Cited by 176Telemedicine and Telehealth ImplementationDigital Mental Health InterventionsPsychiatric care and mental health services

The Effectiveness of Telemental Health Applications: A Review

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Hailey, David, Roine, Risto, Ohinmaa, Arto·2008·The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

Objective: To review the evidence of benefit from use of telemental health (TMH) in studies that reported clinical or administrative outcomes. Method: Relevant publications were identified through computerized literature searches using several electronic databases. Included for review were scientifically valid articles that described controlled studies, comparing TMH with a non-TMH alternative, and uncontrolled studies that had no fewer than 20 participants. Quality of the evidence was assessed with an approach that considers both study performance and study design. Judgments were made on whether further data were needed to establish each TMH application as suitable for routine clinical use. Results: Included in the review were 72 papers that described 65 clinical studies; 32 (49%) studies were of high or good quality. Quality of evidence was higher for Internet- and telephone-based interventions than for video conferencing approaches. There was evidence of success with TMH in the areas of child psychiatry, depression, dementia, schizophrenia, suicide prevention, posttraumatic stress, panic disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders, and smoking prevention. Evidence of success for general TMH programs and in the management of obsessive–compulsive disorder were less convincing. Further study was judged to be necessary or desirable in 53 (82%) of the studies. Conclusion: Evidence of benefit from TMH applications is encouraging, though still limited. There is a need for more good-quality studies on the use of TMH in routine care. The emerging use of Internet-based applications is an important development that deserves further evaluation.

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  • Internet-based interventions have been shown to be effective for mental health, lifestyle, smoking cessation, and pain management.

    “A growing body of research also supports the efficacy of internet-based interventions for these treatment targets (4–8).”

    From Interest in behavioral and psychological treatments delivered face-to-face, by telephone, and by internet (2010) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Discussion reports evidence that Internet-based programs can improve a range of mental health conditions. The Smoking section says all smoking-cessation studies it reviewed used telephone-based technology, not Internet interventions. The passages do not establish efficacy for Internet-based lifestyle or pain-management interventions. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • The reliability and validity of these items in predicting likelihood of seeking treatment have been previously reported.

    “We have previously reported the reliability and validity of these items in predicting likelihood of seeking treatment.21-23”

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Roine R, Ohinmaa A, Hailey D. Assessing telemedicine: a systematic review of the literature. CMAJ. 2001;165:765-774.
  2. Paul T, Weitemeyer E, Pudel V. [Telephone consultations in bulimia nervosa]. Z Klin Psychol Psychiatr Psychother. 1986;34:315-324. German.

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Authors
Hailey, D., Roine, R., & Ohinmaa, A.
Affiliations
  • Institute of Health Economics (CA)
  • Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (FI)
Corresponding author
Hailey, David
Venue
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2008-11
Volume
53
Issue
11
Pages
769-778
ISSN
  • 0706-7437 (ISSN-L)
  • 1497-0015
OpenAlex
W1717348088
Cited by
176
References
81
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 14
FWCI
1.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
Keywords
telemental health, telehealth effectiveness, online intervention, telephone-delivered intervention, videoconferencing, child psychiatry, depression, dementia, schizophrenia, suicide prevention, post-traumatic stress, panic disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, smoking prevention, obsessive-compulsive disorder, quality of evidence
MeSH terms
Mental Disorders, Cognition Disorders, Dementia, Disability Evaluation, Humans, Neuropsychological Tests, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Phobic Disorders, Psychiatry, Schizophrenia, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Telephone, Panic Disorder, Telemedicine, Substance-Related Disorders, Internet, Videoconferencing

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