Development of a Virtual Training Program to Reduce Gun Violence Amidst the Covid-19 Era

Firearm deaths and related health issues have increased and disproportionately affected minorities in the COVID-19 era. We developed an accessible virtual training program, including topics on gun violence epidemiology, depression, substance use, intimate partner violence (IPV), intervention resources, safety planning, and COVID-19-related issues. The training program was distributed to participants from the Northeast region, particularly New Jersey, through text, email, and social media. Among the 202 survey responses from the participants, the mean age was 22.6, 50% were male, and 84.4% were minorities. Only 49.5% of participants were familiar with the related topics before the program, with participants having the least knowledge in gun violence epidemiology (9.5%). The mean test score for knowledge on all related topics after the training was 98.0 out of 100. Most participants were satisfied with the training program (92.1%), felt comfortable seeking help (86.1%), and would promote the program (83.7%). The participants were least comfortable seeking help for depression, particularly among non-African and non-Hispanic minority groups. We concluded that brief online interventions can improve community health outreach, knowledge, awareness, and likelihood of help-seeking and treatment. Tailored training programs are needed to target various populations for prevention and intervention.

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Stigma associated with and attitude regarding mental health help-seeking among undergraduate nursing students in Karachi, Pakistan

10.21203/rs.3.rs-710107/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Salima Farooq ◽

Yasmin Parpio ◽

Saadia Sattar ◽

Zahra Ali ◽

Shirin Rahim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Nursing Students ◽

Living Arrangements ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Undergraduate Nursing Students ◽

Undergraduate Nursing ◽

History Of ◽

Seeking Help ◽

The Mean

Abstract Background Globally, the prevalence of mental illness amongst university students is a major concern; same is the case with nursing students. Unaddressed mental illness stigma contributes towards hiding of symptoms hampers timely identification of the disease, and leads to reluctance in attitude towards seeking help. This study determined personal and perceived depression stigma and attitude towards help-seeking behaviors and its associated factors, among undergraduate nursing students at a private nursing institution in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study by recruiting 246 first and second-Year undergraduate nursing students using consecutive sampling. Data were collected using the Depression Stigma Scale (DSS) and the Attitude toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS), along with a demographic questionnaire. Chi-square test, Fischer’s exact test and student T test were used to determine significance of difference of each response between first and second year students. Multiple linear regression was employed to determine predictors of DSS and ATSPPHS. Approval was obtained from the university’s Ethics Review Committee. Results The study findings revealed that the mean scores of the personal and perceived stigma scales were 29.7 ± 4.9 and 24.3 ± 6.1, respectively. The mean score of ATSPPHS was 16.5 ± 3.8. The participants reported a mean openness score of7.8 ± 2.6 and a value scale score of 8.7 ± 3.0. A history of psychiatric illness, current living arrangements, and personal depression stigma were found to be significant predictors of ATSPHHS. The year of study was a significant predictor of personal depression stigma whereas both years of study and the current living arrangements were significantly associated with perceived depression stigma. Conclusion Attitude towards seeking help for mental illness was significantly influenced by personal and perceived stigma. Moreover, previous history of psychiatric illness and living arrangements also predicted attitudes towards seeking help. In order to encourage positive attitudes towards seeking help for students’ well-being, it is essential to destigmatize mental health issues by adapting context-based, individualized, and group mental health interventions.

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Experience of Intimate Partner Violence and Help-Seeking Behaviour among Women in Uganda

Psych ◽

10.3390/psych1010013 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 182-192 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bishwajit Ghose ◽

Sanni Yaya

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Health Survey ◽

Alcohol Drinking ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Demographic And Health Survey ◽

Healthcare Use ◽

Help Seeking Behaviour ◽

Seeking Help

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognised as a fundamental violation of women’s human rights and a widespread phenomenon in Africa. Women’s low socioeconomic empowerment, cultural acceptability, and lack of social support exacerbate the health and psychosocial outcomes of IPV among African women. To date, there is no systematic research on IPV and its association with healthcare use among adult women in Uganda. Therefore, we conducted the present study on IPV among Ugandan women of childbearing age (15–49 years). Cross-sectional data on 7536 women were collected from the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS—Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016). The objectives were to assess the predictors of IPV as well as help-seeking behaviour for victims of IPV. IPV was assessed by women’s experience of physical, emotional and sexual violence and healthcare use was assessed by self-reported medical visits during the last 12 months. Logistic regression methods were used to analyse the data. According to descriptive findings, which showed that more than half of the women reported experiencing any IPV (55.3%, 95%CI = 53.6, 57.0), emotional IPV (41.2%, 95%CI = 39.6, 42.8) was the most prevalent of all three categories, followed by physical (39.3%, 95%CI = 37.7, 40.9) and sexual IPV (22.0%, 95%CI = 20.7, 23.3). In the multivariate analysis, higher age, rural residence, religious background (non-Christian), ethnicity (Banyankore and Itseo), secondary/higher education and husband’s alcohol drinking habit were positively associated with women’s experience of IPV. Husband’s alcohol drinking was found to be a significant barrier to seeking help among those who experienced IPV. In conclusion, our findings suggest a noticeably high prevalence of IPV among Ugandan women. There are important sociodemographic and cultural patterns in the occurrence of IPV that need to be taken into account when designing intervention policies. Special attention should be given to women living with husbands/partners who drink alcohol, as this might increase their odds of experiencing IPV, as well as reduce the likelihood of seeking help.

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A Systematic Review of Barriers to Formal Help Seeking for Adult Survivors of IPV in the United States, 2005–2019

Trauma Violence & Abuse ◽

10.1177/1524838020916254 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 152483802091625 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sarah R. Robinson ◽

Kristen Ravi ◽

Rachel J. Voth Schrag

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Adult Survivors ◽

The United States ◽

System Failures ◽

Continued Education ◽

Formal Services ◽

Seeking Help ◽

Key Terms

For individuals experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), formal services, including community agencies, health services, or the criminal justice system, are critical resources. Understanding the specific barriers that hinder or prevent survivors from seeking help from formal services could reveal important implications for the development of services for IPV as well as for members of other organizations who encounter survivors. The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify barriers to help-seeking from formal services for survivors. Ten electronic databases were searched for key terms related to IPV, help seeking from formal services, and barriers to help seeking. Articles were included in the review if they were U.S.-based, contained samples that were adults who had experienced IPV, and discussed barriers to seeking help from formal services. An initial search yielded 1,155 articles and after screening, 29 articles were included in the review. Data were extracted to reveal the state of the literature regarding help-seeking barriers for survivors. Six barriers to help seeking were identified as follows: (1) lack of awareness, (2) access challenges, (3) consequences of disclosure, (4) lack of material resources, (5) personal barriers, and (6) system failures. These findings demonstrate the need for continued education surrounding available services for IPV as well as the continued development of resources that can mitigate personal barriers that survivors may face. Furthermore, these findings illuminate the necessity to increase the access of services, particularly for non-English speakers, immigrants and refugees, individuals with disabilities, men, and LGBTQIA identified individuals.

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Help-Seeking Behaviors of Male Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Kenya

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x211042847 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0192513X2110428

Author(s):

Eric Y. Tenkorang ◽

Mariama Zaami ◽

Sitawa Kimuna ◽

Adobea Y. Owusu ◽

Emmanuel Rohn

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Physical Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Support Networks ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Male Survivors ◽

Seeking Help

Very few studies examine the help-seeking behaviors of male survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Kenya or sub-Saharan Africa more generally. Using nationally representative cross-sectional data from 1,458 male survivors and multinomial logit models, we examined what influences men’s decision to seek help after experiencing IPV. Results show the majority of male survivors did not seek help. Those who did so turned to informal rather than formal sources. The severity of physical violence was the most robust and consistent predictor of help-seeking. Male survivors of severe physical abuse had higher odds of seeking help from informal support networks than not seeking help. Compared to the uneducated, highly educated men were significantly more likely to seek help from formal support networks than to not seek help at all. Sensitization programs are required to educate male survivors of IPV on available sources of support. In particular, barriers to help-seeking must be removed to encourage male survivors to find support.

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https://threequayspublishing.com/product/exploring-the-use-of-safety-strategies-by-victims-of-interpersonal-violence-a-systematic-review/

Abuse: An International Impact Journal ◽

10.37576/abuse.2021.024 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 33-54

Author(s):

Thomas Nally ◽

◽

Jane L. Ireland ◽

Philip Birch ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Interpersonal Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Seeking Safety ◽

Multiple Strategies ◽

Safety Strategies ◽

Help Seeking Behaviour ◽

Seeking Help ◽

And Coping

This systematic review analysed 61 papers, from an initial search result of 3,540 papers, to explore how victims of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and interpersonal violence manage their victimisation. The review yielded five themes, centred on evidence for safety strategies adopted by those affected by IPV or interpersonal violence. These comprised; Victims seek help following interpersonal violence; Victims of interpersonal violence experience barriers to seeking help; Victims use multiple strategies to manage experiences of abuse; Victims of interpersonal violence cope in multiple ways; The help-seeking behaviours of victims are contextual. The findings indicated that victims of IPV and interpersonal violence utilise a range of strategies, including help-seeking, safety enhancing strategies and coping strategies, in response to their victimisation. It also indicated that there are significant barriers preventing help-seeking and victimisation reporting. The findings are discussed in relation to the help seeking behaviour of victims and how this may be impacted by barriers at different stages of the help-seeking process.

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Reaching out and seeking help from frontline professionals: experiences of men perpetrating partner violence

Journal of Gender-Based Violence ◽

10.1332/239868020x16040660254792 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mathilde Sengoelge ◽

Alvaro Ponce ◽

Elisabeth Perry ◽

Alessandra Pauncz ◽

Heinrich Geldschlager

Keyword(s):

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Emotional Impact ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Violent Behaviour ◽

Professional Help ◽

Help Seeking Behaviour ◽

Seeking Help ◽

Practice Skills

Background: Research on help-seeking behaviour in partner violence has mainly focused on victims. This article reports on a multi-country qualitative study exploring the views and experiences of men perpetrating partner violence and their contact with frontline professionals. The study was part of a wider programme of training for professionals to enable disclosure of domestic violence by perpetrators (project ENGAGE).Methods: Eleven semi]structured interviews and one focus group discussion with seven men were conducted and thematic analysis was used to analyse their responses. Emphasis was on understanding how professionalsf responses prevented or facilitated disclosure and seeking support and/or professional help.Results: The men revealed the difficulties they face in the process of disclosure and that help-seeking from non-specialised professionals had a negative emotional impact for most men. Four themes emerged: barriers to help-seeking for men; helpful responses from professionals; unhelpful responses to avoid; and recommendations for professionals to improve their interactions with men.Conclusion: This study has implications for the training of frontline professionals and underlines the need for changes in services to ensure that all men consistently receive an appropriate response and are directed to perpetrator programmes or specialised services.<br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>Men who sought help from frontline professionals for their violent behaviour towards their partners found it helpful when frontline professionals in a respectful and non-judgemental manner assisted men to find words to disclose their behaviour.</li><br /><li>They also needed support in identifying their responsibility for the violence and to provide a sense of hope that change is possible.</li><br /><li>Frontline professionals require training to gain and practice skills in communicating with men about their violent behaviour and support them in the referral process to specialised services.</li></ul>

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Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in South Korea: Experiences in Seeking Help Based on Support Selection

Violence Against Women ◽

10.1177/1077801220905638 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 107780122090563 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sihyun Park ◽

Yejung Ko

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Sociocultural Factors ◽

Female Victims ◽

South Korean ◽

Seeking Help

For victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), seeking help is an important step in escaping their violent situations; nonetheless, their experiences in help-seeking are diverse and often influenced by sociocultural factors. The purpose of this study was to understand South Korean female IPV victims’ experiences in seeking help. Qualitative data were collected from interviews with 14 female victims and analyzed using content analysis. We presented the victims’ experiences according to their choice of support (e.g., friends, family, community, or police) and noted four factors that appear to influence their support selection.

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“If I’d Had Something Like SAFE at the Time, Maybe I Would’ve Left Him Sooner.”—Essential Features of eHealth Interventions for Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Study

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/08862605211036108 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088626052110361

Author(s):

Nicole van Gelder ◽

Suzanne Ligthart ◽

Julia ten Elzen ◽

Judith Prins ◽

Karin van Rosmalen-Nooijens ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Theory Approach ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Study Population ◽

Seeking Help ◽

Ehealth Intervention ◽

Grounded Theory Approach

Approximately one in three women worldwide experiences intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) in her lifetime. Despite its frequent occurrence and severe consequences, women often refrain from seeking help. eHealth has the potential to remove some of the barriers women face in help seeking and disclosing. To guarantee the client-centeredness of an (online) intervention it is important to involve the target group and people with expertise in the development process. Therefore, we conducted an interview study with survivors and professionals, in order to assess needs, obstacles, and wishes with regard to an eHealth intervention for women experiencing IPVA. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 women (8 survivors and 8 professionals) between 22 and 52 years old, with varied experiences of IPVA and help. Qualitative data was analyzed using a grounded theory approach and open thematic coding. During analysis we identified a third stakeholder group within the study population: survivor-professionals, with both personal experiences of and professional knowledge on IPVA. All stakeholder groups largely agree on the priorities for an eHealth intervention: safety, acknowledgment, contact with fellow survivors, and help. Nevertheless, the groups offer different perspectives, with the survivor-professionals functioning as a bridge group between the survivors and professionals. The groups prioritize different topics. For example, survivors and survivor-professionals highlighted the essential need for safety, while professionals underlined the importance of acknowledgment. Survivor-professionals were the only ones to emphasize the importance of addressing various life domains. The experiences of professionals and survivors highlight a broad range of needs and potential obstacles for eHealth interventions. Consideration of these findings could improve the client-centeredness of existing and future (online) interventions for women experiencing IPVA.

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New lives, new challenges: access to intimate partner violence services for portuguese-speaking immigrant women

Revista Eletrônica de Enfermagem ◽

10.5216/ree.v21.55653 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

Author(s):

Sepali Guruge ◽

Margareth S. Zanchetta ◽

Brenda Roche ◽

Stephanie Pedrotti Lucchese

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Immigrant Women ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Pathways To Care ◽

Structural Barriers ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Global Health Issue ◽

Seeking Help

Intimate partner violence is a global health issue and the most common form of violence experienced by women. This study explored barriers to accessing help to Intimate partner violence related health services among Portuguese-speaking immigrant women in Toronto, Canada. Exploratory study conducted by a survey and focus group discussions with 12 Portuguese-speaking immigrant women. Results clarify the struggles faced by Portuguese-speaking immigrant women and their pathways to care and help-seeking. Participants reported that the fear of being deported, obtaining evidence of abuse, and lack of language-specific services were the key barriers to seeking help. When available, language-specific community-based services, along with faith and religion, were noted as key factors that supported women’s resilience. Nurses who provide care and services to women who are dealing with Intimate partner violence should rethink the scope of their advocacy actions toward addressing these structural barriers by building alliances with organizations to better serve and protect women in such vulnerable situations.

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Knowledge and Attitude of Pharmacy Students toward People with Mental Illnesses and Help-Seeking: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy9020082 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 82

Author(s):

Saud Alsahali

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Pharmacy Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Maximum Score ◽

Seeking Help ◽

The Mean

People with mental illnesses (MIs) face several challenges in addition to their disease. People’s negative views of those with MIs impact patients’ decisions to seek professional help. The aims of this study were to assess pharmacy students’ attitudes toward people with MIs and seeking help for mental health, as well as their knowledge about the causes of MIs. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on pharmacy students at Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. Out of the 460 distributed questionnaires, 330 complete questionnaires were received, giving a response rate of 71.7%. Overall, the mean total score for attitude towards people with MIs was 60.16 ± 10.48 (maximum attainable score: 105). In this study, 51.12% believed that people with MIs are more likely to harm others than a person without MIs and 66.9% mentioned that they did not trust the work of a mentally ill person as part of their work team. However, only 35.45% believed that it is difficult for mentally ill individuals to follow social rules. In terms of attitudes toward help-seeking, the mean total score of was 12.83 ± 3.16 out of the maximum score of 25. In addition, the mean total score for knowledge about causes of mental illness was 2.92 ± 1.76 out of the maximum score of 8. The participants reported that MIs could be due to genetic inheritance (56%), substance abuse (54.5%), or brain disease (66.1%). The findings showed that there are some negative attitudes toward people with MIs and negative attitudes towards seeking help for mental health. In addition, some misconceptions about the causes of MIs are prevalent. Consequently, the incorporation of more topics concerning mental health in pharmacy curricula could help improve the awareness of and knowledge about mental health.

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