Mobile telemedicine has emerged as a promising tool for delivering mental health services in underserved communities, particularly in South Africa where access to traditional healthcare facilities is limited. Participants were recruited from four randomly selected urban and rural communities, with data collected through regular surveys assessing mental health status and service utilization. Mixed-methods approach including quantitative assessments via standardised telemedicine metrics and qualitative interviews to capture subjective experiences. Mobile telemedicine services significantly improved access to mental health care in both urban (52%) and rural (48%) communities, with a notable increase in treatment-seeking behaviors over the study period. Findings suggest that mobile telemedicine can be an effective means of expanding mental healthcare access in South African communities, particularly for vulnerable populations lacking conventional healthcare options. Further research is warranted to explore cost-effectiveness and scalability of these services. Implementation strategies should focus on community engagement and technological infrastructure development. Treatment effect was estimated with logit (pᵢ) =₀+^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.
Tshabalala-Msimang et al. (2003) studied this question.