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Mental Health Outreach via Supportive Text Messages during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Improved Mental Health and Reduced Suicidal Ideation after Six Weeks in Subscribers of Text4Hope Compared to a Control Population

Author

Listed:
  • Vincent I. O. Agyapong

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
    Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Reham Shalaby

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Marianne Hrabok

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
    Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada)

  • Wesley Vuong

    (Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Jasmine M. Noble

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
    Institute of Health Economics, 1200 10405 Jasper Avenue Edmonton, AB T5J 3N4, Canada)

  • April Gusnowski

    (Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Kelly Mrklas

    (Strategic Clinical NetworksTM, Provincial Clinical Excellence, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB T2P 2M5, Canada
    Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada)

  • Daniel Li

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
    Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Mark Snaterse

    (Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Shireen Surood

    (Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Bo Cao

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Xin-Min Li

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Russell Greiner

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
    Department of Computing Science, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
    Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada)

  • Andrew J. Greenshaw

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
    Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital Hub for Mental Health, Canada)

Abstract

Background: In March 2020, Alberta Health Services launched Text4Hope, a free mental health text-message service. The service aimed to alleviate pandemic-associated stress, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and suicidal propensity. The effectiveness of Text4Hope was evaluated by comparing psychiatric parameters between two subscriber groups. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study with two arms: Text4Hope subscribers who received daily texts for six weeks, the intervention group (IG); and new Text4Hope subscribers who were yet to receive messages, the control group (CG). Logistic regression models were used in the analysis. Results: Participants in the IG had lower prevalence rates for moderate/high stress (78.8% vs. 88.0%), likely GAD (31.4% vs. 46.5%), and likely MDD (36.8% vs. 52.1%), respectively, compared to respondents in the CG. After controlling for demographic variables, the IG remained less likely to self-report symptoms of moderate/high stress (OR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.41–0.75), likely GAD (OR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.44–0.68), and likely MDD (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.47–0.73). The mean Composite Mental Health score, the sum of mean scores on the PSS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 was 20.9% higher in the CG. Conclusions: Text4Hope is an effective population-level intervention that helps reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar texting services should be implemented during global crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincent I. O. Agyapong & Reham Shalaby & Marianne Hrabok & Wesley Vuong & Jasmine M. Noble & April Gusnowski & Kelly Mrklas & Daniel Li & Mark Snaterse & Shireen Surood & Bo Cao & Xin-Min Li & Russell, 2021. "Mental Health Outreach via Supportive Text Messages during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Improved Mental Health and Reduced Suicidal Ideation after Six Weeks in Subscribers of Text4Hope Compared to a Control," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:2157-:d:504066
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Izu Nwachukwu & Nnamdi Nkire & Reham Shalaby & Marianne Hrabok & Wesley Vuong & April Gusnowski & Shireen Surood & Liana Urichuk & Andrew J. Greenshaw & Vincent I.O. Agyapong, 2020. "COVID-19 Pandemic: Age-Related Differences in Measures of Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-10, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gloria Obuobi-Donkor & Ejemai Eboreime & Reham Shalaby & Belinda Agyapong & Folajinmi Oluwasina & Medard Adu & Ernest Owusu & Wanying Mao & Vincent I. O. Agyapong, 2022. "Evaluating the Prevalence and Predictors of Moderate to Severe Depression in Fort McMurray, Canada during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Reham Shalaby & Pamela Spurvey & Michelle Knox & Rebecca Rathwell & Wesley Vuong & Shireen Surood & Liana Urichuk & Mark Snaterse & Andrew J. Greenshaw & Xin-Min Li & Vincent I. O. Agyapong, 2022. "Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Measures for Patients Discharged from Acute Psychiatric Care: Four-Arm Peer and Text Messaging Support Controlled Observational Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, March.
    3. Belinda Agyapong & Ejemai Eboreime & Reham Shalaby & Hannah Pazderka & Gloria Obuobi-Donkor & Medard K. Adu & Wanying Mao & Folajinmi Oluwasina & Ernest Owusu & Andrew J. Greenshaw & Vincent I. O. Agy, 2021. "Mental Health Impacts of Wildfire, Flooding and COVID-19 on Fort McMurray School Board Staff and Other Employees: A Comparative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Belinda Agyapong & Gloria Obuobi-Donkor & Lisa Burback & Yifeng Wei, 2022. "Stress, Burnout, Anxiety and Depression among Teachers: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-42, August.
    5. Reham Shalaby & Medard K. Adu & Taelina Andreychuk & Ejemai Eboreime & April Gusnowski & Wesley Vuong & Shireen Surood & Andrew J. Greenshaw & Vincent I. O. Agyapong, 2021. "Prevalence, Demographic, and Clinical Correlates of Likely PTSD in Subscribers of Text4Hope during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-15, June.
    6. Medard Kofi Adu & Lauren J. Wallace & Kwabena F. Lartey & Joshua Arthur & Kenneth Fosu Oteng & Samuel Dwomoh & Ruth Owusu-Antwi & Rita Larsen-Reindorf & Vincent I. O. Agyapong, 2021. "Prevalence and Correlates of Likely Major Depressive Disorder among the Adult Population in Ghana during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-19, July.
    7. Belinda Agyapong & Reham Shalaby & Ejemai Eboreime & Yifeng Wei & Vincent I. O. Agyapong, 2022. "Self-Reported Alcohol Abuse and the Desire to Receive Mental Health Counselling Predict Suicidal Thoughts/Thoughts of Self-Harm among Female Residents of Fort McMurray," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-14, October.

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