Observational studyBMC psychiatry2023
Trends in telemedicine utilization for mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis of a nationwide database in Korea.
Observational study in BMC psychiatry, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Long-Term Trends in Counseling for Stress and Depression Among Adults, 2009-2024, Considering the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nationwide Representative Study in South Korea.Psychiatry investigation · 2026Article
- Determinants of Patient Use of Telemental Health Services: Representative Cross-Sectional Survey From Germany.JMIR mental health · 2025Article
- Telemedicine Experiences of People Living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis at Home in South Korea.Yonsei medical journal · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has worsened mental health and reduced access to mental health services. During the pandemic, the demand for telemedicine has increased and related laws have been enacted. This study aimed to investigate telemedicine use for cases of major mental illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare the characteristics of patients who received telemedicine service with those of patients who received in-person care.
methodsThis population-based, cross-sectional, observational study was based on health insurance claims data, and included 2,749,872 patients who received outpatient treatment for mental illness from February 24, 2020 to June 30, 2022. Logistic regression was performed to assess the relationships between patient characteristics and telemedicine service use. Patients who received telemedicine services were analyzed in subgroups of each mental illness.
resultsDuring the study period, 80,157 patients (2.9%), with an average age of 63 years, received at least one telemedicine treatment. There was a predominance of women and medical aid recipients. The lowest proportion of telemedicine treatments was for depression (2.1%), and the highest was for dementia (6.7%). The proportion of patients receiving telemedicine in long-term care hospitals was high (22.6%), with the highest odds ratio (OR) (5.84), compared with that in tertiary or general hospitals, followed by that in psychiatric hospitals and clinics. The proportions were high in the departments of internal medicine, neurology, and psychiatry. Patients aged > 80 years received most telemedicine treatment (OR: 1.23) across all diagnoses. Cases of dementia and other mental disorders had higher ORs (2.60 and 2.36, respectively) compared with cases of depression. Except for dementia and behavioral/emotional disorders, hospitalization increased the probability of telemedicine treatment. Comorbidities were positively associated with telemedicine treatment.
conclusionsOlder people and people with other physical illnesses were more likely to use telemedicine treatments temporarily provided during the pandemic. Telemedicine maintained continuity of treatment for patients with dementia and severe mental illnesses. Telemedicine can be useful for filling the medical gaps for vulnerable populations other than those with mild mental illnesses. This aspect should be considered for the future establishment of telemedicine systems.
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