Telehealth-Supported Decision-making Psychiatric Care for Suicidal Ideation: Longitudinal Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Digital Health
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Suicidal ideation (SI) is a critical precursor and risk factor for suicide, a leading cause of death in the US.
• Understanding factors influencing SI and its remission is crucial for effective mental health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a telepsychiatric care platform on suicidal ideation (SI) over time.
• To assess SI remission rates in patients using the digital platform.
• To explore demographic and medical factors associated with SI and its remission.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 8581 US adults with depression/anxiety, comparing a treatment group (telepsychiatric care with decision support) to a control group.
• The treatment group received psychiatric medication and platform-guided care for at least 12 weeks.
• The control group received no treatment but completed surveys at baseline and 12 weeks.

Main Results:

• Telepsychiatric care patients showed significantly lower SI at 12 weeks (12.32%) compared to the control group (34.4%).
• Treatment group participants were 4.3 times more likely to achieve complete SI remission.
• Advancing age, education, female sex, and hopelessness were associated with SI and remission outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Telepsychiatric care, enhanced by decision support, demonstrates efficacy in reducing suicidal ideation (SI).
• The study underscores the importance of considering patient subpopulations and covariates in SI treatment.
• Further investigation via randomized controlled trials is recommended to refine telepsychiatric interventions.