Dr.(CA) Amit Kumar Garg’s Post

Transcript

Hello everyone. My name is Amit Ghar. I am Managing Director and Partner in bricks and woods. Today I will discuss digital technology and mental health intervention opportunities and challenges. In today's digital age, technology has become an integral part of our life, influencing how we work, communicate and even manage our health. But what about mental health? Can digital technology offer solution to challenge faced by those struggling with the mental health issues? As you can see from the graph, mental health disorder affects millions of people globally with the rate on rise in the recent years. According to UN World Health Organization, depression alone affects over 300 million people, making it one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. So we have so many factors such as society pressure, economic instability, traumatic experience contribute to growing prevalence of mental health conditions. You see this graph. So lot of Southeast Asia's reasons are majorly affecting. With this mental health pressure. If you see the digital technology emerged as a beacon of hope with their advent of smartphone, wearable devices, virtual realities devices, telemedicine platforms, individuals now have president, access to mental health resources and support. According to Psychiatry association, there are more than 10,000 mental health apps publicly available where we can study a lot of basic functions like information. And Psychoeducation, which percentage? Almost 36%. Therapy or treatment, Symptoms and mood monitoring, self assessments, peer support and community support. So you know that a lot of mobile apps have revolutionized mental health intervention, providing users with tools for self-care, moon tracking and access to therapeutic resource anytime, anywhere. From the stress manager to mindful exercise, these apps empower. Individuals who take control of their mental well beings. From 2014 to 2024, the total number of global smartphones users grow and an average of 17.1% annually. Reports estimate that going forward the number of global smartphone users will continue to increase every year and hit 6.38 billion by 2029. If you see the wearable device growth where offer another Ave. For monitoring and managing mental health, devices such as fitness tracker and smartwatches can track biometric data like heart rate variability and the sleep pattern, providing valuable insight into user emotional States and stress level. As it is revealed that global wearable device shipments reach an all time high for the third quarter of 148 point 4 million units, according to new data from the international data. Corporation so now we are moving on to a virtual devices which is again they are growing. So this technology has emerged as a powerful tool for the immersive therapy experience. Virtual reality is to Malaysian can recreate therapeutic environment allowing individuals to confront and manage their fear, phobias and trauma in a controlled and supportive settings. The study conducted in the year 2023 revealed that the success rate of virtual. Reality therapy is between 66% to 90% which are helping to overcome the mental health similar way like people don't able to reach because of geography. All the doctors and all that. The telemedicine platforms are creating a very big bridge between the patient and the mental health professionals offering remote consultations, therapy sessions and medication management services. This telemedicine model enhance access to care particularly for individuals in rural. And undeserved areas. According to the psychiatry organizations, telemedicine uses increase by 39% in 2021. You see the graph where the telly medicine and telly medicine adoptation by the patients are increasing from 2019 to 2020. However, despite the potential benefits, there are significant challenges to overcome one major issue in the digital divide. With a certain population having limited access to technology and the Internet, this can. Extra bit disparities in the mental health care access and outcome. In the low income countries only 19% of the people have access to Internet. So this is another concern because we are using nowadays a lot of wearable devices, we already been discussed. So the privacy concern that data security issues are also coming up with those kind of devices. So here. If you see we will give you a some sharing sensitive mental health information which are online we are seeing are raising questions about confidentiality and risk of data breaches. From the study it is found that 32% of the millennials and 23% of Gen. X express concern about data privacy. You see the chart. So there are adult Gen. X millennials, Gen. X and Baby boomers. So they're very concerned about 32 percent, 23 percent, 32% kind of it means out of 100%, almost 32% or 35% having a big concern about using those kind of digital devices if you see like more over the effectiveness of the digital intervention. May be limited by user digital literacy skills and comfort level with the technology. Older adult in a particular may face challenge navigating complex apps and platforms which are hindering their ability to benefit from these innovations. Only 22% of the adult aged between 55 to 64 feel confident using digital devices. If you see the chart between age of 18 to 29 are very much confident to using and if you see the chart. 64 Five plus people are reluctant to use, which are only 8%. So I recommend how to overcome this challenge. So I think we should prioritize human centered design principle in development of digital melt health intervention, ensuring that solutions are tailored to need, references and experience of user example, conducting extensive user research and usability testing to inform the design of a mental health app that incorporate feedback from diverse user groups implement. Lobos data protection measures and privacy policies to safeguard the confidentiality and security of user personal informations. Instinctly trust and confidence in digital mental health platform and services. We can implement blockchain technology like God, Time and Helium to enhance data security and privacy in digital wealth, health intervention, ensuring temper proof records and secure sharing of sensitive. Information between user and providers leverage tally psychiatry platforms such as Unwell and Better Health to provide remote mental health consultation and therapy session enhancing access to care for individuals in undeserved and remote areas. I think hosting Design Thinking workshop should also be a beneficial because through this mental health professionals, technologists and researchers and end users can collaborate Co create. And prototype innovative digital tools for managing stress and anxiety. Despite these challenges, the future of digital mental health intervention looks promising. Investors are investing billions of dollars into digital mental health startups, signaling growing interest and confidence in the field. Global investment in mental health technology These 2.3 billion in 2023 if you see the role of AI, so nowadays it is very advanced. Hold great potential for enhancing mental healthcare. AI empowered chat bots and virtual therapists can provide personalized support and intervention augmenting traditional treatment approaches. Over 60% of the mental health professionals believe AI will significantly impact mental healthcare in next decades. In conclusion, digital technology present both opportunities and challenges for the mental health intervention while mobile apps, wearable devices, virtual reality. Telemedicine platforms over innovative ways to support individuals mental well beings. Addressing issues such as digital divide, privacy concern and data security is a crucial for ensuring equitable access and effective implementation. So by a harnessing the power of technology responsibly and inclusively we can unlock the full potential of digital mental health intervention and improve outcomes for millions around the world. So thank you for joining us on this journey through the intersection of digital technology and mental health intervention. Remember, whether through a smartphone app, wearable device or virtual reality experience or telemedicine consultation help is just a click or a call away. Thank you very much.