Implementation of Telemental Health Interventions for Asian Americans: A Scoping Review Using the RE-AIM Framework

Background and Purpose

Telemental health—using telecommunications technology to deliver mental health services—expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the potential to improve access to and utilization of behavioral healthcare. However, the literature on telehealth utilization among Asian Americans is limited. To address this gap, this scoping review examines the effectiveness, acceptability, barriers, facilitators, and suitability of telemental health interventions for Asian Americans, with implications for social work research and practice.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Embase) were searched from 2000 to 2024, yielding 238 records. After removing 72 duplicates, 166 records underwent title and abstract screening by three independent reviewers; conflicts were resolved through discussion. Thirty-seven studies proceeded to full-text review; 33 met inclusion criteria. Six were excluded for non-intervention designs (3 research protocols and 3 cross-sectional surveys), yielding 27 studies for analysis. The eligible studies examined technology-delivered interventions (telepsychiatry, telephone and video counseling, web-based programs, and mobile applications) addressing behavioral health in Asian American populations. Data was coded using the RE-AIM framework to evaluate intervention impact and sustainability.

Results

The 27 studies engaged Koreans/Korean Americans (15 studies, 56%), Chinese/Chinese Americans (16 studies, 59%), Vietnamese Americans (3 studies, 11%), Filipino Americans (2 studies, 7%), and mixed AAPI college students (1 study, 4%); percentages reflect overlapping populations. Eighteen studies (67%) targeted first-generation immigrants. Sample sizes ranged from 2 to 14,073 (median = 55).

Reach was documented in all 27 studies; however, 81% were recruited from a single metropolitan area, and only 4 formally assessed participant representativeness. Effectiveness was reported in 25 studies (93%), with 19 (70%) showing statistically significant effects across smoking cessation (16.4% vs. 8.0% 6-month abstinence in a multilingual Quitline RCT, n = 2,277), chronic disease management (67.9% vs. 52.5% blood pressure control in a Korean American trial, n = 369), and mental health (OR = 3.9 for depression treatment response in a Chinese American telepsychiatry RCT, n = 190). Health domains included mental health and stress (78%), smoking cessation (22%), chronic disease management (19%), caregiver support (19%), and parenting or IPV prevention (11%). Adoption was least quantified; settings were described in 89% of studies, but only 6 (22%) reported provider participation rates, with bilingual providers appearing in 93%. Implementation was partially documented. Cultural adaptation appeared in 93%, though formal fidelity measurement was reported in only 9 studies (33%). Key barriers included structural challenges (63%), cultural stigma (48%), and technology access issues (33%). Maintenance was critically underreported: only 7 studies (26%) assessed outcomes beyond 6 months, and only 4 (15%) reported program-level sustainability.

Conclusions and Implications

Interventions are effective when culturally adapted and language-concordant, yet existing evidence is concentrated among Korean and Chinese Americans, geographically narrow, and largely absent of long-term sustainability data. Social work must: (1) expand research to underrepresented Asian subgroups with rigorous long-term evaluation; (2) integrate culturally responsive telehealth competencies into professional education; (3) leverage community-based organizations to build sustainable, bilingual infrastructure; and (4) advocate for policies mandating language access, digital equity, and sustained telehealth funding.