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TELEPSYCHIATRY OR FACE-TO-FACE COUNSELING? --

New VA study of American Indian veterans

says outcome is the same.

 

 

This is an abstract of a study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

Abstract here... http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/
cgi/content/abstract/164/1/115

Abstract below:

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Diagnostic Reliability of Telepsychiatry in American Indian Veterans

Jay H. Shore, M.D., M.P.H., Daniel Savin, M.D., Heather Orton, M.S., Jan Beals, Ph.D. and Spero M. Manson, Ph.D.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the reliability of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID) in the administration of psychiatric assessments by real-time videoconferencing compared to face-to-face assessment within a rural American Indian community.

 

METHOD: The SCID was administered to 53 male American Indian veterans who were randomly assigned over two separate occasions by different interviewers to face-to-face and real-time interactive videoconferencing within 2 weeks.

Comparisons were made with prevalences, the McNemar test, and the kappa statistic.

 

RESULTS: With the exception of past-year substance dependence and abuse/dependence combined, there were no significant differences between face-to-face and videoconference administration.

The majority of kappas calculated (76%) indicated a good or fair level of agreement. Externalizing disorders tended to elicit greater concordance than internalizing disorders.

 

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, SCID assessment by live interactive videoconferencing did not differ significantly from face-to-face assessment in this population.

Videoconferencing is a viable vehicle for clinical and research purposes.

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Larry Scott

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