Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid Program for Chinese People in Hong Kong

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel F. K. Wong ◽  
Ying Lau ◽  
Sylvia Kwok ◽  
Prudence Wong ◽  
Christopher Tori
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Chinese People ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Good Mental Health ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Purpose: Chinese people generally lack knowledge of mental illness. Such phenomenon may lead to a delay in seeking psychiatric treatments. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program in improving mental health knowledge of the general public in Hong Kong. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was adopted whereby 138 participants received MHFA training and 139 partook in seminars on general health, respectively. All participants filled out a standardized questionnaire before, at the end, and 6-month after the training. Results: Findings demonstrated that MHFA training might be effective in enhancing participants’ knowledge of mental disorders, reducing stigma, and improving perceived confidence in providing help to people with mental illness. Effect size statistics revealed mostly modest to moderate improvements in major variables in the experimental group. Conclusion: It is recommended that culturally attuned MHFA program can be used as prevention strategy to promote good mental health in Chinese communities.

Effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid for Chinese-Speaking International Students in Melbourne

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-287
Author(s):  
Xiao Yu Zhuang ◽  
Daniel Fu Keung Wong ◽  
Ting Kin Ng ◽  
Ada Poon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
International Students ◽  
Multilevel Modeling ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Training Data ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Mental Health Knowledge

Purpose: Chinese international students have been widely reported to lack recognition of their psychological problems and to delay treatment until their symptoms become rather disabling. The present study pioneered to evaluate the effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training in improving mental health knowledge among Chinese-speaking international tertiary students. Method: A quasi-experimental design was adopted, whereby 202 Chinese-speaking international students in Melbourne were assigned to the MHFA condition or a control condition. All participants completed a standardized questionnaire before, at the end, and 3 months after training. Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Results: The findings demonstrated that MHFA training might be effective in improving participants’ knowledge of mental disorders (i.e., recognition of symptoms, belief in helpful treatments, and understanding the biogenetic and psychosocial causes) and reducing stigma. Conclusions: The MHFA program has the potential to enhance mental health knowledge and promote help-seeking among Chinese-speaking international students.

scholarly journals Experience of stigma among Chinese mental health patients in Hong Kong

2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 451-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. Chung ◽  
M. C. Wong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Chinese People ◽  
The People ◽  
Mental Health Patients ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness

Aims and MethodThe study was intended to rectify the lack of data on how Chinese people experience the stigma of mental illness. A questionnaire on perceived stigmatisation, experiences of rejection and ways of coping with stigma was completed by 193 persons attending a psychiatric out-patient clinic in Hong Kong.ResultsMost of the participants were aware of the stigma associated with mental illness, but experiences of rejection were relatively less frequent. Eleven per cent of the respondents indicated that they were neglected by health care professionals and 8% had been avoided by family members. The most frequently reported coping method was maintaining secrecy about the illness.Clinical ImplicationsIn China, people with mental health problems experience stigma in various degrees. However, some of the people surveyed expressed feelings of relief that others were supportive and sympathetic towards their illness. Mental health professionals should maintain optimism in helping their patients to cope with the stigma.

scholarly journals Do Mental Health First Aid™ courses enhance knowledge?

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hana Morrissey ◽  
Simon Moss ◽  
Nektarios Alexi ◽  
Patrick Ball
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Improved Outcomes ◽  
Provision Of Services ◽  
Before And After

Purpose Biased assumptions and unhelpful tendencies in human nature can lead people who are experiencing mental illness to shun help and support. Mental illness is often perceived as immutable and/or a sign of weakness. Even those seeking support may not receive the assistance they need. Advice may be unsuitable or people feel too nervous and challenged to help. The Mental Health First Aid™ courses, like general first aid, are designed to enhance community knowledge and thereby support appropriate assistance. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the extent to which this is achieved. Design/methodology/approach An educational audit based upon a short quiz administered anonymously to 162 tertiary students from a range of disciplines, before and after delivery of the standard 12 hour Mental Health First Aid™ course. This was used to examine assumptions and proposed actions before and after training. Findings Analysis of the 162 responses found that the Mental Health First Aid™ courses significantly improve knowledge. This has the potential to increase understanding and support for those suffering mental illness. Research limitations/implications This educational audit looked only at knowledge improvement. Whether this really does translate into improved outcomes requires further investigation. Practical implications Tertiary students who are enrolled in health courses and others which involve human interaction as provision of services will be empowered with skills that enable them to interact with those who they will be serving at well-informed level and equity. Social implications Social inclusion and de-stigmatising mental health issues Originality/value Mental health first aid courses potentially enable individuals who are not otherwise involved in mental health to assist people in need.

scholarly journals Interactive Activities to Aid in a Comprehensive Understanding of Mental Health Within the Professional Athletic Training Curriculum

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 262-269
Author(s):  
Jennifer Lynn Ostrowski ◽  
Ashley Gray ◽  
Ellen K. Payne ◽  
David Wilkenfeld ◽  
James R. Scifers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Standardized Patient ◽  
Counseling Session ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Athletic Training Students ◽  
Mental Health Conditions

Context Mental health is a significant issue in the United States, with approximately 18.5% of adults and 22% of adolescents having a diagnosable mental illness. Athletic trainers are in a prime position to recognize signs of mental health illness in their patients and to facilitate referral to a mental health professional. Objective To introduce interactive approaches for developing mental health first aid and referral skills in professional athletic training students. Background Although the 2020 Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education curricular content standards require programs to educate students about identification and referral for mental health conditions, the standards do not provide specific suggestions for instructing this content. Description Three educational activities have been implemented into the curriculum: an exploratory counseling session, Mental Health First Aid certification, and a standardized patient encounter. Clinical Advantage(s) The exploratory counseling session improves athletic training students' empathy for individuals living with mental illness. The Mental Health First Aid curriculum has been shown to raise awareness of mental health conditions and positively influence the number of people who receive professional help. Standardized patient scenarios have been shown to increase critical thinking and confidence with mental health cases and to increase knowledge in mental health assessment. Conclusion(s) Students' reflections support that these components have increased their competence and confidence in recognizing, intervening, and making referrals for individuals with suspected mental health concerns.

Improving Nursesʼ Behavioral Health Knowledge and Skills With Mental Health First Aid

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-214
Author(s):  
Margaret W. Baker ◽  
Catherine Dower ◽  
Peggi Banahan Winter ◽  
Marcella M. Rutherford ◽  
Virginia Trotter Betts
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Behavioral Health ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Knowledge And Skills

scholarly journals Reaching for the Stars

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Alexander Infantino ◽  
Sarah Paprotna ◽  
Siddharth Anilkumar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Infrared Imaging ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Light Pollution ◽  
Health Services Administration ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Good Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness Treatment

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of good mental health is becoming more and more relevant. Outdoor therapies have been used as treatments for mental health for years, so the researchers investigated if stargazing has the potential to have the same benefits. Rather than surveying people on how often they stargaze, the researchers used light pollution data as a metric for the ability of a region to stargaze. The light pollution data was gathered from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the mental health data was collected from a survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). All fifty states were stratified based on light pollution and ten were chosen for analysis. From these states, the number of people with mental illness, number of people who received mental illness treatment, and number of attempted suicides were all considered. Linear regression was performed for these three metrics against light pollution. Overall, the correlation coefficient is too low to confidently establish correlation. Further research and different methods are required to determine the existence of a correlation.

scholarly journals At home or in hospital: Home treatment and mental health stigma

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110095
Author(s):  
Allerdiena A Hubbeling ◽  
Jared G Smith
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Home Treatment ◽  
Mental Health Stigma ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
The Uk ◽  
At Home

Background: Stigmatized attitudes towards people with mental illness may influence treatment choice for oneself and others. Aim: To gauge the attitudes of the UK general public towards treatment at home for mental illness and to assess the extent to which non-acceptability was related to stigmatized attitudes. Methods: Two hundred and two (101 female) people living in the UK completed an online (vignette) questionnaire in which we asked demographic details and personal experience of mental illness. To measure stigma, we used an adapted version of the Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) with vignettes asking about treatment at home and using scales for social distance and poor expectations; participants also filled in the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS). Results: Participants did not evidence overall agreement with treatment at home for mental illness (i.e. >0; range = −16-to-+16, Mean ( M) = 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.08, 1.80, p = .073), although they showed significant agreement with treatment at home should they experience mental illness themselves (range = −8-to-+8, M = 1.36, CI = 0.82, 1.89, p < .001). Acceptability for treatment at home differed according to specific mental illness considered (range = −4-to-+4); depression ( M = 0.47, CI = 0.13, 0.81, p = .006) and alcohol abuse ( M = 1.46, CI = 1.14,1.77, p < .001) were considered suitable for being treated at home but schizophrenia was not ( M = −0.78, CI = −1.13,−0.43, p < .001). Multivariate analyses revealed that older age and attitudes indicating comfort with less social distance from people with mental illness were independently associated with treatment at home agreeability. Conclusions: Public acceptability of home treatment for mental illness remains ambivalent in the UK, most obviously when considering treatment approaches for individuals other than themselves and for people with schizophrenia. Disagreement with home treatment is particularly evident in younger people and those who prefer less social contact with people with mental illness.

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