Larsen Anna, Agorinya Joel, Beaulieu Alexa, Sottie Emmanuel Quame, Buck Benjamin, Obeng Kwadwo, Kyeremeh Bill, Dogbe Fredrick Kwame, Iddrisu Muhammed Izudeen, Dowuona Phil Emil Okwei, Tetteh Olivia Oteba Abbey, Emmanuel Omari Boakye, Ofori-Atta Angela, Ben-Zeev Dror
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
Schizophrenia (Heidelb). 2025 Jan 15;11(1):5. doi: 10.1038/s41537-025-00554-9.
In West Africa, the long-term consequences of poor early psychosis recovery include poverty, neglect, and community ostracization. To understand the potential for digital health approaches to support early psychosis care in Ghana, we conducted a survey study among early psychosis patients and their caregivers about mental health needs, technology use and access, and interest in digital mental health. Hospital staff at Accra Psychiatric Hospital reviewed hospital medical records from January 2023 - December 2023 identifying young adults (≥18 years old) who had experienced psychosis symptoms for the first time within the prior five years. Trained data assessors contacted these individuals via telephone and invited them and their caregivers to participate; those providing informed consent were interviewed via phone in Twi or English. Overall, 256 individuals participated in the survey, including 121 young adults experiencing early psychosis and 135 caregivers of early psychosis patients. The majority (80%) of early psychosis patients and their caregivers expressed interest in digital mental health for early psychosis and had access to a mobile phone (91%) and necessary mobile infrastructure. Early psychosis patients were most interested in information about managing stress and improving mood via a digital resource (72%). Caregivers desired a digital tool to provide information about psychosis symptoms (86%). Our study among those experiencing early psychosis and their caregivers in Ghana suggests readiness and acceptability of digital mental health for early psychosis care.
在西非，早期精神病康复不佳的长期后果包括贫困、被忽视和社区排斥。为了解数字健康方法在加纳支持早期精神病护理的潜力，我们对早期精神病患者及其照顾者进行了一项关于心理健康需求、技术使用与获取以及对数字心理健康兴趣的调查研究。阿克拉精神病院的医院工作人员查阅了2023年1月至2023年12月的医院病历，确定了在过去五年内首次出现精神病症状的年轻人（≥18岁）。经过培训的数据评估人员通过电话联系这些人，并邀请他们及其照顾者参与；那些提供知情同意的人通过电话以特维语或英语接受访谈。总体而言，256人参与了调查，其中包括121名患有早期精神病的年轻人和135名早期精神病患者的照顾者。大多数（80%）早期精神病患者及其照顾者对用于早期精神病的数字心理健康表示感兴趣，并且能够使用手机（91%）以及必要的移动基础设施。早期精神病患者对通过数字资源管理压力和改善情绪的信息最感兴趣（72%）。照顾者希望有一个数字工具来提供有关精神病症状的信息（86%）。我们在加纳对早期精神病患者及其照顾者进行的研究表明，数字心理健康在早期精神病护理方面具有可行性和可接受性。
