Fake research can be harmful to your health. A new study offers a tool for rooting it out
Lisa Bero, Research Professor Public Health and Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Although most medical research is reliable, studies that are flawed or fake can lead to patients undergoing treatments that might cause harm. skynesher/E+ via Getty Images
If you are suffering with chronic pain, diabetes, heart problems or any other condition, you want to be confident that your doctor will offer you an effective treatment. You certainly don’t want to waste time or money on something that won’t work, or take something that could do you harm.
The best source of information to guide treatment is medical research. But how do you know when that information is reliable and evidence-based? And how can you tell the difference between shoddy research findings and those that have merit?
There’s a long journey to the publication of research findings. Scientists design experiments and studies to investigate questions about treatment or prevention, and follow certain scientific principles and standards. Then the finding is submitted for publication in a research journal. Editors and other people in the researchers’ field, called peer-reviewers, make suggestions to improve the research. When the study is deemed acceptable, it is published as a research journal article.
But a lot can go wrong on this long journey that could make a research journal article unreliable. And peer review is not designed to catch fake or misleading data. Unreliable scientific studies can be hard to spot – whether by reviewers or the general public – but by asking the right questions, it can be done.
While most research has been conducted according to rigorous standards, studies with fake or fatally flawed findings are sometimes published in the scientific literature. It is hard to get an exact estimate of the number of fraudulent studies because the scientific publication process catches some of them before they are published. One study of 526 patient trials in anesthesiology found that 8% had fake data and 26% were critically flawed.
As a professor in medicine and public health, I have been studying bias in the design, conduct and publication of scientific research for 30 years. I’ve been developing ways to prevent and detect research integrity problems so the best possible evidence can be synthesized and used for decisions about health. Sleuthing out data that cannot be trusted, whether this is due to intentional fraud or just bad research practices, is key to using the most reliable evidence for decisions.
Systematic reviews help suss out weak studies
The most reliable evidence of all comes when researchers pull the results of several studies together in what is known as a systematic review. Researchers who conduct systematic reviews identify, evaluate and summarize all studies on a particular topic. They not only sift through and combine results on perhaps tens of thousands of patients, but can use an extra filter to catch potentially fraudulent studies and ensure they do not feed into recommendations. This means that the more rigorous studies have the most weight in a systematic review and bad studies are excluded based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria that are applied by the reviewers.
To better understand how systematic reviewers and other researchers can identify unreliable studies, my research team interviewed a group of 30 international experts from 12 countries. They explained to us that a shoddy study can be hard to detect because, as one expert explained, it is “designed to pass muster on first glance.”
As our recently published study reports, some studies look like their data has been massaged, some studies are not as well designed as they claim to be, and some may even be completely fabricated.
Our study provides some important ideas about how to spot medical research that is deeply flawed or fake and should not be trusted.
The experts we interviewed suggested some key questions that reviewers should ask about a study: For instance, did it have ethics approval? Was the clinical trial registered? Do the results seem plausible? Was the study funded by an independent source and not the company whose product is being tested?
If the answers to any of these questions is no, then further investigation of the study is needed.
In particular, my colleagues and I found that it’s possible for researchers who review and synthesize evidence to create a checklist of warning signs. These signs don’t categorically prove that research is fraudulent, but they do show researchers as well as the general public which studies need to be looked at more carefully. We used these warning signs to create a screening tool – a set of questions to ask about how a study is done and reported – that provide clues about whether a study is real or not.
Signs include important information that’s missing, like details of ethical approval or where the study was carried out, and data that seems too good to be true. One example might be if the number of patients in a study exceeds the number of people with the disease in the whole country.
Spotting flimsy research
It’s important to note that our new study does not mean all research can’t be trusted.
The COVID-19 pandemic offers examples of how systematic review ultimately filtered out fake research that had been published in the medical literature and disseminated by the media. Early in the pandemic, when the pace of medical research was accelerating, robust and well-run patient trials – and the systematic reviews that followed – helped the public learn which interventions work well and which were not supported by science.
For example, ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug that is typically used in veterinary medicine and that was promoted by some without evidence as a treatment for COVID-19, was widely embraced in some parts of the world. However, after ruling out fake or flawed studies, a systematic review of research on ivermectin found that it had “no beneficial effects for people with COVID-19.”
On the other hand, a systematic review of corticosteroid drugs like dexamethasone found that the drugs help prevent death when used as a treatment for COVID-19.
There are efforts underway across the globe to ensure that the highest standards of medical research are upheld. Research funders are asking scientists to publish all of their data so it can be fully scrutinized, and medical journals that publish new studies are beginning to screen for suspect data. But everyone involved in research funding, production and publication should be aware that fake data and studies are out there.
The screening tool proposed in our new research is designed for systematic reviewers of scientific studies, so a certain level of expertise is needed to apply it. However, using some of the questions from the tool, both researchers and the general public can be better equipped to read about the latest research with an informed and critical eye.
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Lisa Bero is Senior Editor, Research Integrity for Cochrane, an international non-profit organization that publishes systematic reviews.
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Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
The entire world had to learn how to go remote in 2020. As COVID-19 spread, businesses were either closed or learning how to safely conduct daily operations for employees and patrons. With the help of video conferencing and messaging technologies, many service industries were able to pivot online—including mental health care. To better understand the expansion of remote mental health services and online therapy, Top10.com compiled this analysis with research from across the internet, including SAMHSA, Pew Research Center, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychiatric Association.
Thanks to the widespread adoption of remote video conferencing and online telemedicine platforms, psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors were able to conduct business through telehealth services, which saw a drastic increase in use and availability. The number of mental health facilities offering telemedicine services shot up from 38% nationally in 2019 to just over 68% in 2020, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
However, before the pandemic, telemedicine for mental health services had already started to see a rise in popularity due to an increase in reported mental health struggles. In 2020, 11% of U.S. adults—26.3 million people—received virtual services for a mental health issue, according to SAMHSA. Continue reading to find 10 reasons online mental health therapy has grown over the last decade.
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
The entire world had to learn how to go remote in 2020. As COVID-19 spread, businesses were either closed or learning how to safely conduct daily operations for employees and patrons. With the help of video conferencing and messaging technologies, many service industries were able to pivot online—including mental health care. To better understand the expansion of remote mental health services and online therapy, Top10.com compiled this analysis with research from across the internet, including SAMHSA, Pew Research Center, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychiatric Association.
Thanks to the widespread adoption of remote video conferencing and online telemedicine platforms, psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors were able to conduct business through telehealth services, which saw a drastic increase in use and availability. The number of mental health facilities offering telemedicine services shot up from 38% nationally in 2019 to just over 68% in 2020, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
However, before the pandemic, telemedicine for mental health services had already started to see a rise in popularity due to an increase in reported mental health struggles. In 2020, 11% of U.S. adults—26.3 million people—received virtual services for a mental health issue, according to SAMHSA. Continue reading to find 10 reasons online mental health therapy has grown over the last decade.
Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
Pixel-Shot // Shutterstock
The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic forced the entire world to create new routines in order to fit a quarantine lifestyle. With such drastic changes in day-to-day life, the use of telehealth services—including online therapy—saw a sharp increase in popularity.
A 2021 survey of over 1,000 U.S. adults over the age of 18, led by the American Psychiatric Association, found that 38% of participants used telehealth services to talk to a medical or mental health professional—and 82% of those respondents said they started using those services during the pandemic specifically. It is further quite telling that more than 4 in 10 respondents said they continued using these services once the lockdowns associated with the pandemic were, by and large, over.
Access to online therapy is a benefit for many still working remotely. According to the American Psychological Association, numerous studies have confirmed the benefit of telehealth services for both patients and providers during its rise in popularity over the past 20 years.
Pixel-Shot // Shutterstock
The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic forced the entire world to create new routines in order to fit a quarantine lifestyle. With such drastic changes in day-to-day life, the use of telehealth services—including online therapy—saw a sharp increase in popularity.
A 2021 survey of over 1,000 U.S. adults over the age of 18, led by the American Psychiatric Association, found that 38% of participants used telehealth services to talk to a medical or mental health professional—and 82% of those respondents said they started using those services during the pandemic specifically. It is further quite telling that more than 4 in 10 respondents said they continued using these services once the lockdowns associated with the pandemic were, by and large, over.
Access to online therapy is a benefit for many still working remotely. According to the American Psychological Association, numerous studies have confirmed the benefit of telehealth services for both patients and providers during its rise in popularity over the past 20 years.
Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
fizkes // Shutterstock
Because of such drastic changes to daily life, the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the mental health of millions of Americans. According to an April 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. said worry and stress had a negative impact on their mental health as of March 2020—a ratio that rose to more than half by July 2020.
While vaccine distribution did positively influence mental health, causing numbers to level out, in March 2021 almost half of U.S. adults (around 47%) reported negative impacts on their mental health due to the pandemic.
The survey also points out that women and younger adults under the age of 18 seem to be the most likely to report feelings of stress and worry during the coronavirus pandemic. Other significantly impacted groups include Black adults (49%), white adults (48%), and Hispanic adults (43%).
fizkes // Shutterstock
Because of such drastic changes to daily life, the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the mental health of millions of Americans. According to an April 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. said worry and stress had a negative impact on their mental health as of March 2020—a ratio that rose to more than half by July 2020.
While vaccine distribution did positively influence mental health, causing numbers to level out, in March 2021 almost half of U.S. adults (around 47%) reported negative impacts on their mental health due to the pandemic.
The survey also points out that women and younger adults under the age of 18 seem to be the most likely to report feelings of stress and worry during the coronavirus pandemic. Other significantly impacted groups include Black adults (49%), white adults (48%), and Hispanic adults (43%).
Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
The pandemic isn't the only factor that has caused increased mental health problems. Data shows that rates of negative mental health have steadily increased over the last decade. In 2008, 17.7% of U.S. adults reported issues with mental health; this number reached 21% as of 2020.
Of course, there isn't a simple explanation for this change. There are many contributing factors to this increase that are unique to each person's own situation and the intimate nature of mental wellness, but what is certain is the increase in mental health illness has been profound for young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Mental health struggles in this age group were reported at 18.5% in 2008, jumped to 29.4% in 2019, and again to 30.6% in 2020.
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
The pandemic isn't the only factor that has caused increased mental health problems. Data shows that rates of negative mental health have steadily increased over the last decade. In 2008, 17.7% of U.S. adults reported issues with mental health; this number reached 21% as of 2020.
Of course, there isn't a simple explanation for this change. There are many contributing factors to this increase that are unique to each person's own situation and the intimate nature of mental wellness, but what is certain is the increase in mental health illness has been profound for young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Mental health struggles in this age group were reported at 18.5% in 2008, jumped to 29.4% in 2019, and again to 30.6% in 2020.
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denis kalinichenko // Shutterstock
With such a major increase of reported mental health struggles, the need for mental health treatment has been in high demand. Around 41.4 million people ages 18 and over (around 1 in every 6 U.S. adults) received mental health services in 2020, and 4.2 million adolescents between ages 12 and 17 (around 17.3%) sought out services as well—either inpatient or from specialty outpatient settings, according to SAMHSA's 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
In its analysis, the administration did acknowledge restrictions caused by the pandemic interrupted its ability for normal data collection methodologies (by way of in-person surveying), but it nonetheless concluded that, even prior to the onset of the pandemic, a drastic increase in services occurred between 2002 and 2019.
About 13% of adults used mental health services in 2002, a number that increased to 16.1% in 2019. Adolescents saw even more of a drastic increase, from 11.8%, or 2.9 million, to 16.7%, more than 4.1 million.
denis kalinichenko // Shutterstock
With such a major increase of reported mental health struggles, the need for mental health treatment has been in high demand. Around 41.4 million people ages 18 and over (around 1 in every 6 U.S. adults) received mental health services in 2020, and 4.2 million adolescents between ages 12 and 17 (around 17.3%) sought out services as well—either inpatient or from specialty outpatient settings, according to SAMHSA's 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
In its analysis, the administration did acknowledge restrictions caused by the pandemic interrupted its ability for normal data collection methodologies (by way of in-person surveying), but it nonetheless concluded that, even prior to the onset of the pandemic, a drastic increase in services occurred between 2002 and 2019.
About 13% of adults used mental health services in 2002, a number that increased to 16.1% in 2019. Adolescents saw even more of a drastic increase, from 11.8%, or 2.9 million, to 16.7%, more than 4.1 million.
Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
An increase in online therapy services is also due to the generally decreasing stigma around needing and seeking out support. A 2018 survey from the American Psychological Association showed nearly 9 in 10 people stating no one should feel ashamed to have a mental health disorder, despite the same amount of people admitting to there being a stigma around the term "mental illness."
In 2019, the American Psychiatric Association also hosted a survey and found over half of respondents (54%) said there is less stigma around mental illness compared to 10 years ago. Half said they are willing to discuss mental health openly with others—even coworkers and supervisors. However, 1 in 3 still admit they worry about reactions they may experience from others if they seek mental health care.
This last fact coincides with the early American Psychological Association survey, which found that 4 in 10 people admit to seeing another person differently if they know of that person's mental health disorder.
Still, that somewhat burnished side of the coin does not seem to detract from the trend of growing embracement of mental illness recognition, acceptance, and treatment. And not merely among individuals—companies are beginning to see the need for providing resources to their workforces in this regard, as well. A June 2020 survey by McKinsey found that 77% of employers found mental health to be a primary workforce health concern.
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
An increase in online therapy services is also due to the generally decreasing stigma around needing and seeking out support. A 2018 survey from the American Psychological Association showed nearly 9 in 10 people stating no one should feel ashamed to have a mental health disorder, despite the same amount of people admitting to there being a stigma around the term "mental illness."
In 2019, the American Psychiatric Association also hosted a survey and found over half of respondents (54%) said there is less stigma around mental illness compared to 10 years ago. Half said they are willing to discuss mental health openly with others—even coworkers and supervisors. However, 1 in 3 still admit they worry about reactions they may experience from others if they seek mental health care.
This last fact coincides with the early American Psychological Association survey, which found that 4 in 10 people admit to seeing another person differently if they know of that person's mental health disorder.
Still, that somewhat burnished side of the coin does not seem to detract from the trend of growing embracement of mental illness recognition, acceptance, and treatment. And not merely among individuals—companies are beginning to see the need for providing resources to their workforces in this regard, as well. A June 2020 survey by McKinsey found that 77% of employers found mental health to be a primary workforce health concern.
Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
Srdjan Randjelovic // Shutterstock
Having access to online therapy can be beneficial for many who found it hard to access these types of services outside of the home. On behalf of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, a 2022 survey conducted by The Harris Poll found that 43% of U.S. adults who needed it didn't receive mental health care in the past year.
The primary barriers to access were cost, being unable to find a provider who was located conveniently to them, and being unable to find treatment they felt comfortable with. And of those who were able to find care, more than two-thirds reported a measure of difficulty in doing so, including trouble with getting a workable appointment time or location and having to reach out to multiple providers to find one accepting new patients.
Telehealth services can fill the access gap for this type of health treatment. While there are pros and cons to not meeting a professional in person, research shows telemental health care is an inexpensive, favorable way to provide online therapy for those within isolated communities.
Srdjan Randjelovic // Shutterstock
Having access to online therapy can be beneficial for many who found it hard to access these types of services outside of the home. On behalf of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, a 2022 survey conducted by The Harris Poll found that 43% of U.S. adults who needed it didn't receive mental health care in the past year.
The primary barriers to access were cost, being unable to find a provider who was located conveniently to them, and being unable to find treatment they felt comfortable with. And of those who were able to find care, more than two-thirds reported a measure of difficulty in doing so, including trouble with getting a workable appointment time or location and having to reach out to multiple providers to find one accepting new patients.
Telehealth services can fill the access gap for this type of health treatment. While there are pros and cons to not meeting a professional in person, research shows telemental health care is an inexpensive, favorable way to provide online therapy for those within isolated communities.
Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
Master1305 // Shutterstock
Since 2015, an increase in funding for many telehealth companies also confirms the supportive expansion and use of mental health services, and the pandemic accelerated this trend even further. According to PitchBook, venture capitalists drove $6.9 billion in investment in mental and behavioral health companies in 2021, three times more than the funds raised in 2019.
With access to vaccines and the pandemic winding down, data still shows that telehealth services like online therapy have not seen a decrease in use. Already in 2022, venture capitals have invested $1 billion into U.S. mental and behavioral health startups as of March.
Some of the most popular online therapy services include Betterhelp, Pride Counseling, Faithful Counseling, Cerebral, Calmerry, ReGain, Teen Counseling, Talkspace, and Online-Therapy.com.
Master1305 // Shutterstock
Since 2015, an increase in funding for many telehealth companies also confirms the supportive expansion and use of mental health services, and the pandemic accelerated this trend even further. According to PitchBook, venture capitalists drove $6.9 billion in investment in mental and behavioral health companies in 2021, three times more than the funds raised in 2019.
With access to vaccines and the pandemic winding down, data still shows that telehealth services like online therapy have not seen a decrease in use. Already in 2022, venture capitals have invested $1 billion into U.S. mental and behavioral health startups as of March.
Some of the most popular online therapy services include Betterhelp, Pride Counseling, Faithful Counseling, Cerebral, Calmerry, ReGain, Teen Counseling, Talkspace, and Online-Therapy.com.
Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
Tirachard Kumtanom // Shutterstock
With increased popularity in using mental health services, many insurers are working to expand coverage for U.S. patients to get the care they need. For example, Medicaid programs reimburse for live video telehealth and telemedicine appointments in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Forty-three states, as well as D.C., even have laws that provide private payer reimbursement for telehealth services, according to the Center for Connected Health Policy.
In March 2022, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 2471, which provides critical funding for mental health programs, including audio-only telehealth services through Medicare beneficiaries. The bill also delays the requirement to have an in-person evaluation for mental health services within the first six months of a telehealth visit.
Tirachard Kumtanom // Shutterstock
With increased popularity in using mental health services, many insurers are working to expand coverage for U.S. patients to get the care they need. For example, Medicaid programs reimburse for live video telehealth and telemedicine appointments in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Forty-three states, as well as D.C., even have laws that provide private payer reimbursement for telehealth services, according to the Center for Connected Health Policy.
In March 2022, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 2471, which provides critical funding for mental health programs, including audio-only telehealth services through Medicare beneficiaries. The bill also delays the requirement to have an in-person evaluation for mental health services within the first six months of a telehealth visit.
Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
insta_photos // Shutterstock
Video chat services increased significantly in popularity, both as a means of social connection and as a necessary aspect of business operations, during the pandemic.
Nine out of 10 adults indicated that the internet was "essential or important for them personally" during the pandemic, according to an April 2021 Pew Research Center survey. Perhaps just as revealingly, 4 in 10 said they used video or digital technology in ways they had not prior to the pandemic. A total of 81% of Americans said they used some version of video calling or conferencing at least once during the pandemic.
With increased familiarity with these types of platforms, using them for telehealth and telemedicine purposes provided ease and access for those who needed it. A study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research qualified several of the ways in which mental health video consultations were received by patients in terms of their comfort and their sense of the quality of service.
The availability of shorter wait times, a lower threshold for finding a mental health specialist, and the retention of familiar modes of interaction and staff members were all seen as comparable to the prerequisites applied to in-person care. Consequently, it was concluded that mental telehealth was a welcomed alternative to in-person appointments.
Moreover, a 2020 summary report published by the American Psychological Association found that, according to David Mohr, Ph.D., director of the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, as quoted in the report, "telehealth is essentially just as effective as face-to-face psychotherapy—and retention rates are higher."
insta_photos // Shutterstock
Video chat services increased significantly in popularity, both as a means of social connection and as a necessary aspect of business operations, during the pandemic.
Nine out of 10 adults indicated that the internet was "essential or important for them personally" during the pandemic, according to an April 2021 Pew Research Center survey. Perhaps just as revealingly, 4 in 10 said they used video or digital technology in ways they had not prior to the pandemic. A total of 81% of Americans said they used some version of video calling or conferencing at least once during the pandemic.
With increased familiarity with these types of platforms, using them for telehealth and telemedicine purposes provided ease and access for those who needed it. A study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research qualified several of the ways in which mental health video consultations were received by patients in terms of their comfort and their sense of the quality of service.
The availability of shorter wait times, a lower threshold for finding a mental health specialist, and the retention of familiar modes of interaction and staff members were all seen as comparable to the prerequisites applied to in-person care. Consequently, it was concluded that mental telehealth was a welcomed alternative to in-person appointments.
Moreover, a 2020 summary report published by the American Psychological Association found that, according to David Mohr, Ph.D., director of the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, as quoted in the report, "telehealth is essentially just as effective as face-to-face psychotherapy—and retention rates are higher."
Snapchat and other social media offer parents more controls. But do they help?
Teerasan Phutthigorn // Shutterstock
While broadband services do remain a point of concern in certain areas, in terms of viability and affordability, internet connectivity and access in general over the past decade have improved tremendously, especially for those living in rural areas where access was previously more challenging.
Pew Research Center reported that 63% of rural Americans had access to high-speed internet in their homes in 2016; this figure rose to 72% as of early 2021. This figure continues to lag behind both urban and suburban figures—77% and 79%, respectively—but following multiple measures being made by the federal government, in an effort to aid rural localities, this disparity of access may soon disappear.
In October 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the issue of $1.15 billion through its ReConnect program to help grow internet access in rural communities; within this greater allocation is $50 million in grants specifically geared toward distance learning and telemedicine. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will steer $65 billion toward improving the rural broadband internet network and making internet access more affordable for lower-income households.
A March 2022 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation that tracked telehealth appointments for rural patients with outpatient appointments for either mental health or substance use disorders from March to August 2021 found that 55% of such appointments were conducted online.
While such numbers do demonstrate significant progress in recent years, there is still a lot of growth that needs to take place for online therapy to become a more regular alternative to in-person mental health care; however, expanding internet access for rural areas has been beneficial for those located in medical deserts who need telehealth to fill in the gaps.
This story originally appeared on Top10.com and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Teerasan Phutthigorn // Shutterstock
While broadband services do remain a point of concern in certain areas, in terms of viability and affordability, internet connectivity and access in general over the past decade have improved tremendously, especially for those living in rural areas where access was previously more challenging.
Pew Research Center reported that 63% of rural Americans had access to high-speed internet in their homes in 2016; this figure rose to 72% as of early 2021. This figure continues to lag behind both urban and suburban figures—77% and 79%, respectively—but following multiple measures being made by the federal government, in an effort to aid rural localities, this disparity of access may soon disappear.
In October 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the issue of $1.15 billion through its ReConnect program to help grow internet access in rural communities; within this greater allocation is $50 million in grants specifically geared toward distance learning and telemedicine. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will steer $65 billion toward improving the rural broadband internet network and making internet access more affordable for lower-income households.
A March 2022 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation that tracked telehealth appointments for rural patients with outpatient appointments for either mental health or substance use disorders from March to August 2021 found that 55% of such appointments were conducted online.
While such numbers do demonstrate significant progress in recent years, there is still a lot of growth that needs to take place for online therapy to become a more regular alternative to in-person mental health care; however, expanding internet access for rural areas has been beneficial for those located in medical deserts who need telehealth to fill in the gaps.
This story originally appeared on Top10.com and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Although most medical research is reliable, studies that are flawed or fake can lead to patients undergoing treatments that might cause harm. skynesher/E+ via Getty Images
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock