scholarly journals Addiction care in crisis: evidence should drive progressive policy and practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 215 (6) ◽  
pp. 702-703
Author(s):  
Kamaldeep S. Bhui ◽  
Peter Byrne ◽  
Diane Goslar ◽  
Julia Sinclair
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
National Government ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Good Mental Health ◽  
Specialist Services ◽  
Health Specialist ◽  
Progressive Policy ◽  
Addiction Care

SummaryAddictions are challenging health and social problems that need to be addressed to preserve and promote good mental health and ensure that individuals within society lead healthy and productive lives. Tackling addictions is complex and requires communities, public health, specialist services, and local and national government to act in unison and implement evidence-based interventions. This editorial raises systemic issues that need attention and proposes a range of systemic options.

scholarly journals Exploring experiences and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young racially minoritised people in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rochelle Ann Burgess ◽  
Nancy Kanu ◽  
Tanya Matthews ◽  
Owen Mukotekwa ◽  
Amina Smith-Gul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Survival Strategies ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
The Impact

Within high-income-countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted people from racially minoritised backgrounds. There has been significant research interrogating the disparate impact of the virus, and recently, interest in the long-term implications of the global crisis on young people’s mental health and wellbeing. However, less work explores the experiences of young people from racialised backgrounds as they navigate the pandemic, and the specific consequences this has for their mental health. Forty young people (age 16-25) from black, mixed and other minority backgrounds and living in London, participated in consecutive focus group discussions over a two-month period, to explore the impact of the pandemic on their lives and emotional wellbeing. Thematic analysis identified seven categories describing the impact of the pandemic, indicating: deepening of existing socioeconomic and emotional challenges; efforts to navigate racism and difference within the response; and survival strategies drawing on communal and individual resources. Young people also articulated visions for a future public health response which addressed gaps in current strategies. Findings point to the need to contextualize public health responses to the pandemic in line with the lived experiences of racialised young people. We specifically note the importance of long-term culturally and socio-politically relevant support interventions. Implications for policy and practice are discussed

Psychological Science Into Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-396
Author(s):  
Eleni Karayianni ◽  
Tom Van Daele ◽  
Jasminka Despot-Lučanin ◽  
Josip Lopižić ◽  
Nicholas Carr
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
European Federation ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Community Based Interventions ◽  
Community Based ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Third ◽  
Psychological Science

Abstract. The public health outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has hit all aspects of life as we know it. We found ourselves trying to solve several concurrent crises that have afflicted us. The European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) launched the Psychologists’ Support Hub to share resources among its members and beyond and promote the continuing adoption of psychological science to battle the pandemic. In the greater context of evidence-based practice (EBP), the best available evidence is what we turn to for help in our decision-making on how best to address different challenges. However, there are challenges in implementing EBP when the science is limited, and we are still expected to be effective and efficient as professionals. The article outlines the need for EBP during the pandemic. Three vignettes display how that can be done while identifying obstacles and recommending ways forward in the future. The first one relates to the development of e-mental health services in Belgium following the March 2020 lockdown. The second describes addressing the needs of older adults in Croatia when it was hit by two crises simultaneously – the March 2020 lockdown and a destructive earthquake. The third looks at how targeted community-based interventions in Norway directed at social change can positively impact times of crisis. Overall, the pandemic presents a unique opportunity for professional growth for researchers, trainers, practitioners, and policymakers alike. EFPA can play a pivotal role in EBP adoption.

scholarly journals Making evidence and policy in public health emergencies: lessons from COVID-19 for adaptive evidence-making and intervention

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 477-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari Lancaster ◽  
Tim Rhodes ◽  
Marsha Rosengarten
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Rapid Assessment ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Knowledge Generation ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Multiple Forms ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Speed Up

Background:In public health emergencies, evidence, intervention, decisions and translation proceed simultaneously, in greatly compressed timeframes, with knowledge and advice constantly in flux. Idealised approaches to evidence-based policy and practice are ill equipped to deal with the uncertainties arising in evolving situations of need. Key points for discussion:There is much to learn from rapid assessment and outbreak science approaches. These emphasise methodological pluralism, adaptive knowledge generation, intervention pragmatism, and an understanding of health and intervention as situated in their practices of implementation. The unprecedented challenges of novel viral outbreaks like COVID-19 do not simply require us to speed up existing evidence-based approaches, but necessitate new ways of thinking about how a more emergent and adaptive evidence-making might be done. The COVID-19 pandemic requires us to appraise critically what constitutes ‘evidence-enough’ for iterative rapid decisions in-the-now. There are important lessons for how evidence and intervention co-emerge in social practices, and for how evidence-making and intervening proceeds through dialogue incorporating multiple forms of evidence and expertise. Conclusions and implications:Rather than treating adaptive evidence-making and decision making as a break from the routine, we argue that this should be a defining feature of an ‘evidence-making intervention’ approach to health.

scholarly journals Coronavirus disease 2019: achieving good mental health during social isolation

2020 ◽  
Vol 217 (2) ◽  
pp. 408-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rowan Diamond ◽  
John Willan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Good Mental Health

SummaryThe coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has led to unprecedented disruption to the normal way of life for people around the globe. Social distancing, self-isolation or shielding have been strongly advised or mandated in most countries. We suggest evidence-based ways that people can maintain or even strengthen their mental health during this crisis.

Breastfeeding and emotions: reflections for policy and practice

2018 ◽  
pp. 87-94
Author(s):  
Sally Johnson ◽  
Sally Tedstone
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Perinatal Mental Health ◽  
Professional Roles ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
The Public ◽  
Rich Material

We found a wealth of rich material in these chapters, enough to fuel many conversations and stimulate much reflection. Faced with the constraints of bringing all of this together for one short reflective chapter, we decided to focus on the aspects of the chapters which are the most relevant to the public health outcomes that are the focus of our professional roles, namely, breastfeeding prevalence at six weeks and supporting good perinatal mental health. In particular, we were drawn to the issues of guilt and shame, especially when breastfeeding does not go well, that were discussed by Dawn Leeming and Lisa Smyth (...

Promoting mental health literacy in schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Fretian ◽  
S Kirchhoff ◽  
P Graf ◽  
U Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Young People ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Good Mental Health

Abstract Background Adolescence is the most suitable time for health promotion and prevention programs regarding mental illness to start. Given that, about half of the mental illnesses will develop by the age of 14, addressing this issue early in the life course is a particular public health goal in Europe. Mental health literacy is considered a key determinant of good mental health, as it comprises adequate knowledge positive attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behavior. School-based interventions aimed at increasing mental health literacy are a promising method to reach most young people, at least in countries were school attendance is mandatory. The goal of our project is to evaluate a mental health school program, adapted from a Curriculum originating in Canada, in regard to its ability to increase the mental health literacy of adolescents and young adults within the German school setting. Methods Data is currently being collected within the school setting from adolescents and young adults attending regular secondary schools and vocational schools in Germany at three different time points: (T0) before the intervention, (T1) afterwards and (T2) 2-3 months later. A control group will be questioned as well. Data collection takes place between February and December 2020. Results Till October 2020 a sample size of about 200 to 400 participants will be reached. It is expected that the intervention group will have a significantly higher increase in mental health literacy, more positive attitudes towards help-seeking and a decrease in stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness compared to the control group. Conclusions It is expected that, the mental health Curriculum will show to be an effective way of promoting the mental health literacy of young people attending different school forms in Germany. A national wide implementation might be a promising public health measure for fostering good mental health and mental health literacy in adolescents and young people.

Evidence-Based Public Health Policy and Practice: Promises and Limits

2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 226-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie M. Anderson ◽  
Ross C. Brownson ◽  
Mindy T. Fullilove ◽  
Steven M. Teutsch ◽  
Lloyd F. Novick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Public Health Policy ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Health Policy And Practice

scholarly journals The association between screen time and psychological distress in Norwegian adolescents

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A L Kleppang ◽  
A M Steigen ◽  
H S Finbråten
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Public Health Policy ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Health Policy And Practice ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The use of screens, especially mobile devices like tablets and smartphones have increased over the last years, and have become an integrated part of modern life. Adolescents today spend a lot of their time using screens both at school and outside school. The concerns about the impact of screens on adolescents are growing, and some expert groups have suggested controlling screen time for children and young adults. Because research is limited and screen-based utilization technologies and their patterns are changing rapidly, it is important to examine their impacts on mental health. This can help to guide public health policy on consequences of, and potential limits on screen time. The purpose of this study is to study the association between screen time and psychological distress among adolescents. Methods This study is based on self-reported cross-sectional data from the Ungdata survey conducted in 2018. The target group comprised 6777 adolescents from secondary schools in Norway. Ten items on depression and anxiety symptoms were used to create a composite measure of psychological distress. Binomial logistic regression was used to analyse the association between screen time and psychological distress. Results Preliminary results showed that the odds for psychological distress were higher for those who used screens more than 2 hours per day after school (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.60-2.09), compared to those who used screens 2 hours and less per day. Further, the odds of having psychological distress were higher in girls compared to boys (OR: 3.49, 95% CI: 3.14-3.87), and in upper secondary school compared to lower secondary school (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.25-1.58). Conclusions Two hours or more used on screens per day was associated with significantly higher odds for psychological distress. Hence, public health policy and practice should pay attention to consequences of screen time use in adolescence. Additional research is needed to further explore these associations. Key messages Public health policy and practice should pay attention to screen time in adolescence and its association with psychological distress. This knowledge is important to enhance mental health in adolescence.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document