Acceptability and Feasibility of YouthCHAT to Detect Psychosocial Problems in Young People with Congenital Heart Disease

摘要

Objective:Young people with congenital heart disease(CHD)are at increased risk of psychosocial issues,includ-ing anxiety and depression that can affect their medical care and quality of life.This open trial investigated the acceptability,feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of YouthCHAT,a tablet-based screener,designed to identify similar issues to a face to face psychosocial assessment,with young people who have CHD.Methods:Youth-CHAT was administered to 44 such young people aged 15–25 years attending a specialist outpatient clinic at a New Zealand tertiary hospital.Key outcomes were(i)acceptability and(ii)feasibility of YouthCHAT,assessed via feedback from young people and clinicians and(iii)detection rates for each domain of YouthCHAT,measured by mental health or lifestyle issue being‘present’or‘absent’.Results:YouthCHAT was quick to complete(mean 9 min and 7 s)and well-received by young people(overall rating 7 out of 10)and clinicians.Rates of anxiety,substance use and other issues were similar to those in a previous study of young people with mixed long-term physical conditions.However,rates of depression(41%)and life stresses(98%)were notably higher.Conclusions:Although further research is required,our results provide initial evidence that YouthCHAT is a viable and accep-table psychosocial screener with which to improve the holistic care of young people with CHD.