The Internet Based Intervention and Digital Technology Use for Improving Medication Adherence of Patients with Schizophrenia or Another Mental Illness: a Systematic Review

Abstract

A growing body of literature sheds light on internet based interventions and digital technology use in mental illness. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of internet based  interventions and digital technology use  in patients with schizophrenia or mental illness  and their documented outcomes of the medication adherence and relapse prevention. Methods: Databases searched for this systhematic review were Scopus, CINAHL, Science Direct, Sage, and Pubmed at the time of publication between 2016 and 2021 which was limited by journal source type. The search terms, truncated when relevant, were ("schizophrenia" OR psychosis OR "mental illness") AND (“internet based intervention” OR “online intervention” OR “mobile health” OR telemedicine OR telehealth”) AND (“medication adherence” OR “medication compliance”). Eleven peer reviewed intervention studies targeting adults with schizophrenia or another mental illness were reviewed and analyzed. The Joanna Briggs Institute Guideline was used for critical appraisal. Results: There are eight categories of interventions emerged: telephone intervention, video conference, mobile texting, texting combined telephone, smartphone intervention, texting combined smartphone intervention, web based intervention, and WeChat based intervention. Conclusions: Most of  the previous literatures stated that there were significant effects of  internet based intervention and digital technology use for improving  medical adherence of patients with schizophrenia or another mental illness.