A program that uses mobile phones to track the mental health of
young people is being trialed in Albury-Wodonga.
The world-first mobiletype program, developed by Dr
Sophie Reid of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, helps
doctors treat 14 to 24-year-olds with mental health concerns
through an interactive mobile phone program that asks participants
to answer questions on how they feel.
The trial, run by Gateway Community Health in partnership with
the Albury-Wodonga Division of General Practice, is recruiting 40
people in the last of three trials across Victoria.
The program uses an electronic diary that allows youths to
report a board range of daily experiences including mood, stress
levels, coping strategies, alcohol and cannabis use, exercise,
eating patterns and general lifestyle factors. Responses are sent
to a website interface which evaluates and assesses each patient's
mental well-being and produces an individual report for the doctor
to help them determine what treatment is required.
Dr Reid said initial results showed doctors who used the program
were better equipped to treat the mental well-being of more than 90
per cent of their patients, while 81 per cent of their patients
reported having a better understanding of their own mental
well-being after receiving their doctor's feedback.
"Up to 30 per cent of young people will experience depression by
the end of their teenage years and about half of common mental
disorders begin during adolescence," Dr Reid said.
"Unfortunately, research shows most people wait six to 23 years
to obtain appropriate treatment, leading poor long-term mental
health outcomes. The mobiletype program capitalises on the
familiarity young people have communicating via SMS to help them
express their feelings and have their mental well-being effectively
assessed as soon as problems present."
Albury-Wodonga Division of General Practice chairman Michael
Bartram welcomed the trial and encouraged local GPs to get
involved.