Tele-counseling services for COVID-19 patients: Experiences from a state mental health institute in South India

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound implications for individuals' physical and mental health (MH), as well as well-being of populations worldwide. Several underlying issues which have a significant impact on MH, such as stress, worry, frustration, and uncertainty, were widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the common measures resorted to was to provide MH services to the population using information technology. This study shares the experience of tele-counseling services for patients with COVID-19 living in the hospital and in-home isolation during the pandemic phase of COVID-19 in the Dharwad district of Karnataka, a southern state in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mixed approach was used, which included 300 participants affected by COVID-19 and 3 case studies. The information was collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and case study methods. RESULT: The mean age of the COVID patients was 40.72 ± 14.61 years. More than half of the COVID patients (51%) received treatment at hospital. Seventy-nine percent of callers received only single counseling session. The main tele-counseling services provided included supportive counseling (44%), sleep hygienic techniques (9%), general information on COVID (15%), problem-solving techniques (1.3%), relaxation techniques (5.7%), mindful mediation (2%), grief counseling (3.3%), family counseling (1.7%), and stress management (2.7%). CONCLUSION: Tele-counseling services during an emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic can help in promoting MH and well-being of people affected by the pandemic. It is possible to provide such psychological first aid using information technology.