among early psychosis patients and their caregivers about mental health needs, technology use and access, and interest in digital mental health. Hospital staff at Accra Psychiatric Hospital reviewed hospital medical records from January 2023 - December 2023 identifying young adults (≥18 years old) who had experienced psychosis symptoms for the first time within the prior five years. Trained data assessors contacted these individuals via telephone and invited them and their caregivers to participate; those providing informed consent were interviewed via phone in Twi or English. Overall, 256 individuals participated in the survey, including 121 young adults experiencing early psychosis and 135 caregivers of early psychosis patients. The majority (80%) of early psychosis patients and their caregivers expressed interest in digital mental health for early psychosis and had access to a mobile phone (91%) and necessary mobile infrastructure. Early psychosis patients were most interested in information about managing stress and improving mood via a digital resource (72%). Caregivers desired a digital tool to provide information about psychosis symptoms (86%). Our study among those experiencing early psychosis and their caregivers in Ghana suggests readiness and acceptability of digital mental health for early psychosis care. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1ca529088bae493fb0511122ec0dc2e5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2754-6993 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Schizophrenia |
| spelling | doaj-art-1ca529088bae493fb0511122ec0dc2e52025-01-19T12:27:21ZengNature PortfolioSchizophrenia2754-69932025-01-011111710.1038/s41537-025-00554-9Digital health for early psychosis in Ghana: patient and caregiver needs and preferencesAnna Larsen0Joel Agorinya1Alexa Beaulieu2Emmanuel Quame Sottie3Benjamin Buck4Kwadwo Obeng5Bill Kyeremeh6Fredrick Kwame Dogbe7Muhammed Izudeen Iddrisu8Phil Emil Okwei Dowuona9Olivia Oteba Abbey Tetteh10Omari Boakye Emmanuel11Angela Ofori-Atta12Dror Ben-Zeev13Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of WashingtonAccra Psychiatric HospitalDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of WashingtonDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Ghana Medical SchoolDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of WashingtonAccra Psychiatric HospitalAccra Psychiatric HospitalAccra Psychiatric HospitalAccra Psychiatric HospitalAccra Psychiatric HospitalAccra Psychiatric HospitalAccra Psychiatric HospitalDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Ghana Medical SchoolDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of WashingtonAbstract In West Africa, the long-term consequences of poor early psychosis recovery include poverty, neglect, and community ostracization. To understand the potential for digital health approaches to support early psychosis care in Ghana, we conducted a survey study among early psychosis patients and their caregivers about mental health needs, technology use and access, and interest in digital mental health. Hospital staff at Accra Psychiatric Hospital reviewed hospital medical records from January 2023 - December 2023 identifying young adults (≥18 years old) who had experienced psychosis symptoms for the first time within the prior five years. Trained data assessors contacted these individuals via telephone and invited them and their caregivers to participate; those providing informed consent were interviewed via phone in Twi or English. Overall, 256 individuals participated in the survey, including 121 young adults experiencing early psychosis and 135 caregivers of early psychosis patients. The majority (80%) of early psychosis patients and their caregivers expressed interest in digital mental health for early psychosis and had access to a mobile phone (91%) and necessary mobile infrastructure. Early psychosis patients were most interested in information about managing stress and improving mood via a digital resource (72%). Caregivers desired a digital tool to provide information about psychosis symptoms (86%). Our study among those experiencing early psychosis and their caregivers in Ghana suggests readiness and acceptability of digital mental health for early psychosis care.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-025-00554-9 |
| spellingShingle | Anna Larsen Joel Agorinya Alexa Beaulieu Emmanuel Quame Sottie Benjamin Buck Kwadwo Obeng Bill Kyeremeh Fredrick Kwame Dogbe Muhammed Izudeen Iddrisu Phil Emil Okwei Dowuona Olivia Oteba Abbey Tetteh Omari Boakye Emmanuel Angela Ofori-Atta Dror Ben-Zeev Digital health for early psychosis in Ghana: patient and caregiver needs and preferences Schizophrenia |
| title | Digital health for early psychosis in Ghana: patient and caregiver needs and preferences |
| title_full | Digital health for early psychosis in Ghana: patient and caregiver needs and preferences |
| title_fullStr | Digital health for early psychosis in Ghana: patient and caregiver needs and preferences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Digital health for early psychosis in Ghana: patient and caregiver needs and preferences |
| title_short | Digital health for early psychosis in Ghana: patient and caregiver needs and preferences |
| title_sort | digital health for early psychosis in ghana patient and caregiver needs and preferences |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-025-00554-9 |
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