Call Center Influence on the Delivery of Mental Health Services Among Young People: A Case of One2one Call Center in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Mental health issues among young people have become increasingly prevalent, with potentially severe consequences for their well-being and societal development. Kenya faces a significant mental health burden, with high rates of disorders among adolescents and young people. Despite the need for accessible mental health services, challenges like limited information dissemination, unclear community support pathways, and a shortage of health professionals persist. Call centers play a critical role in enhancing accessibility, reducing stigma through anonymity, and improving resource allocation by prioritizing urgent cases. This study examined the influence of call centers on mental health service delivery in Nairobi County, focusing on four objectives: To evaluate the influence of crisis intervention on the delivery of mental health services, to examine the influence of round-the-clock availability on the delivery of mental health services, to determine the influence of resource sharing on the delivery of mental health services, to establish the influence of follow-ups on the delivery of mental health services among young people in Nairobi County. Grounded in the Information Systems Success Model and Lean Thinking in Healthcare, the research employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. The study population comprised healthcare providers linked to the one2one call center, with a sample size of 112 selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using the SPSS program version 25. The findings indicated significant positive correlations between crisis intervention and round-the-clock availability (ρ = .424, p < .001), resource sharing (ρ = .354, p < .001), follow-up (ρ = .292, p = .002), and mental health service delivery (ρ = .439, p < .001). Round-the-clock availability was also significantly correlated with resource sharing (ρ = .336, p < .001), follow-up (ρ = .389, p < .001), and service delivery (ρ = .384, p < .001). Resource sharing was significantly associated with follow-up (ρ = .470, p < .001) and service delivery (ρ = .198, p = .042). Follow-up positively correlated with service delivery (ρ = .348, p < .001). The study concludes that call centers, through crisis intervention, round-the-clock availability, resource sharing, and follow-ups, significantly improve the delivery of mental health services to young people in Nairobi County. The study recommends that call center management strengthen crisis intervention strategies and train staff, ensure 24/7 availability of human support services, promote resource sharing among stakeholders, and develop policies prioritizing responsive mental health interventions and supporting digital systems for timely referrals. The study recommends further study on the effectiveness of call center interventions in addressing youth mental health needs, examining the impact of technological advancement, and exploring beneficiaries' perspectives to determine how crisis intervention, round-the-clock availability, resource sharing, and follow-ups independently influence mental health outcomes