Key Messages

• Digital interventions are potential solutions to support population mental health during and after the pandemic.
• By digital interventions, we refer to those described by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and in the World Health Organization’s Classification of Digital Health Technologies, like websites, web-based programs, electronic knowledge platforms, mobile health apps (inclusive of texting), telemedicine and social media
• Digital interventions that have been created for non-COVID-19 related purposes (e.g. for natural and human-made disasters) may be relevant to support population mental health)

Keywords

• Population mental health
• Digital interventions
• Pandemic
• Digital mental health
• E-mental health
• Virtual mental health
• Digital Psychiatry
• Tele-psychiatry
• Disaster mental health
• Telemental health

Author(s)

• Nominated Principal Applicant: Gillian Strudwick, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Sanjeev Sockalingam, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Allison Crawford, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Sophie Soklaridis, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Branka Agic, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Rohan Mehta, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Lydia Sequeira, University of Toronto
• Iman Kassam, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Sarah Bonato, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• David Wiljer, University Health Network
• Nadia Green, University of Toronto
• Danielle Impey, Mental Health Commission of Canada
• Alaa Youssef, University of Toronto

For more information, please contact: Gillian.strudwick@camh.ca

Related Syntheses

• School-Based Suicide Risk Assessment Using eHealth: A Scoping Review
• Niikaniganaw (All My Relations) Ii – the COVID-19 Rapid Response: Indigenous Approaches to Synthesizing Knowledge for Culturally-safe and Stigma Free Mental Health Care for Under-served Indigenous Communities in Ottawa-Gatineau
• What is the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on the mental health of children aged 5–12, and what are the specific issues faced by children with a disability or chronic illness? A scoping review of problems experienced and promising avenues for intervention

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Population

Vulnerable or At-Risk Populations, General Population

Language

To ensure the rapid dissemination of this critical information, information is published in the language in which it was submitted. Please contact us for French or English translations.