scholarly journals A qualitative evaluation of Southwark Council’s public health response to mitigating the mental health impact of the 2017 London bridge and borough market terror attack

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Jumbe ◽  
Adrienne Milner ◽  
Megan Clinch ◽  
Jonathan Kennedy ◽  
Richard J. Pinder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Terror Attack ◽  
Terror Attacks ◽  
Physical Injuries ◽  
Community Stakeholders ◽  
Health Response

Abstract Background Over recent years there have been several major terror attacks in cities across Europe. These attacks result in deaths, physical injuries, and pose long-term threats to mental health and wellbeing of large populations. Although psychologists have completed important work on mental health responses to disaster exposure including terrorist attacks, the mental health impacts of such attacks have been comparatively less examined in academic literature than the acute health response to physical injuries. This paper reflects on Southwark Council’s pioneering public mental health response to the June 2017 terror attack at London Bridge and Borough Market. It aims to explore perceptions of the mental health impact of the incident by those living and working in the borough. Methods A rapid qualitative evaluation informed by the logic underpinning Southwark Council’s response was conducted. Seven formative interviews were undertaken with individuals involved in the response planning and/or delivery, enabling the evaluation team to establish the response’s theoretical basis. Subsequently, nineteen semi-structured interviews with consenting Council employees, residents, business owners, and workers from the Borough were conducted to understand perceived mental health impacts of the attack and the success of the Council response. Thematic analysis of transcribed interviews was undertaken to evaluate the extent to which the response was implemented successfully. Results Participants reported feeling the attack had a wide-reaching negative impact on the mental health of residents, those working in the borough and visitors who witnessed the attack. Delivering the response was a challenge and response visibility within the community was limited. Participants suggested a comprehensive systematic approach to health needs assessment informed by knowledge and relationships of key Council workers and community stakeholders is imperative when responding to terrorist incidents. Improved communication and working relationships between statutory organisations and community stakeholders would ensure community groups are better supported. Prioritising mental health needs of terror attack responders to mitigate persisting negative impacts was highlighted. Conclusions This article highlights a potential public health approach and need for developing robust practical guidance in the aftermath of terror attacks. This approach has already influenced the response to the Christchurch mosque shooting in 2019.

scholarly journals A qualitative evaluation of Southwark Council’s public health approach for mitigating the mental health impact of the 2017 London Bridge and Borough Market terror attack

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Jumbe ◽  
Adrienne Milner ◽  
Megan Clinch ◽  
Jonathan Kennedy ◽  
Richard J Pinder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Public Health Approach ◽  
Terror Attack ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Terror Attacks ◽  
Physical Injuries ◽  
Community Stakeholders ◽  
Health Response

Abstract Background Over recent years there have been several major terror attacks in cities across Europe. These attacks result in deaths, physical injuries, and pose long-term threats to mental health and wellbeing of large populations. Despite this, the mental health and wellbeing impacts of such attacks have been comparatively less examined in academic literature than the acute health response to physical injuries. This paper reflects on Southwark Council’s pioneering public health response to the June 2017 terror attack at London Bridge and Borough Market. It aims to understand the mental health and wellbeing impact of the incident, and evaluate Council led efforts to minimise mental health and wellbeing sequelae following the attack. Methods A rapid qualitative evaluation informed by the logic underpinning Southwark Council’s response was conducted. Nineteen in-depth semi-structured interviews with consenting Southwark Council employees, residents and workers from the London Borough of Southwark affected by the 2017 terror attack were conducted. Seven interviews were with actors involved in developing and delivering the response to ascertain the logic that underpinned it. Twelve interviews were with residents, business owners and council employees to examine the mental health and wellbeing impacts of the attack and the effectiveness of the response. A thematic analysis of transcribed interviews was undertaken. Results When establishing a health and wellbeing response, public health expertise and capacity provides an opportunity to dynamically identify and respond to emerging mental health and wellbeing needs. A comprehensive systematic approach to health needs assessment which draws on knowledge and relationships of key Council workers and community stakeholders is imperative. This improves communication and working relationships between statutory organisations and community stakeholders, and ensures all groups in the community are reached and supported in a manner appropriate for them. It is also critical that mental health needs of Council staff involved in delivering such a response are met. Failure to do this risks extending the negative impacts of such events. Conclusions This article highlights the potential of taking a public health approach in the aftermath of terror attacks. This approach has already influenced the response to the Christchurch mosque shooting in 2019.

scholarly journals A qualitative evaluation of Southwark Council’s public health approach for mitigating the mental health impact of the 2017 London Bridge and Borough Market terror attack

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Jumbe ◽  
Adrienne Milner ◽  
Megan Clinch ◽  
Jonathan Kennedy ◽  
Richard J Pinder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Public Health Approach ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Terror Attacks ◽  
Physical Injuries ◽  
Community Stakeholders ◽  
Health Response

Abstract BackgroundOver recent years there have been several major terror attacks in cities across Europe. These attacks result in deaths, physical injuries, and pose long-term threats to mental health and wellbeing of large populations. Although psychologists and psychiatrists have completed important work on mental health responses to disaster exposure including terrorist attacks, the mental health and wellbeing impacts of such attacks have been comparatively less examined in academic literature than the acute health response to physical injuries. This paper reflects on Southwark Council’s pioneering public health response to the June 2017 terror attack at London Bridge and Borough Market. It aims to explore the perceptions of mental health and wellbeing impact of the incident, and evaluate Council led efforts to minimise mental health and wellbeing sequelae following the attack.Methods A rapid qualitative evaluation informed by the logic underpinning Southwark Council’s response was conducted. Nineteen in-depth semi-structured interviews with consenting Southwark Council employees, residents, business owners, and workers from the London Borough of Southwark were conducted. Seven formative interviews were conducted with members of Southwark Council and other individuals directly involved in the planning and/or delivery of the mental health and wellbeing response. Twelve subsequent interviews were then conducted with residents, business owners and council employees to examine the mental health and wellbeing impacts of the attack and the effectiveness of the response. A thematic analysis of transcribed interviews was undertaken. Results The main theme found was that the attack had a wide-reaching negative impact and the main subthemes found that delivering the response was a challenge, that there was multifacted damage botha cross and within communities, and there was limited visibility of the response within the community. As such, when establishing a health and wellbeing response, public health expertise and capacity provides an opportunity to dynamically identify and respond to emerging mental health and wellbeing needs. A comprehensive systematic approach to health needs assessment which draws on knowledge and relationships of key Council workers and community stakeholders is imperative. This improves communication and working relationships between statutory organisations and community stakeholders, and ensures all groups in the community are reached and supported in a manner appropriate for them. It is also critical that mental health needs of Council staff involved in delivering such a response are met. Failure to do this risks extending the negative impacts of such events. Conclusions This article highlights the potential of taking a public health approach in the aftermath of terror attacks. This approach has already influenced the response to the Christchurch mosque shooting in 2019.

Dowry-related domestic violence and complex posttraumatic stress disorder: a case report

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manjula O’Connor
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Immigrant Woman ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Physical Trauma ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Mental Health Treatments

Objectives: This paper draws attention to the mental health impact of coercive practice of dowry demands, associated with domestic violence (DV) in an immigrant woman. Methods: This study was based on a case report and selective literature review. Results: This case history illustrates the serious mental health impacts of repeated emotional and physical trauma inflicted by a husband who was dissatisfied with his wife’s dowry. Bio-psycho-social / cultural aspects of mental health treatments needed to be augmented with attention to safety, advocacy, and access to support networks. Conclusions: Cultural factors are important determinants of mental illness. Psychiatrists need to be aware of DV and dowry when treating immigrant women.

Mental health impact and health care use of the bereaved persons 8-11 months after the November 2015 Paris terror attacks

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (suppl_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Pirard ◽  
Y Motreff ◽  
C Lavalette ◽  
S Vandentorren ◽  
T Baubet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Health Care Use ◽  
Terror Attacks

Mental health impact and health care use of the bereaved persons 8-11 months after the November 2015 Paris terror attacks

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (suppl_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Pirard ◽  
Y Motreff ◽  
C Lavalette ◽  
S Vandentorren ◽  
T Baubet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Health Care Use ◽  
Terror Attacks

scholarly journals Use of Asynchronous Virtual Mental Health Resources for COVID-19 Pandemic–Related Stress Among the General Population in Canada: Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris G Richardson ◽  
Allie Slemon ◽  
Anne Gadermann ◽  
Corey McAuliffe ◽  
Kimberly Thomson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Related Stress

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in profound mental health impacts among the general population worldwide. As many in-person mental health support services have been suspended or transitioned online to facilitate physical distancing, there have been numerous calls for the rapid expansion of asynchronous virtual mental health (AVMH) resources. These AVMH resources have great potential to provide support for people coping with negative mental health impacts associated with the pandemic; however, literature examining use prior to COVID-19 illustrates that the uptake of these resources is consistently low. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to examine the use of AVMH resources in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic among the general population and among a participant subgroup classified as experiencing an adverse mental health impact related to the pandemic. METHODS Data from this study were drawn from the first wave of a large multiwave cross-sectional monitoring survey, distributed from May 14 to 29, 2020. Participants (N=3000) were adults living in Canada. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample, and bivariate cross-tabulations were used to examine the relationships between the use of AVMH resources and self-reported indicators of mental health that included a range of emotional and coping-related responses to the pandemic. Univariate and fully adjusted multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine associations between sociodemographic and health-related characteristics and use of AVMH resources in the subgroup of participants who reported experiencing one or more adverse mental health impacts identified in the set of self-reported mental health indicators. RESULTS Among the total sample, 2.0% (n=59) of participants reported accessing AVMH resources in the prior 2 weeks to cope with stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the highest rates of use among individuals who reported self-harm (n=5, 10.4%) and those who reported coping “not well” with COVID-19–related stress (n=22, 5.5%). Within the subgroup of 1954 participants (65.1% of the total sample) who reported an adverse mental health impact related to COVID-19, 54 (2.8%) reported use of AVMH resources. Individuals were more likely to have used AVMH resources if they had reported receiving in-person mental health supports, were connecting virtually with a mental health worker or counselor, or belonged to a visible minority group. CONCLUSIONS Despite substantial government investment into AVMH resources, uptake is low among both the general population and individuals who may benefit from the use of these resources as a means of coping with the adverse mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is needed to improve our understanding of the barriers to use.

Mental health impact on first responders of the November 2015 Paris terror attacks

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (suppl_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Motreff ◽  
P Pirard ◽  
T Baubet ◽  
P Chauvin ◽  
S Vandentorren
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
First Responders ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Terror Attacks

scholarly journals Rural Community Health Needs Assessment Findings: Access to Care and Mental Health

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Cherry ◽  
Ayanna Robinson ◽  
Jared Jashinsky ◽  
Grace Bagwell-Adams ◽  
Michelle Elliott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Access To Care ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Community Stakeholders ◽  
Barriers To Access ◽  
Community Health Needs Assessment ◽  
Rural Community Health

This article highlights the qualitative results from focus groups conducted as part of a Community Health Needs Assessments in two rural Georgia communities. Four 1-hr focus groups were facilitated with 32 community stakeholders. Sessions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis identified two primary themes: mental health and barriers to accessing health care. Focus group participants discussed mental health challenges as they related to substance abuse and suicide. Participants acknowledged barriers to access, including no health insurance, cost, eligibility gaps for government-sponsored programs, the low availability of specialty care, and poverty. Addressing mental health and access to care in rural communities may require alternative, tailored programs.

scholarly journals Mental health impact among hospital staff in the aftermath of the Nice 2016 terror attack: the ECHOS de Nice study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Bentz ◽  
Stéphanie Vandentorren ◽  
Roxane Fabre ◽  
Jeremy Bride ◽  
Philippe Pirard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Psychological Support ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Terror Attack ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Terror Attacks ◽  
Professional Exposure ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The Nice terror attack of July 14, 2016 resulted in 84 deaths and 434 injured, with many hospital staff exposed to the attack, either as bystanders on site at the time of the attack (‘bystander exposure’) who may or may not have provided care to attack victims subsequently, or as care providers to victims only (‘professional exposure only’). The objective of this study is to describe the impact on mental health among hospital staff by category of exposure with a particular focus on those with ‘professional exposure only’, and to assess their use of psychological support resources. Method An observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted from 06/20/2017 to 10/31/2017 among all staff of two healthcare institutions in Nice, using a web questionnaire. Collected data included social, demographic and professional characteristics; trauma exposure category (‘bystanders to the attack’; ‘professional exposure only’; ‘unexposed’); indicators of psychological impact (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale); PTSD (PCL-5) level; support sought. Responders could enter open comments in each section of the questionnaire, which were processed by inductive analysis. Results 804 staff members’ questionnaires were analysed. Among responding staff, 488 were exposed (61%): 203 were ‘bystanders to the attack’, 285 had ‘professional exposure only’. The staff with ‘professional exposure only’ reported anxiety (13.2%), depression (4.6%), suicidal thoughts (5.5%); rates of full PTSD was 9.4% and of partial PTSD, 17.7%. Multivariate analysis in the ‘professional exposure only’ category showed that the following characteristics were associated with full or partial PTSD: female gender (OR = 2.79; 95% CI = 1.19–6.56, p = 0.019); social isolation (OR = 3.80; 95% CI = 1.30–11.16, p = 0.015); having been confronted with an unfamiliar task (OR = 3.04; 95% CI = 1.18–7.85; p = 0.022). Lastly, 70.6% of the staff with ‘professional exposure only’ with full PTSD did not seek psychological support. Conclusion Despite a significant impact on mental health, few staff with ‘professional exposure only’ sought psychological support. Robust prevention and follow-up programs must be developed for hospital staff, in order to manage the health hazards they face when exposed to exceptional health-related events such as mass terror attacks. Study registration Ethical approval for the trial was obtained from the National Ethics Committee for Human Research (RCBID N° 2017-A00812–51).

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