Spanish-speaking therapists increasingly switch to telepsychology during Covid-19: networked virtual reality may be next

Sampaio, Mariana ; Navarro Haro, Maria Vicenta (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Wilks, Chelsey ; De Sousa, Bruno ; Garcia-Palacios, Azucena ; Hoffman, Hunter G.

Resumen: Background: Social distancing restrictions imposed due to the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in a rapid shift in the delivery of psychological interventions from in-person to telehealth. Much of the research on this transition has been conducted with English-speaking mental health providers, leaving a gap in understanding related to how this shift has impacted Spanish-speaking treatment providers. Methods: Fifty non-U.S. Spanish-speaking therapists completed a survey related to their use of telecommunication modalities; client population characteristics; professional, ethical, and legal/regulatory issues; and telehealth training and practice. Participants completed the survey at one time point and retrospectively described their use of telehealth both pre-pandemic and during the pandemic.Results: Most of the 50 Spanish-speaking therapists surveyed reported using telepsychology 58% before COVID-19 versus 84% during the COVID-19 pandemic (χ2 = 5.76, p < 0.05). Compared with pre-pandemic, the number of hours therapists spent using telepsychology per week increased significantly for early adopter therapists (those who began using telehealth before the pandemic began) (Z = −3.18, p = 0.001) and also for late adopter therapists who only began using telehealth during the pandemic (Z = −3.74, p < 0.001). Many therapists reported equity issues. Most participants also reported ethical and regulatory concerns regarding security/confidentiality or Health Insurance Porability and Accountability Act. Conclusions: The rapid adoption of technology to deliver therapy during COVID-19 has spurred growing pains for Spanish-speaking therapists and their underserved clients, and more research is needed to better understand and improve the therapists' adoption of these technologies with diverse patient populations.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0124

Año: 2021

Publicado en: TELEMEDICINE AND E-HEALTH 27, 8 (2021), 919-928
ISSN: 1530-5627

Factor impacto JCR: 5.033 (2021)

Categ. JCR: HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES rank: 19 / 109 = 0.174 (2021) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 6.6 - Health Professions (Q1) - Medicine (Q1)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 1.041 - Medicine (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Health Informatics (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA-FEDER/Construyendo Europa desde Aragón
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA-FEDER/S31-20D

Tipo y forma: Artículo (Versión definitiva)

Área (Departamento): Área Person.Eval.Trat.Psicoló. (Dpto. Psicología y Sociología)