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A qualitative exploration of the experience and attitudes of exercise professionals using telehealth for people with mental illness

Grace McKeon (Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia and Black Dog Institute, Randwick, Australia)
Caroline Fitzgerald (Black Dog Institute, Randwick, Australia)
Bonnie Furzer (Fremantle Hospital Mental Health Service, South Metropolitan Health Service, Murdoch, Australia and School of Human Sciences (Exercise and Sport Science), The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia)
Simon Rosenbaum (Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)
Robert Stanton (School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Cairns, Australia and Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University - Adelaide Campus, Adelaide, Australia)
Oscar Lederman (based at Keeping the Body in Mind Program, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Bondi Junction, Australia and School of Health Sciences, Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)
Samuel B. Harvey (Black Dog Institute, Randwick, Australia and Faculty of Medicine, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia)
Kemi Wright (School of Health Sciences, Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice

ISSN: 1755-6228

Article publication date: 25 July 2022

Issue publication date: 2 January 2023

230

Abstract

Purpose

Physical activity is an important component of treatment for people living with mental illness, and exercise practitioners are well placed to deliver these interventions. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lock-down regulations, exercise professionals have rapidly adapted to the online delivery of services to continue care for their clients. To date, the research surrounding the delivery of exercise sessions via telehealth for this population has been scarce. Therefore, this study aims to explore how exercise professionals working in mental health have adapted to telehealth, the barriers and facilitators they have experienced and the implications for the future.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study using semi-structure interviews was conducted. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Findings

Nine exercise physiologists working in mental health settings in Australia participated in the interviews. Two main themes were explored. The first related to the implementation of telehealth and was divided into four sub-themes: service delivery, accessibility and suitability, technology barriers and facilitators, adaptations to exercise prescription. The second theme related to attitudes and was categorised into two sub-themes: attitudes towards telehealth and future recommendations.

Practical implications

Telehealth appears to be a feasible and well accepted platform to deliver exercise sessions for people with mental illness, and this study provides guidance for clinicians including service and training recommendations.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the experiences of exercise physiologists working in mental health and using telehealth.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Yarranabbe Foundation for funding this work. This project was funded by the Yarranabbe Foundation. GM is funded by a Suicide Prevention Australia Scholarship.

Citation

McKeon, G., Fitzgerald, C., Furzer, B., Rosenbaum, S., Stanton, R., Lederman, O., Harvey, S.B. and Wright, K. (2023), "A qualitative exploration of the experience and attitudes of exercise professionals using telehealth for people with mental illness", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 18 No. 1, pp. 14-29. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-07-2021-0084

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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