Telemental health in rural areas: a systematic review

Objective: Despite the high prevalence of mental disorders in rural areas, mental health services are lacking because of shortages of resources and difficulty in accessing such services. Telemental health services can be beneficial for these patients. This study summarizes the efficacy of telemental health in managing mental disorders in rural areas. Materials and Methods: The MEDLINE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials on telemental health for mental disorders in rural areas until June 2022. The reviewers independently screened, extracted, and assessed study quality using the Risk of Bias 2 tool. Results: Six eligible studies were identified on mental health symptoms, insomnia, depression, and schizophrenia. The quality of all the studies was moderate, and they all reported that telemental health effectively improved the symptoms of mental disorders. One study reported a reduction in relapse and rehospitalization rates in young individuals. Another study reported that it was effective in improving the symptoms of depression and anxiety in older individuals. Conclusions: Although further studies are warranted, telemental health services could effectively improve the symptoms of mental disorders in rural areas.