PROFILE OF USERS ASSISTED BY A MENTAL HEALTH TELE CARE PROGRAM

Abstract

The present study aims to describe the profile of users assisted by a mental health telecare program. This is a quantitative research, of a descriptive and exploratory nature, which used a database filled by psychologists from a mental health telecare program via WhatsApp application, whose headquarters were located in a city in the extreme south of Santa Catarina. The data refer to the consultations carried out between March 2020 and July 2021, where the subsequent statistical analysis was performed using the Stata 14.2 software. The results obtained from the patients who answered the screening questionnaire show that 58.7% did not have a previous diagnosis of mental disorder. Regarding patients who had a previous diagnosis (37.6%) or who had a personal and/or professional suspicion about a diagnosis (3.6%), it is noteworthy that mood disorders (46.4%) and anxiety disorders (37.11%) had a higher prevalence in the sample. In this sense, the preventive character that mental health telecare services can have is highlighted, being useful tools to overcome some assistance barriers, and provide care not only to patients who have some disorder, but those who are suffering or in need. promptly be welcomed. In addition, it is understood that teleservice as a facilitator of access is also a resource for the establishment of early diagnosis in mental health, optimizing the care flow through the initial reception and referrals according to risk stratifications.