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

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 Greiner and Andrew J. Greenshaw
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Vincent I. O. Agyapong: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 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
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
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
Daniel Li: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 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
Andrew J. Greenshaw: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-13

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.

Keywords: COVID-19; pandemic; Text4Hope; text messaging; stress; anxiety; depression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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