M. Pinto da Costa, United Kingdom
Queen Mary University of London Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry (WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Services Development)Moderator of 3 Sessions
Proposed by the EPA Section on TeleMental Health -The 21st century has witnessed a fast-paced revolution in information technologies, that in turn contributed to the spread of new complementary diagnostic and clinical tools for mental health, which are likely to become a standard of practice in the near future, especially for younger generations of psychiatrists. The symposium will provide an introduction on the main past and contemporary issues related to the diagnostic process in psychiatry and innovative digital approaches to psychiatric diagnosis will be presented. In detail, Neuroanalysis represents a novel integrative approach, based on a patient-interactive digital platform which couples EEG-based imaging data with machine-learning algorithms to measure brain network activity in psychiatric diseases. Digital Phenotyping takes advantage on biosensors and allows to analyze several digital parameters (individual level of activity, GPS location, use of voice/speech, use of social media and human-computer interactions) in real time. Its clinical potential in relation to monitoring the transition from at-risk conditions to initial stages of mental illnesses, in providing accounts of early signs of relapse, and in promoting recovery will be addressed. Finally, the use of automated technologies to perform innovative clinical assessments will be reviewed, with specific reference to the identification of subjects at high risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Digital tools today represent potentially cost- and time-effective tools for clinical providers to help support early detection and diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and their potentials as well as their caveats for clinical practice will be thoroughly discussed.
Presenter of 9 Presentations
Live Q&A
Live Q&A
Daily Overview
Live Q&A
Opening Ceremony
Live Q&A
Live Q&A
ECP0011 - Social Isolation and Physical Distance: Experiences from a Phone Pal
ABSTRACT
Abstract Body
People with psychosis are commonly socially isolated, both due to their condition, and the stigma towards them. Remote volunteering over smart-phone can be a way to overcome social isolation and physical distance, promoting social inclusion.
This talk will present the qualitative findings from a feasibility study – the Phone Pal – which connected in the United Kingdom patients with psychosis with community volunteers, to communicate with each other for up to 12 weeks via smart-phone (through texts, WhatsApp messages, e-mails, audio or video calls).
Participants described at the end of the study their experiences of communicating with their match over the smart-phone in terms of frequency, duration and timing of communication, their communication method, content and style, and the changes of communication over time. Several participants reported a positive impact of being connected with someone, meeting a new person, feeling supported and feeling better, and a few described challenges, such as disappointment, guilt and burden. These interview findings show that some matches were able to develop a positive and friendly relationship, and were willing to continue to be in contact with each other beyond the study duration.
It is hoped that this talk will generate a lively discussion, gathering further understanding about the potential benefits and challenges of remote volunteering over smart-phone for patients and volunteers, and its potential usefulness in the current pandemic times.
S0136 - The Way Forward: Insights and Suggestions from an Early Career Psychiatrist
ABSTRACT
Abstract Body
People with psychosis are commonly socially isolated, both due to their condition, and the stigma towards them. Remote volunteering over smart-phone can be a way to overcome social isolation and physical distance, promoting social inclusion.
This talk will present the qualitative findings from a feasibility study – the Phone Pal – which connected in the United Kingdom patients with psychosis with community volunteers, to communicate with each other for up to 12 weeks via smart-phone (through texts, WhatsApp messages, e-mails, audio or video calls).
Participants described at the end of the study their experiences of communicating with their match over the smart-phone in terms of frequency, duration and timing of communication, their communication method, content and style, and the changes of communication over time. Several participants reported a positive impact of being connected with someone, meeting a new person, feeling supported and feeling better, and a few described challenges, such as disappointment, guilt and burden. These interview findings show that some matches were able to develop a positive and friendly relationship, and were willing to continue to be in contact with each other beyond the study duration.
It is hoped that this talk will generate a lively discussion, gathering further understanding about the potential benefits and challenges of remote volunteering over smart-phone for patients and volunteers, and its potential usefulness in the current pandemic times.