Telepsiquiatria no Brasil: construção, validação e aplicação de questionário de Conhecimento, Atitude e Prática

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Telepsychiatry, defined as the use of electronic communication to provide or support remote psychiatric care, has gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of telemedicine regulations in Brazil. This study aims to assess the adoption of telepsychiatry among Brazilian psychiatrists, employing KAP (Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice) questionnaires to understand their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to this field. Objective: Constructing, validating, and applying a questionnaire to determine the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of Brazilian psychiatrists regarding telepsychiatry in the past year and identifying factors associated with adequate knowledge, attitude, and practice. Method: A methodological study was conducted to construct and validate the instrument, followed by a cross-sectional study with an analytical KAP questionnaire. After the questionnaire development, psychiatry experts validated the instrument using the Delphi method. Subsequently, the questionnaire was distributed to psychiatrists across Brazil through social networks and the Brazilian Psychiatric Association. Data analysis was performed using the Stata 12.1 software, employing multivariate Poisson analyses. Results: The KAP questionnaire was validated with a high degree of agreement among the experts. Among the participants, 68.3% demonstrated adequate knowledge, 80.1% had an adequate attitude, and 81.2% exhibited adequate practices concerning telepsychiatry. The multivariate analysis revealed significant associations, such as adequate attitudes being linked to not practicing in medical offices and providing care to children, while adequate practices were associated with providing care to both the elderly and adolescent patients. Conclusion: The study concludes that the KAP questionnaire is valid and can be applied in future research. It underscores the significance of telepsychiatry in the practices of Brazilian psychiatrists, with notable differences in adequate attitudes and practices based on the age groups of treated patients. These findings indicate the need to consider these variables when implementing telepsychiatry, contributing to guiding mental health policies and specific clinical practices for different age groups.