Conversations on telemental health : listening to remote and rural First Nations communities

• Main Authors: Gibson, K. L., Coulson, H., Miles, R., Kakekakekung, C., Daniels, E., O'Donnell, S.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Aboriginal; community perspectives; First Nations; mental health; telemental health; videoconferencing; Canada
• Online Access: https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/accepted/?id=d30e1be1-5bad-4256-a972-07c89e1da7ce; https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/object/?id=d30e1be1-5bad-4256-a972-07c89e1da7ce; https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/fra/voir/objet/?id=d30e1be1-5bad-4256-a972-07c89e1da7ce

Telemental health involves technologies such as videoconferencing to deliver mental health services and education, and to connect individuals and communities for healing and health. In remote and rural First Nations communities there are often challenges to obtaining mental healthcare in the community and to working with external mental health workers. Telemental health is a service approach and tool that can address some of these challenges and potentially support First Nations communities in their goal of improving mental health and wellbeing. Community members’ perspectives on the usefulness and appropriateness of telemental health can greatly influence the level of engagement with the service. It appears that no research or literature exists on First Nations community members’ perspectives on telemental health, or even on community perspectives on the broader area of technologies for mental health services. Therefore, this article explores the perspectives on telemental health of community members living in two rural and remote First Nations communities in Ontario, Canada. Peer reviewed: Yes NRC publication: Yes