LATITUDE: Long-Acting Antipsychotic Treatments in Community Telepsychiatry: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceived Barriers

Abstract: Background/Objective: The South Carolina Department of Mental Health instituted a Community Telepsychiatry Program (CTP) to increase patient access to mental health practitioners. The need for in-person administration of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics may add barriers to their use in telepsychiatry, despite known effectiveness of these agents for schizophrenia. The LATITUDE study assessed knowledge of, attitudes toward, and perceived barriers to using LAI antipsychotics via telepsychiatry. Methods: LATITUDE used quantitative surveys of CTP providers and qualitative interviews with CTP providers, community mental health center (CMHC) clinicians, patient caregivers, and adults with schizophrenia to gather perceptions regarding LAI antipsychotic use within the telepsychiatry treatment paradigm. Results: Eleven CTP providers, 10 CMHC clinicians, 3 caregivers, and 15 adults with schizophrenia participated in qualitative interviews between October 2021 and January 2022 . Telepsychiatry services were perceived positively overall; barriers included patient hesitancy (59%) and provider perceptions that patients faced technical challenges in accessing telepsychiatry appointments (44%). Hybrid virtual and in-person treatment approach was endorsed by CTP providers (55%), who stated that improvements were needed in support services for administering LAI antipsychotics after virtual appointments . The main reported benefit of LAI antipsychotics was medication compliance (67%); barriers included fear of needles (49%) and treatment side effects (44%). Conclusions: The LATITUDE study findings highlight both barriers and facilitators of telepsychiatry use. Considering the rapid and potentially long-term adoption of telepsychiatry and hybrid care, this information may prove helpful to understanding and implementing best practices that support LAI antipsychotic treatment within the context of community telepsychiatry.Short Description: LATITUDE was a cross-sectional, noninterventional study that assessed perceptions and knowledge of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in the treatment of patients with serious mental illness within the setting of a community telepsychiatry model of care . The LATITUDE study highlights both barriers and facilitators of telepsychiatry use in the community that may be helpful for health care administrators, providers, and clinicians when developing strategies and best practices supporting LAI antipsychotic use via community telepsychiatry.Name of Sponsoring Organization(s): This study was funded by Alkermes, Inc. Medical writing and editorial support were provided by Peloton Advantage, LLC, an OPEN Health company, and funded by Alkermes, Inc.