Changes in stigma and help-seeking in relation to postpartum depression: non-clinical parenting intervention sample

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent mental illness affecting women, and less commonly, men in the weeks and months after giving birth. Despite the high incidence of PPD in Australia, rates for help-seeking remain low, with stigma and discrimination frequently cited as the most common deterrents to seeking help from a professional source. The present study sought to investigate PPD stigma in a sample of parents and to examine the effects of an intervention on stigma and help-seeking behaviour. A total of 212 parents aged 18–71 years (M = 36.88, 194 females) completed measures of personal and perceived PPD stigma and attitudes towards seeking mental health services and were randomly assigned to one of four groups: an intervention group (video documentary or factsheet related to PPD) or a control group (video documentary or factsheet not related to PPD). Results showed that there were no effects for type of intervention on either personal or perceived PPD stigma scores. No effect was found for help-seeking propensity. Males had higher personal PPD stigma than females and older age was associated with lower personal PPD stigma. Familiarity with PPD was associated with perceived PPD stigma in others but not personal PPD stigma. More work needs to be conducted to develop interventions to reduce PPD stigma in the community.

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Enhancing help-seeking behaviour among men who have sex with men at risk for sexually transmitted infections: the syn.bas.in randomised controlled trial

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

10.1136/sextrans-2020-054438 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. sextrans-2020-054438 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Roeland Christiaan Alfons Achterbergh ◽

Martijn S van Rooijen ◽

Wim van den Brink ◽

Anders Boyd ◽

Henry John Christiaan de Vries

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Randomised Controlled Trial ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Risk Behaviour ◽

Control Group ◽

Help Seeking Behaviour ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Randomised Controlled

ObjectivesMen who have sex with men (MSM) are at increased risk for STIs and mental disorders. Syndemic theory holds that psychosocial issues co-occur and interact, and thus increase sexual risk behaviour. Psychosocial issue identification, referral and management might reduce risk behaviour.MethodsIn the syndemic-based intervention study, an open-label randomised controlled trial, MSM were enrolled at the STI outpatient clinic of the Public Health Service of Amsterdam. We screened participants using validated questionnaires on the following problem domains: alcohol and substance use, sexual compulsivity, anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, alexithymia, intimate partner violence and childhood sexual abuse. Individuals were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either tailored, face-to-face feedback and help-seeking advice on mental health screening, or no feedback and no help-seeking advice. Participants were followed trimonthly for a year. The primary outcomes were self-reported and confirmed help-seeking behaviour.ResultsWe included 155 MSM: 76 in the intervention group and 79 in the control group. At inclusion, 128 participants (83.1%) scored positive in at least one problem domain. We found no significant differences in self-reported or confirmed help-seeking behaviour between the intervention and the control group: 41% vs 29% (p=0.14) and 28% vs 22% (p=0.44), respectively. There were also no differences in STI incidence and condomless anal sex acts between the two groups.ConclusionScreening showed high prevalence of problems related to mental health and substance use, while tailored feedback, advice and referral did not significantly increase help-seeking behaviour. Other interventions are needed to tackle the high burden of mental disorders among MSM.Trial registration numberNCT02859935.

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Efikasi Diri Siswa dengan Tanda Gejala Psikosis Awal dalam Mencari Bantuan Melalui Usaha Kesehatan Sekolah Jiwa

JI-KES (Jurnal Ilmu Kesehatan) ◽

10.33006/ji-kes.v3i1.123 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 7-11

Author(s):

Ahmad Guntur Alfianto ◽

Ayu Safitri

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Education ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Help Seeking ◽

School Mental Health ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Mental Health Program ◽

Early Psychosis ◽

Control Group ◽

General Self Efficacy

AbstrakUsaha Kesehatan Sekolah Jiwa (UKSJ) merupakan suatu layanan kesehatan jiwa berbasis sekolah. Program UKSJ terdiri dari pengkajian terjadi tanda gejala gangguan jiwa, pendidikan kesehatan dan yang terakhir empowerment. Tujuan dari UKSJ iyalah meningkatkan pengetahuan dan perilaku siswa tentang gangguan jiwa. TujuanMenganalisis pengaruh UKSJ terhadap efikasi diri dalam mencari bantuan tanda gejala psikosis awal. Metode Penelitiananalisis eksperimen dengan pendekatan quasi experiment dan tekhnik total sampling pada siswa SMK di Bantur dengan menggunakan kuesioner General self efficacy (GSE). Hasilanalisis uji t berpasangan menunjukkan adanya perbedaan yang bermakna pada kelompok intervensi nilai (p=0.000) dan tidak ada perbedaan yang bermakna pada kelompok control (pedidikan kesehatan dengan leaflet) dengan nilai (p=0.805).Kesimpulan Terdapat pengaruh Usaha Kesehatan Sekolah Jiwa (UKSJ) terhadap efikasi diri remaja dalam mencari bantuan tanda gejala psikosis awal dan tidak terdapat penegaruh pada kelompok kontrol.Kata Kunci :Usaha Kesehatan Sekolah Jiwa, pengetahuan, mencari bantuan, tanda gejala psikosis awal. AbstractSchool Mental Health (SMH) is a school-based mental health service. The School Mental Health program consists of assessing mental symptoms, health education and empowerment at the school. The purpose of SMH is to improve students' knowledge and behavior about mental disorders. The purpose of the study is to analyze the effect of SMH on Self efficacy in help seeking for adolescents with the symptoms of early psychosis. Research Methods is: Analytical experiments with a quasi-experimental approach and sample techniques by using total sampling at 108 the students of Vocational High Schools (SMK) in Bantur Malang. The instruments using General Self Efficacy (GSE). The results of paired T test analysis showed an influence on the intervention group (School Mental Health) value (p = 0.000) and no influence on the control group (leaflet health education) with a value (p = 0, 805). Conclusion: There is an effect of School Mental Health on Self efficacy in help seeking in adolescents with early psychosis symptoms of and there is no effect on the control group. Keywords : School Mental Health, self efficacy, help seeking, early psychosis symptoms

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Predictors of professional help-seeking for emotional problems in Afghan and Iraqi refugees in Australia: findings from the Building a New Life in Australia Database

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-019-7673-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shameran Slewa-Younan ◽

Pilar Rioseco ◽

Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo ◽

Jonathan Mond

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Emotional Problems ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Professional Help ◽

Face To Face ◽

Migration Trauma ◽

General Psychological Distress ◽

Help Seeking Behaviour ◽

Seeking Help

Abstract Background Refugees are particularly vulnerable to poor mental health outcomes due to exposure to pre migration trauma and post migration stressors. Research has demonstrated evidence to suggest that the professional help-seeking among refugee groups is low or problematic. This study seeks to examine help-seeking for emotional problems in two large samples of Iraqi and Afghan refugees in Australia. Methods This study uses data from two waves of the Building a New Life in Australia, the longitudinal study of Humanitarian migrants. The data was collected face-to-face between 2013 and 2016, among humanitarian migrants. All participants held a permanent protection visa and had arrived in Australia or been granted their visa between period of May to December 2013. The study sample included 1288 participants born in Iraq and Afghanistan (aged 15 and over). In the Wave 3 interview (2015–2016) participants reported on professional help received to deal with emotional problems. Results Approximately 36 and 37% of the Iraqi and Afghan groups respectively, reported seeking help for emotional problems. Within the Iraqi group, associations between mental health status, namely general psychological distress and PTSD and help-seeking were found but this was not present in the Afghan group, where age seemed to play a role in help-seeking. Frequency of help received was low with approximately 47% of the Iraqi and 57% of the Afghan groups reporting having received help 5 times or less in the last 12 months. Conclusions Findings from this study provide clear directions on areas where culturally tailored mental health promotion programs should target in these two refugee communities. Further, the differences in help-seeking behaviour of these communities should be noted by both clinicians and policy makers as efforts to provide culturally responsive mental health services.

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The Effectiveness of a Depression Literacy Program on Stigma and Mental Help-Seeking Among Adolescents in Malaysia: A Control Group Study With 3-Month Follow-Up

INQUIRY The Journal of Health Care Organization Provision and Financing ◽

10.1177/0046958020902332 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 57 ◽

pp. 004695802090233

Author(s):

Norhayati Ibrahim ◽

A’isyah Mohd Safien ◽

Ching Sin Siau ◽

Suzana Shahar

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Literacy Program ◽

Mental Health Stigma ◽

Control Group ◽

Negative Beliefs ◽

Depression Literacy ◽

Short Video

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a depression literacy program on depression literacy, mental health stigma, and help-seeking attitude among adolescents with a monthly household income of RM3900 a month or less (B40) in Malaysia. The program included a lecture, mental awareness activities, and a short video on depression. Residents from a boarding school for lower income families were involved in this study (N = 101); 53 of them underwent the program and another 48 served as the control group. There were significant improvements for all variables in the intervention group (better depression literacy, reduced self-stigma, reduced negative beliefs on mental health, and increased help-seeking) at posttest. However, the results were sustained at 3-month follow-up only for the depression literacy, mental help-seeking attitude, and self-stigma of seeking help variables when compared with the control group. The findings highlight the need to improve the program to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the outcomes.

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Mental health among clinicians: what do we know and what can we do?

International Urogynecology Journal ◽

10.1007/s00192-021-04805-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mittal Patel ◽

Steven Swift ◽

Alex Digesu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Help Seeking Behaviour ◽

Seeking Help ◽

Health Disorders ◽

Medical Teams ◽

Changing Attitudes

AbstractMental health and mental health disorders among clinicians remain a taboo, despite increasing evidence showing the direct impact on medical teams and patient care. This editorial is aimed at increasing awareness of mental issues amongst healthcare professionals, identifying perceived barriers to seeking help, and suggesting ways in which to seek help. Mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, are prevalent from medical school, leading to increased burnout and suicide risks at later stages of a clinician’s career. There is often a reluctance to seek help, particularly amongst the surgical specialties, caused by self-criticism, lack of convenient access and the potential negative impact on medical licensure. This editorial has been written in loving memory of our colleague, friend and board member Dr. Nikolaus Veit-Rubin, who sadly passed away at the beginning of the year. It is written in the hope of highlighting the importance of maintaining mental wellbeing amongst the medical team, supporting help-seeking behaviour and changing attitudes toward mental health disorders amongst clinicians.

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Be a Mom’s Efficacy in Enhancing Positive Mental Health among Postpartum Women Presenting Low Risk for Postpartum Depression: Results from a Pilot Randomized Trial

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17134679 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (13) ◽

pp. 4679

Author(s):

Fabiana Monteiro ◽

Marco Pereira ◽

Maria Cristina Canavarro ◽

Ana Fonseca

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Postpartum Depression ◽

Preliminary Investigation ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Positive Mental Health ◽

Low Risk ◽

Control Group ◽

Postpartum Women ◽

Web Based

In this study, we conducted a preliminary investigation of the efficacy of Be a Mom, a web-based self-guided intervention, in enhancing positive mental health among postpartum women at low risk for postpartum depression. Additionally, we examined Be a Mom’s efficacy regarding secondary outcomes as well as its acceptability and adherence. A total of 367 participants were randomly assigned to the Be a Mom group (n = 191) or to the waiting-list control group (n = 176) and completed baseline (T1) and postintervention (T2) assessments. The intervention group reported significant increases in positive mental health between T1 and T2 compared to the control group. Additionally, group effects were found for depressive and anxiety symptoms. A significantly higher proportion of participants in the Be a Mom group had an improvement trajectory (from not flourishing at T1 to flourishing at T2). A total of 62 (32.5%) women completed Be a Mom, and most would use it again if needed (n = 82/113; 72.6%). This study provides preliminary evidence of Be a Mom’s efficacy in increasing positive mental health among low-risk postpartum women. Our findings support mental health promotion strategies in the postpartum period and highlight the important role of web-based CBT interventions.

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Impact of The Daily Mile on children’s physical and mental health, and educational attainment in primary schools: iMprOVE cohort study protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045879 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. e045879

Author(s):

Bina Ram ◽

Anna Chalkley ◽

Esther van Sluijs ◽

Rachel Phillips ◽

Tishya Venkatraman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Educational Attainment ◽

Primary School ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

School Year

IntroductionSchool-based active mile initiatives such as The Daily Mile (TDM) are widely promoted to address shortfalls in meeting physical activity recommendations. The iMprOVE Study aims to examine the impact of TDM on children’s physical and mental health and educational attainment throughout primary school.Methods and analysisiMprOVE is a longitudinal quasi-experimental cohort study. We will send a survey to all state-funded primary schools in Greater London to identify participation in TDM. The survey responses will be used for non-random allocation to either the intervention group (Daily Mile schools) or to the control group (non-Daily Mile schools). We aim to recruit 3533 year 1 children (aged 5–6 years) from 77 primary schools and follow them up annually until the end of their primary school years. Data collection taking place at baseline (children in school year 1) and each primary school year thereafter includes device-based measures of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and questionnaires to measure mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and educational attainment (ratings from ‘below expected’ to ‘above expected levels’). The primary outcome is the mean change in MVPA minutes from baseline to year 6 during the school day among the intervention group compared with controls. We will use multilevel linear regression models adjusting for sociodemographic data and participation in TDM. The study is powered to detect a 10% (5.5 min) difference between the intervention and control group which would be considered clinically significant.Ethics and disseminationEthics has been approved from Imperial College Research Ethics Committee, reference 20IC6127. Key findings will be disseminated to the public through research networks, social, print and media broadcasts, community engagement opportunities and schools. We will work with policy-makers for direct application and impact of our findings.

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Assessing the impact of the European resilience curriculum in preschool, early and late primary school children

School Psychology International ◽

10.1177/01430343211025075 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 014303432110250

Author(s):

Celeste Simões ◽

Anabela C. Santos ◽

Paula Lebre ◽

João R. Daniel ◽

Cátia Branquinho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Primary School Children ◽

Control Group ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Mental Health Difficulties ◽

Prosocial Behaviours ◽

The Impact

Resilience is an individual’s ability to adapt successfully to and persevere during and after significant challenges. Resilience programmes based on a socioemotional learning approach have been associated with an increase in protextive factors (e.g., prosocial competencies), improvements in physical and mental health, and a decrease in internalised and externalised symptoms. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the RESCUR curriculum implemented in Portuguese schools on students’ academic, behavioural, and socioemotional outcomes, based on child and teacher reports. Participants included 1,084 children (53.2% male) aged 3-15 ( M = 7.24, SD = 2.31). A quasi-experimental study compared outcomes for an experimental intervention group (AIG) with a waiting list control group (WG). The results showed the RESCUR programme decreased mental health difficulties while increasing both prosocial behaviours and well-being. In addition, academic performance increased for those in preschool after implementation. Both teachers and children consistently reported positive behavioural changes in resilience-related competencies after implementing RESCUR. Our findings contribute to the recent research on the potential of RESCUR to address key socioemotional competencies and improve relevant protextive factors. Study limitations and future recommendations are addressed.

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The effect of vitamin D and magnesium supplementation on the mental health status of attention-deficit hyperactive children: a randomized controlled trial

BMC Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s12887-021-02631-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mostafa Hemamy ◽

Naseh Pahlavani ◽

Alireza Amanollahi ◽

Sheikh Mohammed Shriful Islam ◽

Jenna McVicar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Controlled Clinical Trial ◽

Magnesium Supplementation ◽

Children With Adhd

Abstract Background Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by varying severity in attention deficit and hyperactivity. Studies have shown deficiencies in the serum level of magnesium and vitamin D in people with ADHD. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of vitamin D and magnesium supplementation on mental health in children with ADHD. Methods We conducted a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 66 children with ADHD. Participants were randomly allocated to receive both vitamin D (50,000 IU/week) plus magnesium (6 mg/kg/day) supplements (n = 33) or placebos (n = 33) for 8-weeks. Strengths and difficulties questionnaire was used to evaluate children’s mental health at baseline and the end of the study. Results After eight weeks of intervention, the serum levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 and magnesium increased significantly in the intervention group compared with the control group. Also, children receiving vitamin D plus magnesium showed a significant reduction in emotional problems (p = 0.001), conduct problems (p = 0.002), peer problems (p = 0.001), prosocial score (p = 0.007), total difficulties (p = 0.001), externalizing score (p = 0.001), and internalizing score (p = 0.001) compared with children treated with the placebo. Conclusion Vitamin D (50,000 IU/week) and magnesium (6 mg/kg/day) co-supplementation for a duration of 8-weeks could improve the behavioral function and mental health of children with ADHD. However, further well-designed studies with a larger sample size are needed. Trial registration IRCT2016030326886N1.

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The Effect of Dialectic Behavioral Counseling on Depression, Anxiety, and Postpartum Hematocrit Level

Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia / RBGO Gynecology and Obstetrics ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1728780 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 43 (04) ◽

pp. 275-282

Author(s):

Nasrin Pour Amiri ◽

Atefeh Ahmadi ◽

Firoozeh Mirzaee ◽

Moghadameh Mirzai ◽

Nader Shahrokhi

Keyword(s):

Postpartum Depression ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Control Group ◽

P Value ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Hematocrit Level ◽

Negative Experience ◽

Behavioral Counseling

Abstract Objective Childbirth is a biological, psychological, and sociological event that can be a positive or negative experience, and, without support, this period may be potentially damaging. Parturition may distort maternal emotions and lead to short- or long-term disorders such as postpartum depression and anxiety. The present research aims to study the effects of dialectic behavioral therapy-based counseling on depression, anxiety symptoms, and postpartum hematocrit level. Methods The current research is a clinical trial study, and the sample was selected using parturients who were referred to the Health General Center with a diagnosis of postpartum depression and anxiety. The sample size consisted of 116 subjects who agreed to participate in the study. The patients in intervention group underwent group dialectic behavioral counseling (10 sessions/one session per week) and the control group did not receive any type of intervention. The patients were assessed in the first and last sessions as well as 2 months after the end of the sessions, using the Beck depression scale and Spielberg anxiety scale as well as the results of hematocrit tests. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) Results The results implied the effectiveness of dialectic behavioral therapy on reduction of the depression score, anxiety symptoms (p-value ≤ 0.0001), and hematocrit level (p-value = 0.04). The participants' depression, anxiety, and hematocrit levels decreased in the experiment group compared to the control group, and this decrease has remained until the 2-month follow-up. Conclusion It seems that dialectic behavioral counseling reduces the levels of postpartum depression, anxiety, and hematocrits.

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