@article{rigasOptimizingFutureTelehealth2026,

title = {Optimizing future Telehealth mental health programs: a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study to identify key predictors of intervention response in the Telehealth intervention program for older adults (TIP-OA)},

author = {C. Rigas and P. Lavin and C. -L. Su and M. Hassan and K. Cinalioglu and B. Vacaflor and E. Dikaios and A. Goodman and M. Ibrahim and J. Gruber and J. Se and N. Sasi and R. Nazar and K. Bodenstein and S. Elbaz and H. Fajzel and S. Berkani and C. Hanganu and H. Noble and K. Looper and S. Bouchard and D. Seitz and S. Kumar and O. Beauchet and C. Launay and E. McDonald and B. Khoury and A. Ryder and B. Battistini and P. Fallavollita and I. Vahia and H. Sekhon and S. Bukhari and S. Rej},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105038539121?origin=resultslist},

doi = {10.1186/s12888-025-07688-1},

issn = {1471244X (ISSN)},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {BMC Psychiatry},

volume = {26},

number = {1},

publisher = {BioMed Central Ltd},

abstract = {Background: The Telehealth Intervention Program for Older Adults (TIP-OA) was a volunteer-based phone support program for to older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. While volunteer-based phone programs can be effective in providing mental health support, there is limited data on the predictors of response to such interventions. This study aimed to examine clinical and demographic predictors of response to the TIP-OA intervention among older adults. Methods: This secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study included 82 TIP-OA users who expressed interest in the program’s research component, met inclusion criteria, and provided informed consent. Participants completed both baseline and 8-week assessments or had 4-week data carried forward using the last observation carried forward (LOCF) method. The intervention consisted of weekly supportive phone calls over eight weeks. Baseline mental health risk level was assessed by clinicians during intake and categorized as low, medium, or high based on symptom severity within specific symptom categories. Associations between baseline risk level and changes in stress (primary outcome), depression, and anxiety (secondary outcomes) were examined. The primary outcome was measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; scores ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (very often)). Secondary outcomes were measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9; scores ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day)), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7; scores can range from 0 (not at all sure) to 3 (nearly every day)). Results: At 8 -week follow-up assessment, participants with higher baseline risk levels showed greater reductions in stress (mean difference in Perceived Stress Scale reduction by 2.13, (F(1,77) = 2.82},

keywords = {80 and over, adult, aged, Anxiety, article, clinical outcome, clinician, cohort analysis, coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19, demographics, Depression, female, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Geriatric mental health, health hazard, health program, human, human experiment, Humans, informed consent, male, Mental health, Mental Health Teletherapy, mental stress, older adults, Patient Health Questionnaire 9, Perceived Stress Scale, physiological stress, prediction, Predictors of treatment response, Prospective Studies, prospective study, Psychological, psychology, SARS-CoV-2, secondary analysis, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Social isolation, social worker, Stress, telehealth, Telemedicine, teletherapy, Therapy, treatment response, very elderly, Volunteer-based intervention},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{sekhon_isolating_2022,

title = {Isolating together during COVID-19: Results from the Telehealth Intervention Program for older adults},

author = {H. Sekhon and P. Lavin and B. Vacaflor and C. Rigas and K. Cinalioglu and C. -L. Su and K. Bodenstein and E. Dikaios and A. Goodman and F. C. Raymond and M. Ibrahim and M. Bein and J. Gruber and J. Se and N. Sasi and C. Walsh and R. Nazar and C. Hanganu and S. Berkani and I. Royal and A. Schiavetto and K. Looper and C. Launay and E. G. McDonald and D. Seitz and S. Kumar and O. Beauchet and B. Khoury and S. Bouchard and B. Battistini and P. Fallavollita and M. Miresco and M. -A. Bruneau and I. Vahia and S. Bukhari and S. Rej},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85140408885&doi=10.3389%2ffmed.2022.948506&partnerID=40&md5=914f535ebf7ead4bbacb04ee66f75e17},

doi = {10.3389/fmed.2022.948506},

issn = {2296858X},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Frontiers in Medicine},

volume = {9},

publisher = {Frontiers Media S.A.},

abstract = {Background: A pressing challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond is to provide accessible and scalable mental health support to isolated older adults in the community. The Telehealth Intervention Program for Older Adults (TIP-OA) is a large-scale, volunteer-based, friendly telephone support program designed to address this unmet need. Methods: A prospective cohort study of 112 TIP-OA participants aged ≥60 years old was conducted in Quebec, Canada (October 2020–June 2021). The intervention consisted of weekly friendly phone calls from trained volunteers. The primary outcome measures included changes in scores of stress, depression, anxiety, and fear surrounding COVID-19, assessed at baseline, 4 and 8-weeks. Additional subgroup analyses were performed with participants with higher baseline scores. Results: The subgroup of participants with higher baseline depression scores (PHQ9 ≥10) had significant improvements in depression scores over the 8-week period measured [mean change score = −2.27 (±4.76), 95%CI (−3.719, −0.827)},

note = {Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.},

keywords = {aged, Anxiety, article, cohort analysis, controlled study, coronavirus disease 2019, demographics, Depression, Fear, female, human, longitudinal study, major clinical study, male, Patient Health Questionnaire 9, physiological stress, prospective study, Quebec, telehealth},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}