Exploring the Future of Mental Health: Telepsychiatry Video Consultations on Mobile Phones Versus Laptops: Findings from a Tertiary Care Center.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic accelerated the utilization of telepsychiatry services across populations. Research on satisfaction with video consultations has yielded mixed results. The utilization of telepsychiatry services in India identifies technological difficulties as a barrier. This study investigates specific access and communication-related factors that affect patient and caregiver satisfaction.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using a newly developed instrument comprising two domains: access-related and communication-related factors. Data was collected from consenting adult patients and caregivers previously engaging in video consultations. The instrument's psychometric properties were examined using Cronbach's alpha, split-half reliability, and factor analysis. Associations were evaluated using appropriate statistical methods.

Results: A total of 78 respondents were included in the analysis. Four subject experts reviewed the instrument's content validity, and the scale's psychometric properties showed an overall Content Validity Index (CVI) of 0.968 and Cronbach's alpha of 0.917. The study showed high satisfaction with telepsychiatry consultation, with differences in scores attributed more to communication-related factors than access-related factors. A multivariate regression analysis revealed that the type of device (laptop better than phone) and age were significantly associated with total satisfaction scores.

Conclusions: The study highlights modifiable factors for telepsychiatry satisfaction using a newly developed instrument with robust initial psychometric properties. Limitations include the possibility of a biased sample population and a modest response rate from respondents. Future directions entail external validation of the satisfaction scale and utilization of the findings to broaden the scope of mental health coverage using telepsychiatry.