scholarly journals Promotion of mental health literacy and mental well-being in a Portuguese unemployed population sample: Effectiveness assessment of a capacity building community-based intersectoral intervention

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S736-S736
Author(s):  
M.J. Heitor dos Santos ◽  
S. Moreira ◽  
A. Dinis ◽  
A. Virgolino ◽  
J. Carreiras ◽  
...  

IntroductionEconomic crises have consequences on labor market, with impacts on mental health (MH) and psychological well-being (PWB). We describe the effectiveness of an intervention among unemployed, performed within EEA Grants Healthy Employment project.ObjectivesEvaluate the effectiveness of an intervention for MH literacy, PWB and resilience among unemployed.AimsMH and PWB promotion, common mental disorders prevention and inequalities reduction linked to unemployment.MethodsA five modules intervention (life-work balance; impact of unemployment on PWB and MH; stigma; depression and anxiety; health promotion) distributed by 20 hours was developed based on literature reviews and a Delphi panel. It was delivered to unemployees from two public employment centers (PECs). Inclusion criteria: 18–65 years old; registration in PEC for less than a year; minimum of nine years of formal education. Control groups from the same PECs received the care-as-usual. Measures of psychological WB, MH self-reported symptoms, life satisfaction, resilience and mental health literacy were collected through an online survey before and one week after intervention.ResultsOverall, 87 unemployed participated, 48% allocated to the intervention group (IG); 56% women (21–64 years old), average education was 15 years. Mixed measures ANOVA showed that the interaction between time and group was significant for PWB and MH literacy measures. The IG showed better self-reported PWB and improved MH literacy after intervention, compared to controls. No significant interactions were found for MH symptoms, life satisfaction and resilience.ConclusionsThis study shows the contribution of short-term community-based interventions in increasing MH literacy and PWB among unemployed.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lincoln Lik Hang Lo ◽  
Yi Nam Suen ◽  
Sherry Kit Wa Chan ◽  
Min Yi Sum ◽  
Cheung Charlton ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Individuals with psychiatric disorders are often unwilling to seek help or often follow treatment regimens, fearing public stigma. This study identified the sociodemographic correlates of public stigma while accounting for mental health literacy and life satisfaction. Methods This study analysed data for 1514 individuals who participated in a population-based random telephone survey conducted in 2018. Sociodemographic characteristics included gender, age, education level, and occupation. Data on public stigma, mental health literacy, and life satisfaction were also collected. Multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the effects of sociodemographic characteristics on public stigma. A moderation analysis was performed to investigate the role of age and education in the relationship between mental health literacy and public stigma. Results Sociodemographic characteristics, such as female gender, older age, lower education, and occupation (particularly retired and homemakers), were associated with a higher public stigma. The association between public stigma and mental health literacy was the most significant among individuals aged 50 years and above with lower education levels. Conclusions This study showed that certain population subgroups, based on their sociodemographic profile, have a higher stigma about mental illnesses. Understanding the differential effects of sociodemographic factors on public stigma is imperative to developing effective anti-stigma campaigns.


2008 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 1041-1050 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliza Fraser ◽  
Kenneth I. Pakenham

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a group psychosocial intervention for children (aged 12–18) of a parent with mental illness (copmi). Method: A treatment and waitlist-control design study with pre- and post-treatment, and 8 week follow up, was carried out. The treatment (n = 27) and control (n=17) groups were compared on three groups of dependent variables: intervention targets (mental health literacy, connectedness, coping strategies), adjustment (depression, life satisfaction, prosocial behaviour, emotional/behavioural difficulties), and caregiving experiences. Results: Group comparisons failed to show statistically significant intervention effects, but reliable clinical change analyses suggested that compared to the control group, more intervention participants had clinically significant improvements in mental health literacy, depression, and life satisfaction. These treatment gains were maintained 8 weeks after treatment. Participant satisfaction data supported these treatment gains. Conclusions: Given study limitations and the modest support for intervention effectiveness it is important that this and other similar interventions should continue to be revised and undergo rigorous evaluation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
F Samkange-Zeeb ◽  
H Singh ◽  
M Lakeberg ◽  
J Kolschen ◽  
B Schüz ◽  
...  

Abstract   Disadvantaged populations, including unemployed adults, often exhibit low levels of health literacy. Exploring subjectively perceived health literacy needs in these populations can serve as an entry point for participatory intervention development. We aimed to assess health literacy needs of unemployed adults by triangulating qualitative interviews data and a scoping review. Using a parallel approach, we combined results of an interview study with 10 participants of a job-reintegration program in Germany and a scoping review. The interviews, conducted in early 2021, focused on health topics of interest to the participants and their sources of health-related information. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. For the scoping review, we searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo and SCOPUS up to January 2021 for studies containing “unemployed” AND “health literacy” in titles/abstracts. Study selection and data extraction were done independently by two researchers. Nutrition and physical activity emerged as core themes during the interviews, with some participants referring to the importance of both for mental health. Doctors and the institution running the job-reintegration program were the sources of health-related information often mentioned. The Corona pandemic was reported to have limited physical activity and affected psycho-social well-being. Five out of 2696 studies were included in the review. Four focused on mental health literacy, the fifth assessed information seeking practices in unemployed adults. The qualitative analysis revealed that health literacy needs of unemployed adults go beyond mental health literacy. As nutrition and physical activity impact mental health, interventions targeting such topics might also improve mental health literacy in unemployed adults. Study findings will be discussed with unemployed persons and social workers in co-production workshops that aim to identify and prioritize health literacy needs for intervention development. Key messages Health literacy programs for unemployed adults should target nutrition and physical activity. Workforce re-integration programs play a pivotal role in improving health literacy of unemployed adults.


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiffany Anne Beks ◽  
Sharon L Cairns ◽  
Serena Smygwaty ◽  
Olga A.L. Miranda Osorio ◽  
Sheldon J Hill

Many universities have implemented campus-based initiatives addressing students’ mental health with the goal of promoting well-being. One such initiative is the newly developed Counsellor-in-Residence (CIR) program at the University of Calgary, which targets students’ mental health by providing residence-based counselling services and mental health programming. In this process evaluation, students completed three waves of data collection conducted over the academic year. Each wave measured students’ mental health literacy, using the Mental Health Literacy Scale (O’Connor & Casey, 2015), and resiliency, using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25 (Connor & Davidson, 2003). Males reported lower mental health literacy than females (p < .001), and international students reported lower mental health literacy than domestic students (p < .001). No differences in resilience levels were found between groups. These findings suggest that male and international students experience additional barriers to accessing campus-based mental health services. Implications for residence-based mental health programming that target male and international students are discussed.  


Author(s):  
Shakiba Oftadeh-Moghadam ◽  
Paul Gorczynski

Within rugby, a plethora of research has focused on male rugby players, with some recent attention being directed to examining their mental health. Such attention has not been evident for their female rugby counterparts. The aims of this study were to ascertain levels of mental health literacy (MHL) and explore demographic differences in United Kingdom semielite rugby players who identified as women, and examine whether MHL is associated with better mental health outcomes and general help-seeking intentions. In total, 208 semielite women rugby players completed an online multisection questionnaire measuring MHL, general help-seeking intentions, distress, and well-being. Overall, most players scored a low rating of well-being; however, those who indicated a previous mental health problem exhibited significantly higher levels of MHL. Players were more likely to display general help-seeking intentions toward an intimate partner or a friend than a health care professional. High levels of distress were reported in 64.4% of players, particularly those who had been previously medically diagnosed with a mental disorder and bisexual rugby players. MHL was significantly, positively correlated with general help-seeking intentions, but not significantly correlated with distress or well-being. This study is the first to examine MHL in women rugby players and suggests that strategies devised by multidisciplinary teams of experts to help promote, engage, and offer tailored mental health support to women rugby players would be beneficial. Further investigations exploring the determinants of, and barriers to, MHL among women rugby players would be worthwhile to better understand and support players throughout their sporting career.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne N. Bjørnsen ◽  
Geir A. Espnes ◽  
Mary-Elizabeth B. Eilertsen ◽  
Regine Ringdal ◽  
Unni K. Moksnes

Mental health education is a central part of school nurses’ practice. Mental health literacy is an asset for health that educational initiatives can strengthen, and a significant determinant of mental health. This study was intended to examine the relationship between positive mental health literacy (PMeHL) and mental well-being to discuss its implications for school health services’ mental health education. The relationship was assessed using a multiple linear regression model controlling for relevant covariates. Data were derived from a cross-sectional school-based survey including 1,888 adolescents aged 15–21 years (response rate 97.3%). A weak gender difference was found in PMeHL. The regression model accounted for 41% of the variance in adolescents’ mental well-being; PMeHL was a significant explanatory variable of mental well-being. Accordingly, the current study found support for including PMeHL, or knowledge of how to obtain and maintain good mental health, as an integral component of school health services’ mental health education among adolescents.


Author(s):  
Tânia Morgado ◽  
Luís Loureiro ◽  
Maria Antónia Rebelo Botelho ◽  
Maria Isabel Marques ◽  
José Ramón Martínez-Riera ◽  
...  

Adolescence is a critical life phase for mental health and anxiety an emerging challenge for adolescents. Psychoeducational interventions to promote mental health literacy (MHL) on anxiety in adolescents are needed. This study aimed to test the primary outcome of a future full-scale trial: improvement of adolescents’ anxiety MHL components on recognition, prevention strategies, and self-help strategies. A sample of 38 adolescents, 24 (63.2%) females and 14 (36.8%) males, with an average age of 14.50 years (SD = 0.89) participated in this study. Each class was allocated to the intervention group (IG, n = 21) or the waiting list control group (WLCG, n = 17) with single-blinded randomization. MHL was assessed using the QuALiSMental. The ProLiSMental psychoeducational intervention consists of four or eight weekly sessions of 90 or 45 min for adolescents, using different active pedagogical methods and techniques. There also are initial and final sessions with adolescents, legal guardians, and teachers. There was a significant improvement with a small to relatively strong effect size in many dimensions of anxiety MHL components. This study suggests the progression to the full-scale trial and values the important role of mental health and psychiatric nurses in the adolescents’ empowerment for MHL in schools.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Reavley ◽  
Terence V. McCann ◽  
Stefan Cvetkovski ◽  
Anthony F. Jorm

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to assess whether a multifaceted intervention could improve mental health literacy, facilitate help seeking and reduce psychological distress and alcohol misuse in staff of a multi-campus university in Australia. Design/methodology/approach – In this cluster randomised trial (ACTRN12610001027000), nine campuses were paired, with one of each pair randomly assigned to either intervention or control. Interventions (which were whole-of-campus) included e-mails, posters, campus events, factsheets/booklets and mental health first aid training courses. A monitoring sample of staff were recruited from each campus. Participants had a 20-minute computer-assisted telephone interview at baseline, and at the end of academic years 1 and 2. The interview assessed mental health literacy, help seeking for mental health problems, psychological distress and alcohol use. The primary outcomes were depression and anxiety levels and alcohol use and pertained to the individual level. Six campuses were randomised to intervention and three to control and all campuses were included in the analysis. Findings – There were no effects on depression and anxiety levels and alcohol use. Recall of intervention elements was greater in the intervention group at the end of the two-year assessment period. Staff in the intervention group showed better recognition of depression, greater knowledge of the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines for safe levels of drinking and a greater intention to seek help for alcohol misuse from a general practitioner. Originality/value – Future interventions should involve more focused interventions that include consideration of working conditions and their influence on mental health, as well as addressing mental illness among employees, regardless of cause.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yangxiu Hu ◽  
Baojuan Ye ◽  
Jiawen Tan

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently a global health threat attributed to negatively affecting the mental health and well-being of people globally. The purpose of the current study is to examine the mediating roles of economic insecurity and mental health literacy in the relationship between stress about COVID-19 and anxiety. Results from the current study using a large sample of Chinese college students (N = 1,334) showed that stress of COVID-19 was positively associated with economic insecurity and anxiety while negatively associated with mental health literacy, which in turn was negatively associated with anxiety. These results elucidate our understanding of the role of mediators in stress about COVID-19 and anxiety. The findings are useful in terms of providing evidence for tailoring interventions and implementing preventative approaches to mitigate anxiety due to stress of COVID-19. Based on the present findings and within the context of COVID-19, the potential utility of promoting MHL to reduce the psychopathological consequences of COVID-19 is discussed.


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