African Nanopharmacology and Delivery (Applied aspect) | 20 March 2005
Telepsychiatry in Urban Ghanaian Informal Settlements: Acceptance and Therapeutic Efficacy
N, o, n, t, o, k, o, z, i, s, o, P, u, l, e, ,, M, a, m, e, l, l, o, K, h, u, m, a, l, o, ,, S, i, p, h, o, M, k, h, o, n, w, a, n, a
Abstract
Urban informal settlements in Ghana face significant mental health challenges due to limited access to specialized care and resources. Telepsychiatry provides a potential solution by offering remote consultations that can reach underserved populations. A mixed-methods approach including surveys, interviews, and observational data collection was employed. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling from selected urban informal settlements. Telepsychiatry acceptance rates ranged between 58% and 62%, with participants citing convenience as a primary reason for preferring this method over traditional face-to-face therapy. Preliminary therapeutic outcomes show significant improvement in mental health metrics, though further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these results. Telepsychiatry holds promise as an effective tool for delivering mental health interventions in urban informal settlements of Ghana, but its long-term efficacy requires more rigorous evaluation. Further research should investigate the scalability and sustainability of telepsychiatry models in different settings to ensure equitable access. Training programmes for healthcare providers on telepsychiatry techniques are also recommended. Urban Informal Settlements, Mental Health, Telepsychiatry, Acceptance Rates, Therapeutic Efficacy Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p<em>i)=\beta</em>0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.