TY - JOUR
T1 - Computerized mental health assessment in integrative health clinics
T2 - A cross-sectional study using structured interview: Feature Article
AU - Leung, Sau Fong
AU - French, Peter
AU - Chui, Caroline
AU - Arthur, David
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by NIH Research Grant HD-12572 and NlMH Research Scientist Development Award MH-00318 to MSB. The authors thank the late Philip Salapatek for many helpful discussions and Pat Bennett, Les Cohen, and Al Yonas for comments on an earlier draft.
PY - 2007/12
Y1 - 2007/12
N2 - Computerized mental health assessment is gaining popularity. It enables the standardization of assessment of clinical problems, increases the capacity to collect sensitive or confidential information, facilitates personal assessment at one's own pace, and offers rapid screening of mental health status. The use of computer technology to conduct mental health assessment was an initiative proposed for two nurse-led integrative health clinics affiliated to a University in Hong Kong. It was intended to provide an efficient screening for depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, and problem gambling common in the primary health-care settings to facilitate early intervention. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of using a computerized health assessment kiosk to perform mental health assessment. The assessment items were derived from an abbreviated World Health Organization Mental Disorders Checklist and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Criteria for Pathological Gambling. The study involved an opportunity sample of 31 subjects who volunteered to complete the computerized mental health assessment during their waiting time in the clinics. The results showed that most subjects had positive feelings about using a computer to perform a mental health assessment and had increased understanding of their mental health. Suggestions made to improve computerized mental health assessments included touch screen, voice instructions, and enlarged print font size.
AB - Computerized mental health assessment is gaining popularity. It enables the standardization of assessment of clinical problems, increases the capacity to collect sensitive or confidential information, facilitates personal assessment at one's own pace, and offers rapid screening of mental health status. The use of computer technology to conduct mental health assessment was an initiative proposed for two nurse-led integrative health clinics affiliated to a University in Hong Kong. It was intended to provide an efficient screening for depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, and problem gambling common in the primary health-care settings to facilitate early intervention. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of using a computerized health assessment kiosk to perform mental health assessment. The assessment items were derived from an abbreviated World Health Organization Mental Disorders Checklist and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Criteria for Pathological Gambling. The study involved an opportunity sample of 31 subjects who volunteered to complete the computerized mental health assessment during their waiting time in the clinics. The results showed that most subjects had positive feelings about using a computer to perform a mental health assessment and had increased understanding of their mental health. Suggestions made to improve computerized mental health assessments included touch screen, voice instructions, and enlarged print font size.
KW - Computerized mental health assessment
KW - Kiosk
KW - Mental health screening
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=36049043261&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2007.00500.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2007.00500.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 17995515
AN - SCOPUS:36049043261
SN - 1445-8330
VL - 16
SP - 441
EP - 446
JO - International Journal of Mental Health Nursing
JF - International Journal of Mental Health Nursing
IS - 6
ER -
