An E-Mental Health Solution to Prevent and Manage Posttraumatic Stress Injuries Among First Responders in Alberta: Protocol for the Implementation and Evaluation of Text Messaging Services (Text4PTSI and Text4Wellbeing)

Gloria Obuobi-Donkor; Ejemai Eboreime; Jennifer Bond; Natalie Phung; Scarlett Eyben; Jake Hayward; Yanbo Zhang; Frank MacMaster; Steven Clelland; Russell Greiner; Chelsea Jones; Bo Cao; Suzette Brémault-Phillips; Kristopher Wells; Xin-Min Li; Carla Hilario; Andrew J Greenshaw; Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong

doi:10.2196/30680

An E-Mental Health Solution to Prevent and Manage Posttraumatic Stress Injuries Among First Responders in Alberta: Protocol for the Implementation and Evaluation of Text Messaging Services (Text4PTSI and Text4Wellbeing)

JMIR Res Protoc. 2022 Apr 25;11(4):e30680. doi: 10.2196/30680.

Authors

Gloria Obuobi-Donkor^#¹, Ejemai Eboreime¹, Jennifer Bond², Natalie Phung², Scarlett Eyben², Jake Hayward³, Yanbo Zhang¹, Frank MacMaster^{4

5}, Steven Clelland⁵, Russell Greiner⁶, Chelsea Jones⁷, Bo Cao¹, Suzette Brémault-Phillips^{7

8}, Kristopher Wells⁸, Xin-Min Li¹, Carla Hilario⁹, Andrew J Greenshaw¹, Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong^#^{1

10}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
² Operational Stress Injury Clinic, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
³ Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
⁵ Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
⁶ Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
⁷ Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
⁸ Department of Child and Youth Care, Faculty of Health and Community Studies, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
⁹ Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
¹⁰ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 35468094
PMCID: PMC9086885
DOI: 10.2196/30680

Abstract

Background: First responders are confronted with traumatic events in their work that has a substantial toll on their psychological health and may contribute to or result in posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSIs) for many responders. Persons with a PTSI usually seek management therapies. Evidence indicates that digital delivery of these therapies is an innovative, efficient, and effective way to improve PTSI symptoms as an adjunct to in-person delivery.

Objective: This project aims to implement and provide accessible, convenient, and economical SMS text messaging services, known as Text4PTSI and Text4Wellbeing, to first responders in Alberta, Canada; to prevent and improve the symptoms of PTSI among first responders; and to improve their overall quality of life. We will evaluate posttraumatic symptoms and the impact of Text4PTSI and Text4Wellbeing on stress, anxiety, and depression in relation to the correspondents' demographic backgrounds.

Methods: First responders who subscribe to Text4PTSI or Text4Wellbeing receive daily supportive and psychoeducational SMS text messages for 6 months. The SMS text messages are preprogrammed into an online software program that delivers messages to subscribers. Baseline and follow-up data are collected through online questionnaires using validated scales at enrollment, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks (end point). In-depth interviews will be conducted to assess satisfaction with the text-based intervention.

Results: We hypothesize that participants who enroll in this program will have improved PTSI symptoms; increased or improved quality of life; and significant reduction in associated stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms, among other psychological concerns. Improvement will be determined in comparison to established baseline parameters.

Conclusions: This research will be beneficial for practitioners and will inform policy-making and decision-making regarding psychological interventions for PTSI. Lessons from this study will inform the scale-up of the intervention, a cost-effective, zero contact therapeutic option to manage PTSI.

International registered report identifier (irrid): PRR1-10.2196/30680.

Keywords: Text4PTSI; Text4Wellbeing; first responders; messaging; mobile phone; posttraumatic stress injury; text-based intervention.

©Gloria Obuobi-Donkor, Ejemai Eboreime, Jennifer Bond, Natalie Phung, Scarlett Eyben, Jake Hayward, Yanbo Zhang, Frank MacMaster, Steven Clelland, Russell Greiner, Chelsea Jones, Bo Cao, Suzette Brémault-Phillips, Kristopher Wells, Xin-Min Li, Carla Hilario, Andrew J Greenshaw, Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 25.04.2022.