Patient and provider predictors of telemental health use prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic within the Department of Veterans Affairs

Bibliographic Data

ID8724138
AuthorsSamantha L Connolly (0000-0002-1007-5626, corresponding author), Kelly Stolzmann (0000-0002-3491-9803), Leonie Heyworth (0000-0003-3680-9402), Jennifer L Sullivan (0000-0003-2906-2232), Stephanie L Shimada (0000-0002-6517-5122), Kendra Weaver (0000-0002-4878-3310), Jan A Lindsay (0000-0002-2853-0113), Mark S Bauer (0000-0001-6507-9918), Christopher J Miller (0000-0002-0632-1484)
Year2021
Volume77
Issue2
Pages249-261
Publication date2021-12-23
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Psychologist (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0003-066X • E-ISSN: 1935-990X
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1037/amp0000895
PMID34941310
OpenAlexW3173241284
LanguageEN
Citations received7

The current study examined patient and provider differences in use of phone, video, and in-person mental health (MH) services. Participants included patients who completed ≥ 1 MH appointment within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from 10/1/17-7/10/20 and providers who completed ≥ 100 VA MH appointments from 10/1/17-7/10/20. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) are reported of patients and providers: (a) completing ≥1 video MH appointment in the pre-COVID (10/1/17-3/10/20) and COVID (3/11/20-7/10/20) periods; and (b) completing the majority of MH visits via phone, video, or in-person during COVID. The sample included 2,480,119 patients/31,971 providers in the pre-COVID period, and 1,054,670 patients/23,712 providers in the COVID period. During the pre-COVID and COVID periods, older patients had lower odds of completing ≥ 1 video visit (a ORs ORs <. 69). Findings demonstrate a digital divide, such that older and lower income patients, and older providers, engaged in less video care. Nonpsychologists also had lower video use. Barriers to use must be identified and strategies must be implemented to ensure equitable access to video MH services. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Family medicine · Health care · Logistic regression · Mental health · Odds · Odds ratio · Pandemic · Phone · Psychiatry · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · Telehealth · Telemedicine · Veterans Affairs · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · Medicine · Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare · Psychology · Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation · Internal Medicine

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