TY  - JOUR
AU  - Shalaby, Reham
AU  - Hrabok, Marianne
AU  - Spurvey, Pamela
AU  - Abou El-Magd, Rabab M
AU  - Knox, Michelle
AU  - Rude, Rebecca
AU  - Vuong, Wesley
AU  - Surood, Shireen
AU  - Urichuk, Liana
AU  - Snaterse, Mark
AU  - Greenshaw, Andrew J
AU  - Li, Xin-Min
AU  - Agyapong, Vincent Israel Opoku
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/9/3
TI  - Recovery Following Peer and Text Messaging Support After Discharge From Acute Psychiatric Care in Edmonton, Alberta: Controlled Observational Study
JO  - JMIR Form Res
SP  - e27137
VL  - 5
IS  - 9
KW  - peer support
KW  - recovery
KW  - controlled observational study
KW  - inpatients
KW  - mental health
KW  - supportive text messages
AB  - Background: Peer support is an emotional, social, and practical help provided by nonprofessionals to assist others in sustaining health behaviors. Peer support is valued in recovery-oriented models of mental health and is becoming increasingly implemented at the organizational level. Text messaging is a relatively low-cost, high-impact, and easily scalable program that uses existing technology, is devoid of geographic barriers, and is easily accessible to end users. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative peer support system plus a supportive text messaging program on the recovery of discharged patients from acute psychiatric care. Methods: This prospective, rater blinded, controlled observational study included 181 patients who were discharged from acute psychiatric care. Patients were randomized to one of four conditions: treatment as usual (follow-up care), daily supportive text messages only, peer support only, or peer support plus daily supportive text messages. A standardized self-report measure of recovery (Recovery Assessment Scale [RAS]) was completed at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Descriptive analysis, one-way analysis of variance, and repeated measures multivariate analysis of covariance were used to examine the changes in the RAS among the study groups and over the follow-up time points. Results: A total of 65 patients completed the assessments at each time point. For the overall sample, higher scores were found for the peer support plus text message condition compared with the text message only and treatment as usual condition on several scales (ie, willingness to ask for help and personal confidence and hope) and total score on the RAS, after 6 months of intervention. Conclusions: Peer support plus supportive text messaging seems to result in improved recovery compared with other interventions. It may be advisable to incorporate the two interventions as part of routine practice for patients with psychiatric disorders upon hospital discharge. 
SN  - 2561-326X
UR  - https://formative.jmir.org/2021/9/e27137
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/27137
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34477565
DO  - 10.2196/27137
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/27137
ER  -