' Care co-ordinator in my pocket': a feasibility study of mobile assessment and therapy for psychosis (TechCare)

Nadeem Gire, Neil Caton, Mick McKeown, Naeem Mohmed, Joy Duxbury, James Kelly, Miv Riley, Peter J Taylor, Christopher D J Taylor, Farooq Naeem, Imran Bashir Chaudhry, Nusrat Husain, Nadeem Gire, Neil Caton, Mick McKeown, Naeem Mohmed, Joy Duxbury, James Kelly, Miv Riley, Peter J Taylor, Christopher D J Taylor, Farooq Naeem, Imran Bashir Chaudhry, Nusrat Husain

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the project was to examine the acceptability and feasibility of a mobile phone application-based intervention 'TechCare', for individuals with psychosis in the North West of England. The main objectives were to determine whether appropriate individuals could be identified and recruited to the study and whether the TechCare App would be an acceptable intervention for individuals with psychosis.

Methods: This was a mixed methods feasibility study, consisting of a test-run and feasibility evaluation of the TechCare App intervention.

Setting: Early Intervention Services (EIS) for psychosis, within an NHS Trust in the North West of England.

Participants: Sixteen participants (test-run n=4, feasibility study n=12) aged between 18 and 65 years recruited from the East, Central and North Lancashire EIS.

Intervention: A 6-week intervention, with the TechCare App assessing participants' symptoms and responses in real-time and providing a personalised-guided self-help-based psychological intervention based on the principles of Cognitive Behaviorual Therapy (CBT).

Results: A total of 83.33% (n=10) of participants completed the 6-week feasibility study, with 70% of completers achieving the set compliance threshold of ≥33% engagement with the TechCare App system. Analysis of the qualitative data suggested that participants held the view that the TechCare was both an acceptable and feasible means of delivering interventions in real-time.

Conclusion: Innovative digital clinical technologies, such as the TechCare App, have the potential to increase access to psychological interventions, reduce health inequality and promote self-management with a real-time intervention, through enabling access to mental health resources in a stigma-free, evidence-based and time-independent manner.

Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02439619.

Keywords: mental health; schizophrenia & psychotic disorders; telemedicine.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: IBC and NH have given lectures and advice to Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lundbeck, Astra Zeneca and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, for which they or their employing institution have been reimbursed. IBC and NH were previously trustees of the Pakistan Institute of Learning and Living. NH is Chair of the board of trustees of the Manchester Global Foundation. CDJT reports grants from UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Fellowship award (DRF-2012-05-211), delivers psychological therapy in the UK National Health Service and personal fees from providing occasional workshops on CBT, outside the submitted work. The other authors have no competing interests to declare.

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Consort flow diagram to show recruitment and retention.

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