About
COVID-19 led to an increase in mental health problems among the general public and healthcare workers. Reasons for this increase include social isolation, anxiety, and stress related to COVID-19. 
The Mental Health Among Patients, Providers, and Staff (MHAPPS) study examines anxiety, loneliness, depression, stress, and suicidal thoughts among patients and healthcare workers in a large rural health system within a state that was severely affected by COVID-19. The study also compares two versions of Caring Contacts text message support for patients and healthcare workers with mental distress – one with an introductory phone call and one without.
Outcomes
- Clinical trial participants included 331 patients and 335 healthcare providers/staff with mental distress.
- There were no significant differences in loneliness at 6 months by treatment arm in either stratum.
- Study concluded that including an initial phone call added operational complexity without significantly improving the effectiveness of the Caring Contacts program.
- This study is continuing to collect longitudinal outcomes through 2024.
Citations
- Radin, A. K., Shaw, J., Brown, S. P., Torres, J., Harper, M., Flint, H., Fouts, T., McCue, E., Skeie, A., Peña, C., Youell, J., Doty-Jones, A., Wilson, J., Flinn, L., Austin, G., Chan, K. C. G., Zheng, Z., Fruhbauerova, M., Walton, M., … Comtois, K. A. (2023). Comparative effectiveness of two versions of a caring contacts intervention in healthcare providers, staff, and patients for reducing loneliness and mental distress: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, S0165-0327(23)00365-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.03.029
