Psychiatric Care Via Videoconferencing

NCT ID: NCT01901315

Last Updated: 2015-05-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 107 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2012-03-31
• Study Completion Date: 2015-05-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this project is to compare the effectiveness between face-to-face consultations and consultations via videoconferencing among patients treated in the Institute of Psychiatry (IPq).

Detailed Description

Introduction: Within the emergence of the Internet and for the purposes of providing psychiatric services across distances, the provision of mental health service via video counseling has become a possible way of mental health service delivery. An appropriate systematization of the propaedeutic methods in psychiatry, according to the interactive resources of telemedicine, and a standardized assessment based on clinical records turn this method to a viable alternative for service delivery all over the world. The main benefit of video counseling is an increased access to care services. But, so far, there is still limited research regarding to the effectiveness of telepsychiatry in the management of mental illnesses.

Objective: To verify the applicability of psychiatric attendance via Interned-based videoconferencing, comparing various quality characteristics between this method and face-to-face attendance, on the basis of a one-year follow-up study with a randomized clinical trial (RCT) design.

Material and methods: 100 patients of the Institute of Psychiatry (IPq) between 18 to 55 years old with depressive disorders are randomly allocated to a control (monthly face-to-face consultation with the attending psychiatrist) or intervention group. The intervention group will have consultations with the attending psychiatrist through internet-based videoconference. For reasons of patient safety, consultations at baseline, and after 6 and 12 months will be realized in a face-to-face form for all patients. At baseline, and after 6 and 12 months mental health, satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic relationship, and medical compliance will be assessed. Depression will be assessed at baseline, and after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.

Conditions

Depression

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Online consultation

Monthly video consultations with psychiatrist

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Online consultation

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Patients in the online consultation (intervention) group have monthly consultation with their attending psychiatrist through videoconferencing during one year. After each consultation, the medication is sent to the patient through a home delivery program. For reasons of patient safety, consultations at baseline, and after 6 and 12 months will be realized in a face-to-face form at the Institute of Psychiatry (IPq).

Face-to-face consultation

Monthly face-to-face consultations with psychiatrist

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Face-to-face consultation

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Patients in the face-to-face consultation (control) group have monthly face-to-face consultation with their attending psychiatrist during one year at the Institute of Psychiatry (IPq).

Interventions

Online consultation

Patients in the online consultation (intervention) group have monthly consultation with their attending psychiatrist through videoconferencing during one year. After each consultation, the medication is sent to the patient through a home delivery program. For reasons of patient safety, consultations at baseline, and after 6 and 12 months will be realized in a face-to-face form at the Institute of Psychiatry (IPq).

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Face-to-face consultation

Patients in the face-to-face consultation (control) group have monthly face-to-face consultation with their attending psychiatrist during one year at the Institute of Psychiatry (IPq).

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• depressive disorder
• between 18 to 55 years
• broadband Internet access

Exclusion Criteria

• Hamilton Depression Rating Scale total score > 15
• severe cognitive limitations

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 55 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Sao Paulo General Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Wagner F Gattaz, Prof. Dr.

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Institute of Psychiatry (IPq)

Locations

Institute of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo

São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Countries

Brazil

References

Hungerbuehler I, Valiengo L, Loch AA, Rossler W, Gattaz WF. Home-Based Psychiatric Outpatient Care Through Videoconferencing for Depression: A Randomized Controlled Follow-Up Trial. JMIR Ment Health. 2016 Aug 3;3(3):e36. doi: 10.2196/mental.5675.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 27489204 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

IPQ-0782/11

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id