Smartphone Ownership, Use, and Willingness to Use Smartphones to Provide Peer-Delivered Services: Results from a National Online Survey

AbstractAssess certified peer specialists ’ smartphone ownership, use, and willingness to use smartphones to provide peer-delivered services. Certified peer specialist from 38 states completed an online survey. The final sample of 267 certified peer specialists included respondents from 38 states. The majority of certified peer specialist s were female (73%;n = 195) and Caucasian (79.8%;n = 213), with an average age of 50.9 (SD = 12) years, range from 21 to 77 years. More than half of the certified peer specialists (82.1%;n = 184) were currently working in peer support positions. Of those who reported their mental health diagnoses, 11% reported their diagnosis as schizophrenia spectrum disorder, 22% of respondents reported bipolar disorder, and 23% reported persistent major depressive disorder. Nearly all responden ts owned a smartphone (94.8%;n = 253), and everyone indicated that smartphones and tablets could enhance the services they deliver. Certified peer specialists reported substantial ownership and use of smartphones, comparable to existing national data. They are willing to deliver smartphone interventions for mental health and physical health self-management, suggesting that smartphones may be an increasingly useful tool for offering evidence-based care. Without Medicaid mandate, certified peer specialists are naturally trying to enhance peer delivered services with technology. Peer support could act as a mechanism to pro mote consumer engagement in...

Source: Psychiatric Quarterly - July 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research