Telepsychiatry in intellectual disability psychiatry: literature review
Abstract
Aims and Method
The aims of this review were to explore the effectiveness and patient and provider acceptability of telepsychiatry consultations in intellectual disability, contrasting this with direct face-to-face consultations and proposing avenues for further research and innovation. Computerised searches of databases including AMED and EMBASE were conducted.
Results
Four USA studies of intellectual disability telepsychiatry services have been reported. The majority (75%) focused on children with intellectual disability. Sample sizes ranged from 38 to 900 participants, with follow-up from 1 to 6 years. Outcome measures varied considerably and included cost savings to patients and healthcare providers, patient and carer satisfaction and new diagnoses.
Clinical implications
The innovations summarised suggest a requirement to further explore telepsychiatry models. Despite some promising outcomes, there is a relative dearth in the existing literature. Further studies in other healthcare systems are required before concluding that telepsychiatry in intellectual disability is the best approach for providing psychiatric services to this population.
Author
Citations
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Date
2019-03-07
Type
Article
Subject
Mental health, Health services. Management
Collections
Citation
Madhavan G. Telepsychiatry in intellectual disability psychiatry: literature review. BJPsych Bulletin. 2019;43(4):167-173. doi:10.1192/bjb.2019.5
Journal / Source Title
BJPsych Bulletin
DOI
10.1192/bjb.2019.5
PMID
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Publisher’s URL
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-bulletin/article/telepsychiatry-in-intellectual-disability-psychiatry-literature-review/82531A31FDE0E38A4B0F2ADB1522212B