scholarly journals Implementing Mental Health Promotion Initiatives—Process Evaluation of the ABCs of Mental Health in Denmark

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 5819
Author(s):  
Carsten Hinrichsen ◽  
Vibeke Jenny Koushede ◽  
Katrine Rich Madsen ◽  
Line Nielsen ◽  
Nanna Gram Ahlmark ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Treatment and prevention alone are unlikely to make a significant difference in reducing the burden of poor mental health and mental illness. Therefore, mental health promotion (MHP) initiatives are advocated. In 2014, the ABCs of mental health (ABCs) partnership was established in Denmark; in the partnership, partner organisations, e.g., municipalities and NGOs, use a research-based framework for MHP, the ABC-framework, to develop and implement MHP initiatives. This paper has two aims: (1) to outline the overall characteristics of these MHP initiatives; and (2) to explore local coordinator and stakeholder perceptions of the implementation processes and the impact of the MHP initiatives. Questionnaire surveys, individual interviews and group interviews were conducted during 2017–2020. The MHP initiatives were grouped according to three strategies: building MHP capacity, campaign activities to promote mental health awareness and knowledge and establishing and promoting opportunities to engage in mentally healthy activities. The ABC-framework was positively received and viewed as providing relevant knowledge for working with MHP as well as fostering intersectoral and interprofessional collaborations. However, using a bottom-up approach to develop and implement MHP initiatives can be time-consuming and resource demanding, and it requires a deliberate balancing of local adaptability and concrete guidance when engaging stakeholders and implementers. Overall, using the ABC-framework to develop and implement MHP initiatives holds great promise for advancing and promoting MHP practice.

scholarly journals School staff’s views on poor mental health among Swedish students in a rural setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Å Svensson ◽  
M Warne
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Local Context ◽  
School Staff ◽  
Student Health ◽  
Health Team ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background School staffs' views on poor mental health in students is of interest when planning and evaluating mental health promotion in school. The aim of the present study was to explore school staff's views on poor mental health in students. Methods The study was carried out in a rural municipality in the northern part of Sweden in 2019-2020. The baseline data presented here was collected prior to a mental health promotion intervention (Youth Aware of Mental Health). Three focus group interviews were conducted with teachers/teacher assistants in grade 7-9 at three different schools, and one with the central student health team. One individual interview was carried out with a psychologist from the student health team. Thematic content analysis was used. Results Preliminary analysis resulted in three themes. In To discover and interpret poor mental health, the school staff discussed distribution, signs, and difficulties for school staff and students to detect and handle poor mental health. In The surrounding community, school staff reflected on the impact of students' contexts, including school, home, leisure activities, and social media, in the rural setting. Lastly, in What the school and students can do, school staff elaborated on conditions and possibilities to prevent and manage poor mental health in the local context. Conclusions School staff expressed that they and the students had difficulties interpreting and managing students' poor mental health. Students are surrounded by norms, and demands for responsibility, engagement and performance in different contexts. Inadequacies in the school organization put greater responsibility on the individual teacher. Key messages There are shortcomings in school staffs' as well as students’ knowledge of and management of poor mental health. In order to promote mental health among students, the rural school needs to create an organization that takes into account the conditions of sparsely populated areas.

scholarly journals Did that Professional Education about Mental Health Promotion Make Any Difference? Early Childhood Educators’ Reflections upon Changes in Their Knowledge and Practices

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Askell-Williams ◽  
Rosalind Murray-Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Health Promotion Initiative ◽  
The Impact

Educators are at the heart of educational reforms, such as the introduction of mental health promotion initiatives into early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. Good quality implementation of reforms requires educators to engage in high quality professional learning: If educators have not had opportunities to gain appropriate knowledge and expertise, new initiatives may be poorly implemented and may consequently achieve limited outcomes. This article reports ECEC educators’ perspectives about the impact on their knowledge and practices of the professional education component of the KidsMatter mental health promotion initiative. Educators from 111 ECEC services across Australia contributed a range of types of data, including questionnaires about their knowledge and self-efficacy, feedback about each professional education session, and photo stories about their changed professional practices. Participants indicated that their professional learning led to changed practices in areas such as interpreting children's behaviours, interacting with children, approaching parents, and collaborating with colleagues. Participants’ photo stories illustrate how professional education that focuses on content, active learning, coherence, and collaboration can positively influence knowledge and practices. However, if such gains are to last beyond relatively highly resourced start-up phases of initiatives, professional education needs to integrate with, and draw from, the ongoing availability of other professionals such as guidance and counselling staff, who have complementary knowledge and expertise; be recognised and embedded as a core component of ECEC educators’ roles and their workplace practices; and be culturally and contextually situated. Staff accounts of the impact of their professional learning on their practices can highlight to policy-makers the practical outcomes of strong investments in professional education. Awareness by other professions of the affordances and constraints faced by ECEC educators may contribute to interdisciplinary synergies among the range of professions involved in mental health promotion in educational settings.

GoodYarn: building mental health literacy in New Zealand’s rural workforce

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 180-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Morgaine ◽  
Louise Thompson ◽  
Katie Jahnke ◽  
Rebecca Llewellyn
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
National Level ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rural Workforce ◽  
The Impact

Purpose “GoodYarn” is a skills-based workshop that focusses on building mental health literacy in rural communities, members of which are known to experience geographic, attitudinal and service configuration barriers to accessing mental health services. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of the GoodYarn project on raising mental health literacy in the rural community. Design/methodology/approach GoodYarn is primarily for farmers, their families and farm workers, as well as the “farmer facing” workforce. The focus on mental health literacy aligns with the mental health promotion approach of using methods that foster supportive environments. By raising the mental health literacy of those not directly needing help, but in positions to help those that do – such as employers, rural professionals and rural support industries who are well placed to perceive stressors in farmers – GoodYarn builds a community with the knowledge and skills to identify and approach those experiencing mental distress or illness, and direct them to appropriate support and services. All participants in the GoodYarn workshops (n=430) were invited to complete a questionnaire at the end of the workshop. All participants answered the questionnaire, with over 80 per cent answering all questions. Findings Participant feedback affirmed the utility of GoodYarn as an effective vehicle to facilitate the discussion of mental illness in rural farming communities of New Zealand. GoodYarn had a significant positive impact on the three immediate workshop indicators of awareness, confidence and knowledge (p<0.001 for all three indicators). Further, the high level of concordance in workshop outcomes across various organisations’ delivery indicates programme consistency and quality has been maintained throughout the upscaling of the programme. Originality/value The uptake of the GoodYarn programme by rural organisations and communities at a national level, and the positive evaluation results, provide encouragement that building mental health literacy in the rural workforce is a promising mental health promotion strategy.

scholarly journals Interconnected or disconnected? Promotion of mental health and prevention of mental disorder in the digital age

2016 ◽  
Vol 208 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph F. Hayes ◽  
Daniel L. Maughan ◽  
Hugh Grant-Peterkin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Disorder Prevention

SummaryTo date there have been few peer-reviewed studies on the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of digital technologies for mental health promotion and disorder prevention. Any evaluation of these evolving technologies is complicated by a lack of understanding about the specific risks and possible benefits of the many forms of internet use on mental health. To adequately meet the mental health needs of today's society, psychiatry must engage in rigorous assessment of the impact of digital technologies.

scholarly journals Effect of a peer‐led intervention combining mental health promotion with coping‐strategy‐based workshops on mental health awareness, help‐seeking behavior, and wellbeing among university students in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Kwasi Ahorsu ◽  
Dalinda Isabel Sánchez Vidaña ◽  
Donald Lipardo ◽  
Parth Bharat Shah ◽  
Pablo Cruz González ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
University Students ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Help Seeking Behavior ◽  
Health Awareness ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The psychological well-being of university students is an important factor in successfully coping with the demands of academic life. This study aimed to assess the impact of a peer-led intervention of mental health promotion combined with coping-strategy-based group workshops on mental health awareness and help-seeking behavior among university students in Hong Kong. Method A mixed-method concurrent design was used for this study. Quantitative data, based on one-group pretest-posttest design, were collected using Mental Health Knowledge Schedule Questionnaire to assess mental health awareness, and Attitude Towards Seeking Professional Help Questionnaire-Short Form to examine help-seeking behavior of university students from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Qualitative data were collected from written post-activity reflections and focus group discussions which were thematically analyzed. Results A total of 62 university students (mean age: 23.2 ± 5.1 years) were included in this study. Mental health awareness was significantly improved (p = 0.015, 95% Confidence Interval of − 2.670, − 0.297) after program implementation. Help-seeking behavior mean score increased from pretest to posttest, however, no significant difference was observed (p = 0.188, 95% CI = − 1.775, 0.355). Qualitative analysis revealed that the program helped participants learn about coping strategies to help themselves and others with mental health challenges. Conclusions The peer-led intervention provided a positive impact through increased mental health awareness and knowledge of coping strategies on self-help and helping others among university students. Further study could focus on the impact of the program when applied regularly throughout the entire academic year.

scholarly journals Would you like to see a counsellor or a psychiatrist?

1995 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 427-429
Author(s):  
Marios Strouthos ◽  
Julia Ronder ◽  
Adrian Hemmings
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Stress Management ◽  
Postal Survey ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
General Practices ◽  
The Impact

Mental health promotion clinic funding was introduced with the new general practice 1990 contract and has been extensively used to fund counsellors and stress management clinics in primary care. This funding has been withdrawn. A postal survey was conducted on all 142 general practices in East Sussex in order to assess the impact of the introduction and withdrawal of mental health promotion clinic funding on the employment of counsellors and on stress management clinics. One hundred and forty practices participated and it was found that there was an increase from 33 to 70 counsellors employed and five to 36 stress management clinics run by January 1993. Many GPs did not know what would happen to their service and it was estimated that 44 (63%) of counsellors and 13 (36%) stress management clinics would be lost.

scholarly journals "Voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently":

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Jan Nadine DeFehr
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Mental Health Information ◽  
Critical Scholarship ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
Intellectual Integrity

Educators are part of in-school discussions about student mental health. At times, teachers may suggest that students consult with mental health professionals. Informed by mental health promotion resources, educator referrals to mental health professionals may lack discussion of critical mental health information. Mental health promotion materials do not acknowledge the extensive scholarly critique of mental health premises and practices. Much of this critique is produced within psychiatry, the disciplinary base of mental health. Critical scholarship discusses profound flaws, misinformation, and potential for harm within conventional mental health. Important critical mental health topics include scientific evidence, psychiatric drugs, and psychiatric diagnosis. Access to both critical and conventional mental health scholarship is necessary for students and parents to provide informed consent to mental health intervention. Some interventions commonly take place in the first meeting and therefore, students and parents need access to critical information prior to their first meeting with a mental health professional. Forming a critical mental health primer for teachers, this article goes beyond promotion of critical mental health awareness to call for institutional divestment from mental health premises and practices that cause harm and lack scientific, ethical, and intellectual integrity.  

scholarly journals Identifying Public stakeholders effective on mental health promotion in Iran

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Behzad Damari ◽  
Mohammad Reza Amir Esmaili ◽  
Noora Rafiee ◽  
Ahmad Hajebi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Islamic Republic ◽  
Islamic Republic Of Iran ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Adding mental health to the agenda of other sectors is not always easy, but it is now confirmed that the mental health promotion policies need innovations beyond the health sector to be efficient. Thus, in this study, it has been attempted to identify the most effective stakeholders of the public sector in the field of mental health promotion in Iran to help the policymakers of health sector and to encourage the inter-sectoral cooperation and further involvement of these effective sectors with the mental health promotion plans.Methods: This study was a mixed-methods. From the data of the first step (literature review and survey of relevant professors), the names of government agencies in the mental health were extracted. In the second step, a checklist was developed, the horizontal axis of which was the relevant organizations and the vertical axis was the effective social risk factors on the mental health promotion. In order to analyze the data of this step, the Simple Additive Weighting method was used. In the last step, in order to summarize the organizations affecting each risk factor, a table was plotted as institutional mapping.Results: The Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Ministry of Interior, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Education were identified as 5 organizations with the greatest impacts on the social determinants affecting the mental health promotion.Conclusions: The impact of institutions such as Islamic Consultative Assembly (as legislator), the Ministry of Interior and its subsidiary entities such as municipalities and governors (as the administrators of homeland security and support for safe and appropriate urban and local facilities), the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (as the national media), the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare (as the administration of employment, job security and the provision of welfare to community members), and the Ministry of Education (as the educational institution of the society) are significant.

Mental Health Promotion in Schools

1997 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 159-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhonda Galbally ◽  
Chris Borthwick
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Young People ◽  
Risk Behaviour ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Health Promotion In Schools

Mental health is a key element in every aspect of health. Poor mental health impacts both directly and indirectly on health, both through biopsychological effects and in its influence on risk behaviour. Health promotion must address these factors in the settings where people live and work. Schools – primary and post primary – are where children and young people spend the greater part of their days, and are thus a key setting.

scholarly journals Effects of a mental health promotion intervention on mental health of Iranian female adolescents: a school-based study

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haleh Heizomi ◽  
Hamid Allahverdipour ◽  
Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi ◽  
Devender Bhalla ◽  
Haidar Nadrian
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Female Adolescents ◽  
School Based ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background Poor mental health is common among adolescents. Given the increasing burden of poor mental health among adolescents in developing countries, it seems necessary to identify the effective interventions. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a school-based mental health promotion program (SMHPP) on mental health parameters among female adolescents in Tabriz, Iran. Method In this experimental study, a random sample of female high-school students of grade nine was recruited. The subjects were then randomly allocated to intervention (n = 145) and control (n = 139) groups. The three-stage SMHPP was designed based on the shortages and unmet needs of the students as reported in the pretest stage. All subjects in the intervention group were provided with a stress management skill training program of six sessions using McNamara Model. Coincided with making environmental changes, a joyful intervention program was carried out. After 2 months, post-test data were collected. Results A total of 284 students completed their participation in the study. The groups did not differ in none of socio-demographic characteristics and mental health parameters, at baseline. The number of subjects reporting medium-level of happiness was increased by 32.6% among intervention group. Moreover, upon sign test and pre-post comparison, the group-wise distribution changed between the intervention and control groups for the parameters of life satisfaction (p ≤ 0.001) and psychological well-being (p ≤ 0.01). Conclusion The implementation of SMHPP as a low-cost, needs-based and multifaceted program, showed promise in promoting adolescents’ mental health, particularly in the parameters of happiness, life satisfaction and psychological well-being. This was an important evidence for the development and implementation of interventions and policies in the field of mental health promotion among adolescents. Our work provided means for reducing burden of poor mental health among adolescents in a non-western cultural context. Further larger studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of such school-based mental health promotion interventions in students.

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