A Peer-Led Electronic Mental Health Recovery App in a Community-Based Public Mental Health Service: Pilot Trial
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is an increasing need for peer workers (people with lived experience of mental health problems who support others) to work alongside consumers to improve recovery and outcomes. In addition, new forms of technology (tablet or mobile apps) can deliver services in an engaging and innovative way. However, there is a need to evaluate interventions in real-world settings. OBJECTIVE: This exploratory proof-of-concept study aimed to determine if a peer worker-led electronic mental health (e-mental health) recovery program is a feasible, acceptable, and effective adjunct to usual care for people with moderate-to-severe mental illness. METHODS: Overall, 6 consumers and 5 health service staff participated in the evaluation of a peer-led recovery app delivered at a community-based public mental health service. The peer worker and other health professional staff invited attendees at the drop-in medication clinics to participate in the trial during June to August 2017. Following the intervention period, participants were also invited by the peer worker to complete the evaluation in a separate room with the researcher. Consumers were explicitly informed that participation in the research evaluation was entirely voluntary. Consumer evaluation measures at postintervention included recovery and views on the acceptability of the program and its delivery. Interviews with staff focused on the acceptability and feasibility of the app itself and integrating a peer worker into the health care service. RESULTS: Consumer recruitment in the research component of the study (n=6) fell substantially short of the target number of participants (n=30). However, from those who participated, both staff and consumers were highly satisfied with the peer worker and somewhat satisfied with the app. Health care staff overall believed that the addition of the peer worker was highly beneficial to both the consumers and staff. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary findings from this proof-of-concept pilot study suggest that a peer-led program may be a feasible and acceptable method of working on recovery in this population. However, the e-mental health program did not appear feasible in this setting. In addition, recruitment was challenging in this particular group, and it is important to note that these study findings may not be generalizable. Despite this, ensuring familiarity of technology in the target population before implementing e-mental health interventions is likely to be of benefit.
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Stigma, discrimination, differing worldviews, language differences, cost, and transport issues are constraints on help-seeking for First Nations young people.
“Constraints include stigma, discrimination, differing worldviews, language differences, cost, and transport issues [3,4].”
From Feasibility and Acceptability of the Aboriginal and Islander Mental Health Initiative for Youth App: Nonrandomized Pilot With First Nations Young People (2023) · cites this paper as [4]
The Results (Health Service Staff Interview Results; page unavailable) discuss low uptake of an app program and possible self-consciousness about being seen with a clinician, not help-seeking constraints for First Nations young people. The Methods (Stay Strong Electronic Mental Health App; page unavailable) say the app was designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service users, but do not address the claimed barriers. Searches for stigma, discrimination, differing worldviews, language, cost, and transport found no passage establishing the claim. (LLM, conf=0.75)
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“Constraints include stigma, discrimination, differing worldviews, language differences, cost, and transport issues [3,4].”
- Authors
- Gulliver, A., Banfield, M., Morse, A. R., Reynolds, J., Miller, S., & Galati, C.
- Affiliations
- Australian National University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Gulliver, Amelia
- Venue
- JMIR Formative Research
- Publisher
- JMIR Publications Inc.
- Published
- 2019-06-04
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- e12550
- ISSN
- 2561-326X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6746099
- OpenAlex
- W2943487479
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 1.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- JMIR Formative Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Menzies School of Health Research
- Strong
- Medical Research Future Fund
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mental Health and Patient Involvement
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Keywords
- peer support workers, peer-led intervention, e-mental health, mobile health apps, mental health recovery, feasibility and acceptability, technology familiarity
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