Telemedicine and e-Health
Volume 15, Issue 4, 2009, Pages 336-341

Feasibility and effectiveness of telepsychiatry services for Chinese immigrants in a nursing home (Article)

Yeung A.* , Johnson D.P. , Trinh N.-H. , Weng W.-C.C. , Kvedar J. , Fava M.
  • a Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States, Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, 50 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114, United States
  • b Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
  • c Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
  • d Boston College, Boston, MA, United States
  • e Center of Connected Health, Partners HealthCare System, Boston, MA, United States
  • f Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

This study investigates the feasibility and effectiveness of providing telepsychiatry services to Chinese immigrants in a nursing home. The psychiatrist interviewed patients face-to-face for the initial consultation, and encouraged them to participate in this study to receive telepsychiatry-based follow-up visits. The feasibility and outcomes of telepsychiatry visits and satisfaction of the subjects, their families, and the nursing home staff were assessed. Nine monolingual Chinese immigrants, 8 women and 1 man, ranging from 54 to 88 years of age, were enrolled. The main reasons for psychiatric consultation were mood and behavioral problems. Eight of the 9 (88.9%) subjects participated in videoconference follow-up visits, and 1 subject (11.1%) declined. Among the 8 subjects, 6 were referred for psychiatric intervention, 1 for differential diagnosis, and 1 for suicide assessment. At the end of the study, all 6 subjects referred for intervention had greatly improved; the subjects, their families, and the nursing staff were highly satisfied with the telepsychiatry service. It is feasible to provide psychiatry consultations to ethnic immigrants in a nursing home despite the fact that many of them are unfamiliar with the technology and suffer from dementia and psychotic symptoms. Telepsychiatry provides an efficient way for ethnic elders in nursing homes to connect with mental health professionals with the appropriate language and cultural background, regardless of location. Telepsychiatry may decrease the disparities in treatment of mental illnesses among ethnic immigrants in nursing homes. © 2009, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Author Keywords

Chinese immigrants Telemedicine nursing home psychiatric consultation

Index Keywords

China differential diagnosis immigrant Chinese nursing Dementia videoconferencing mental health human middle aged priority journal Aged nursing staff telepsychiatry Psychiatric consultation Feasibility Studies United States Nursing Homes Humans teleconsultation nursing home Interviews as Topic male Emigrants and Immigrants female Aged, 80 and over adjustment disorder Cultural backgrounds Referral and Consultation clinical article Telepsychiatry services Article feasibility study diagnosis adult Chinese immigrants outcome assessment Hospitals psychiatry delirium major depression Telemedicine mental illness
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-66149190915&doi=10.1089%2ftmj.2008.0138&partnerID=40&md5=1e2fe1f24371bd972c5edec768bd07d7
DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2008.0138
ISSN: 15305627
Cited by: 22
Original Language: English