E-Mental Health Interventions in Inpatient Care: Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Mental Healthcare
• Inpatient Treatment

Background:

• E-mental health (EMH) interventions are increasingly researched for inpatient settings.
• Digital tools enhance mental healthcare accessibility, convenience, and patient engagement.
• EMH offers a promising solution to the growing demand for mental health services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of digital mental health interventions used before, during, and after inpatient care.
• To identify the range, extent, and types of these interventions in recent years.
• To pinpoint current gaps in the existing literature.

Main Methods:

• Searched PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceGov databases with a follow-up search in August 2024.
• Included peer-reviewed studies from January 1, 2015, to March 1, 2025, in English or German.
• Assessed 90 studies involving adult patients receiving EMH before, during, or after inpatient treatment.

Main Results:

• Most studies (59%) focused on aftercare or blended digital/face-to-face inpatient treatment.
• Predominantly positive effects and moderate-to-high acceptance were reported, despite technical barriers and low adherence.
• Small sample sizes were common, with Germany and the US being leading countries in research.

Conclusions:

• Research on digital interventions in inpatient mental health care is growing with promising initial results.
• Digital interventions may help maintain treatment benefits and improve symptoms for inpatients.
• Future studies require larger, diverse samples, addressing structural barriers and adherence for wider implementation.