Development Of Mental Health Programs Research Articles

Spousal Age Difference and Mental Health by Sex: Korean Survey Results

Purpose: Problems in marital relationships due to age gap between a couple may lead to depression and other mental health issues. However, there is a lack of studies that investigated the association between age gap in couples and mental health. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the relationship between spouse age differences and mental health.Methodology: The data of 7,454 couples from the 2008 and 2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were used. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed.Findings: Women who were ≥10 years older or younger than their husbands displayed poor mental health. Odds ratios (ORs) for women who were ≥10 years younger were 1.72, 1.77, 2.24, and 1.69 for stress perception, depression experiences, depression diagnosis, and suicidal ideation, respectively. Furthermore, in women who were older than their husbands, the ORs for cognition of stress and suicidal ideation were 1.32 and 1.41, respectively.Conclusion: These findings support the development of mental health programs and couples’ education via national promotions and projects. Managing women's mental health in couples with large age gap groups could contribute to family stability and reduce divorce rates.

Experiences in global mental health.

Participating in Global Mental Health program development and education and training efforts is rewarding and exciting work. The author describes several global experiences he has engaged in over the past 30 years, which has focused on teaching and encouraging family therapy and mental health care that support human rights and promote human development as innovated and promoted by the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health, formerly the American Orthopsychiatric Association. The author learned through participation that merely presenting mental health information and treatment approaches through lecture presentation was not adequate to help professionals and advocates in low- and middle-income countries to build sustainable mental health care systems in their home regions. The author engaged in several collaborative program development efforts with local professionals at their invitation. These programs, consisting of multiyear partnerships based on the needs and culture of the home region, will be described in the article. The programs, based on relationships between local professionals and a U.S. team of experts in child mental health care, had long-term positive effects and were highly rewarding. The basis for these programs was an invitation by local professionals, followed by collaboration in setting the agenda for the U.S. professionals' visits, an on-going relationship in which local professionals trusted that the visitors want and need to understand the local cultural environment, and improvements that will be most helpful and sustainable. In this process, the author learned about the cultures he worked in and was a part of extremely meaningful and enlightening relationships and experiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Are codesigned programmes more difficult to implement? A qualitative study of staff perceptions on the implementation of a new youth mental health programme.

Codesigned interventions are becoming more common in health services and, in particular, in the design and development of mental health programmes and interventions. However, previous research has established that the transition from codesign to implementation can experience several challenges and that this transition process has received little research attention. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of staff members charged with the implementation of a codesigned intervention for young people and adolescents at risk of suicide. Five staff members involved in the implementation of the new codesigned programme took part in semi-structured interviews. The study involved qualitative evaluation of staff experiences during the implementation of a new child and youth suicide intervention. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The analysis identified four themes of 'disconnect', 'operational challenges, 'service user' and 'being authentic'. 'Disconnect' captures the difficulties of implementing a codesigned programme which leads to 'operational challenges' in meeting broader expectations while ensuring the feasibility of the programme. The third theme, 'service user', captures the realisation that the young people accessing the new service were different to those involved in the codesign process. The final theme, 'being authentic', highlights how staff needed to be responsive and flexible while remaining true to the principles proposed in the codesign. This study yielded some valuable insights into the challenges around the implementation of a codesigned intervention, an under-researched area. The findings suggest that adaption of the design may be necessary, if it is not informed by implementation constraints, making it necessary for the implementation team to be well-briefed on the initial design and given plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments in a coproduction process. Limitations for the generalisation of the results include a small sample of staff and particular challenges that may be unique to this study. The present study highlights that for health services undertaking codesign approaches, appropriate time and resources need to be considered for the implementation phase of an initiative, to ensure that there is effective translation from design to implementation and that new codesigned services can be effective within operational constraints. The authors would like to thank and acknowledge the young people with a lived-experience and their carers who participated in the codesign process and research evaluation component of this study. We also wish to thank the clinical staff, peer workers and family peer workers who participated in the evaluation.

Mental health recovery for people with schizophrenia in Southeast Asia: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Recovery has become an important approach used by mental health services around the world. Many mental health systems have taken steps to move towards more recovery-oriented practices and service delivery. Therefore, establishing recovery-oriented services in developing countries like those in the Southeast Asian region requires a detailed understanding of the cultural norms, values, and current mental health practices. To investigate the mental health practices that promote recovery, its barrier in Southeast Asia, and to determine if they align with the CHIME recovery model. Electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and SCOPUS, were searched [PROSPERO] (CRD42021227962). Peer-reviewed English language articles from 2004 to January 2021 were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the CASP checklist, and thematic synthesis of included studies was conducted. Thirty-one studies met inclusion criteria. Several themes illustrated mental health recovery services and the current obstacles identified in South-east Asian studies. Connection includes peer support and support groups, relationship status, and limited opportunities to become involved in the community. Hope is found in cultural concepts of hope, stimulating recovery through mental health programs, whilst lack of knowledge and education are the main barriers. Ethnicity is linked to a high level of stigma, but ethnicity also builds identity. Meaning and spirituality manifest in religious activities as the catalyst for recovery. Finally, the opposite of Empowerment is seen in the tendency of people with schizophrenia to remain in a passive position. Further barriers to empowerment are unemployment and a lack of social support. In Southeast Asia, the elements of culture, religiosity, and communality are essential to mental health recovery. The obstacles to recovery are relate to human rights, social support, family involvement, and continuity of care. This review explores the concept of mental health recovery for people who are experiencing psychosis and living in Southeast Asian countries. The evidence may contribute to the further development of mental health programs in this region.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of depression and symptoms of anxiety in staff at a health institution in Medellin during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has represented an extraordinary challenge for health workers as they care for others while exposing themselves to contagion. Doctors, nurses, therapists and other non-care staff in clinics and hospitals are asked to be prepared to work in particularly complex and stressful situations, which makes them vulnerable to mental health problems. ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of anxiety and depression symptoms in staff working at a health institution in Medellin, Colombia. MethodsObservational, descriptive and cross-sectional study, based on a survey designed for the investigation, which included two scales to screen depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as sociodemographic variables. ResultsA total of 1,247 workers from the health institution were included. Of these, 14.6% reported symptoms of depression and 18.5% of clinically significant anxiety. A higher proportion of moderate to severe depression and anxiety symptoms was found in those working face to face. ConclusionsAnxiety and depression symptoms are highly prevalent among staff at a health institution in Medellin, Colombia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the vital role of the health sector in times of pandemic, the development of mental health programmes that address the problems of this population should be considered a priority.

Factors affecting post-traumatic growth in South Korean police officers by age group

Introduction: Police officers are exposed to a variety of traumatic events, which can be physical or psychological. This study aimed to identify factors that influence Post-traumatic growth (PTG) in South Korean police officers, according to age group. Methods: Raw data were collected from September 26 to October 9, 2017, for 269 police officers who are employed at 10 police offices in Seoul. PTG was affected significantly by age, marital status, monthly income, and police rank in pain perception and social support variables among general characteristics. Results: Factors that affected PTG in the ‘20~29’ age group were resilience and pain perception, but in the ‘30~39’ age group, only Pain perception was significant, and in the ‘over 50’ age group, social support and pain perception were significant. Conclusions: The development of mental health programs for police should consider the age group of the patients. Mental health care should also be continuous.

Using participant-oriented research in post-secondary mental health program development and evaluation

Purpose With the recent release of the National Standard for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students, there is increased interest to integrate research and practice for mental health services on post-secondary campuses. Participant-oriented research is a useful framework to bridge this gap. This paper aims to describe the program development and evaluation process and reports challenges and lessons learned to inform future implementation strategies for similar endeavours. Design/methodology/approach A participant-oriented research approach was used to revise and evaluate an innovative interdisciplinary resilience program, entitled Roots of Resiliency, for post-secondary students. Findings This case analysis used the development and evaluation of Roots of Resiliency to demonstrate some of the strategies and challenges that exist for participant-oriented research related to mental health in the post-secondary context. Collaborative relationships among the various development team members contributed to an overall positive experience. Some challenges that others who work in post-secondary mental health field may consider include the need for content expertise, the ongoing need for communication among team members and the need for an effective system to give voice to all participants. Originality/value Any mental health program has a cultural component and is best co-developed by the particular students (e.g. indigenous students) who are to be served by the program. In this regard, the co-design and shared development and evaluation of the current mental health program is an example that can be emulated in other programs within the post-secondary context.

Leveraging anthropological expertise to respond to the COVID-19 global mental health syndemic.

This commentary asks anthropologists to work within communities to actively address the global mental health impact of COVID‐19 and contribute to the pandemic response. Multiple social and physical losses, worsened by numerous factors, have produced syndemic traumatic stress and suffering across populations, highlighting persistent inequalities further amplified by the effects of COVID‐19. Specifically, anthropologists can work to contribute to the development of mental health programs; confront the racialization of COVID‐19 alongside marginalized communities; support real‐time policy making with community responses; and innovate transparent collaborative research methods through open science. This pandemic can serve as an opportunity to prioritize research endeavors, public service, and teaching to better align with societal needs while providing new opportunities for synergy and collaborations between anthropologists in and outside the academy. Anthropologists collaborating directly with mental health clinicians and the public can contribute to knowledge specifically through direct program development and implementation of interventions designed to improve mental well‐being. Innovating to find impactful solutions in response to the unprecedented mental health challenges exacerbated by the COVID‐19 pandemic has the potential to promote more equitable recovery around the world.

Mental Health Impact of Mass Depopulation of Swine on Veterinarians During COVID-19 Infrastructure Breakdown.

This study was designed to assess the mental health of swine veterinarians involved with mass depopulation events related to COVID-19 and compare them to swine veterinarians not involved in mass depopulation. Additionally, we assessed the well being, quality of life, psychological distress, burnout, and resilience in veterinarians who conducted depopulation events and the potential impact of depopulation methods on these factors. Finally, we identified coping methods utilized by swine veterinarians for improved well being. The study involved the distribution of an anonymous online survey, available December 2020 to January 2021, to swine veterinarians practicing in the United States. A total of 134 responses were analyzed. Stress related to the depopulation effort was predominantly an outcome of two factors: ethics of care (people and pigs) and perception of others (public, colleagues, family, friends, neighbors). Depopulation involvement was associated with burnout (p = 0.001). The depopulation method utilized significantly impacted depopulation distress (p = 0.007), perception of others (p < 0.001), and burnout (p < 0.001). Nearly one-third (29%) of all participants reported moderate levels of burnout. Based on these results, the call to action is to enhance the availability and visibility of existing mental health services and take necessary steps to destigmatize mental health. Additionally, it is critical to support the development of mental health programs for swine veterinarians through education, training, research, and transparent communication.

469. The Mental Health Implications of Job Loss for Never-married Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an array of social and economic events, influencing how the pandemic affected people of all genders. In particular, job losses surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among women. We analyzed how the pandemic and rising job losses affected the mental health of unmarried women with and without children in order to identify possible health disparities, potential causal factors and opportunities for interventions. Methods Data were collected from Wave 3 (January 6-February 15, 2021) of the US Census COVID-19 Household Pulse online survey designed to measure the impact of COVID-19. Microdata files were downloaded from the Census website and included N=13,940 never-married female respondents aged 25-54 years old. Data were analyzed using χ2 tests, with z-tests for more granular between-group comparisons. Results When asked if they had felt anxiety in the past week, 31% of respondents without children in the household and 28% of those with children reported feeling anxiety nearly every day (p&amp;lt; .05). Among those who did not lose work during the pandemic, 24% of those without children felt anxiety nearly every day vs. 20% of those with children (p&amp;lt; .05). Among those who did experience pandemic-related job loss, 33% of those with children and 42% of those without children reported daily anxiety (p&amp;lt; .05). Conclusion Overall, COVID-19 job loss was associated with higher levels of anxiety for never-married adult women. Notably, respondents without children expressed significantly higher levels of anxiety than respondents with children, and this difference was even greater when comparing those who had lost jobs during the pandemic. Reasons are being further researched but may be related to mothers’ greater opportunities for social and community support, particularly when encountering difficult circumstances. These results have implications for the development of mental health programs serving women experiencing environmental stressors such as job loss, especially women without children who may not have the same mental health and community support. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Predictors of posttraumatic growth of intensive care unit nurses in Korea

Nurses working in intensive care units are repeatedly exposed to trauma (e.g., verbal or physical abuse by confused patients, and unexpected death). However, after experiencing traumatic events, not all intensive care unit nurses develop psychopathological issues, including posttraumatic stress disorder. Therefore, this study aims to examine the level of posttraumatic growth and psychosocial factors such as posttraumatic stress symptoms, deliberate rumination, wisdom, and self-compassion to predict posttraumatic growth in Korean intensive care unit nurses. A total of 156 intensive care unit nurses participated in this cross-sectional survey. Posttraumatic growth, posttraumatic stress symptoms, deliberate rumination, wisdom, and self-compassion were measured using validated self-report scales, and data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Posttraumatic growth was found to be comparatively low in intensive care unit nurses, while multiple regression showed that positive self-compassion was the most significant predictor for posttraumatic growth, followed by wisdom, age, and deliberate rumination. All together four variables explained 30% of the variance in posttraumatic growth. Findings from this study suggest that intensive care unit nurses' posttraumatic growth may be enhanced by increasing positive self-compassion, wisdom, and deliberate rumination. Therefore, a paradigm shift focusing on possible positive pathways, such as development of mental health programs to improve posttraumatic growth for intensive care unit nurses is required rather than focusing on management of posttraumatic stress disorder. The results of this study could provide theoretical guidance to seek more effective and integrated intervention strategies for intensive care unit nurses.

Prevalencia y características clínicas de los síntomas depresivos y ansiosos de los trabajadores de una institución de salud en Medellín durante la pandemia por COVID-19

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has represented an extraordinary challenge for health workers as they care for others while exposing themselves to contagion. Doctors, nurses, therapists and other non-care staff in clinics and hospitals are asked to be prepared to work in particularly complex and stressful situations, which makes them vulnerable to mental health problems. ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of anxiety and depression symptoms in staff working at a health institution in Medellin, Colombia. MethodsObservational, descriptive and cross-sectional study, based on a survey designed for the investigation, which included two scales to screen depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as sociodemographic variables. ResultsA total of 1,247 workers from the health institution were included. Of these, 14.6% reported symptoms of depression and 18.5% of clinically significant anxiety. A higher proportion of moderate to severe depression and anxiety symptoms was found in those working face to face. ConclusionsAnxiety and depression symptoms are highly prevalent among staff at a health institution in Medellin, Colombia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the vital role of the health sector in times of pandemic, the development of mental health programmes that address the problems of this population should be considered a priority.

Forgiveness therapy for adult inmate in Indonesian correctional facility: a pilot study

ABSTRACTThere is a great deal of research that forgiveness therapy shows positive impacts on one’s mental health in the general sample. However, there is still not much research on forgiveness therapy for inmates. This pilot study aimed to investigate the influence of forgiveness therapy on improving self-acceptance in Indonesian inmates. The participants in this study were seven adult inmates (M = 33 years, SD = 7.5). A quasi-experimental method, using the one-group pretest-posttest design, was employed, with measurements were taken three times (i.e., before, after, and one week after the intervention). The research instruments were the Heartland Forgiveness Scale and the Self-Acceptance Scale. The results of the statistical analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the score of self-acceptance before and after being given forgiveness therapy, with the score being t(6) = −2,764; p = 0,033 (p < 0,05). The qualitative data also supported the quantitative analysis that forgiveness therapy could increase the self-acceptance of the inmates. Results were expected to be used as the basis of treatment and the development of mental health programs in Indonesian correctional institutions.

Screening for Depression Levels among Adult Female Resident at King Faisal National Guard Residential City in Jeddah (KFNGRCJ), From 18 Years Old and More, 2016

Background: Depression is one of the growing chronic diseases due to modernization and risk factors like poverty and unemployment. Almost 4.4% of the world population complaining of depression according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Depression need early screening and intervention to pick up the cases and prevent the complication associated with depression like suicide. Depressed patient cannot recognize the symptoms of depression although depression can affect the functioning and quality of life for the depressed patient. This is why screening is a necessary action also to measure the prevalence of depression in a community and to plan a public health care intervention supporting the community to cope with depression. Aim: The aim of this study is to build up a data base that could be utilized in the development of mental health program. Objectives: As there is a lack in the community based estimate of depression this study was conducted to assess the female’s depression prevalence and building a data base about depression status. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study design to measure the prevalence of depression among females 18 years and more, living at KFNGRCJ in Jeddah using the Arabic version of the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) tool. Result: Out of 727 distributed questionnaires, there were 443 included in the study showing the prevalence of depression was 12.4%. According to the severity the mild cases were 76.4%, the moderate cases were 20% and the sever cases were 3.6%. Conclusion: This study shows the magnitude of depression among female resident at KFNGRCJ in Jeddah is almost equal to the WHO estimates and near other studies done in Saudi Arabia. Single and divorced females are associated with depression.

Level of Depression and Anxiety among Undergraduate Students

This study attempted to examine the level of depression and anxiety among undergraduate students, providing basic data for the development of mental health programs for college students. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, comprising 431 undergraduate students from C university in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Participation in this study was voluntary. Structured questionnaires were administered to participants regarding sociodemographic characteristics and level of depression and anxiety. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0. The results showed that undergraduate students’ average depression and anxiety scores were 1.36 and 1.26 out of 4, respectively. There were significant differences in anxiety scores according to gender (t = –2.676, p = .008) and type of residence (F = 2.573, p = .037), Female students obtained higher anxiety scores than male students did. Regarding living status, participants living alone and those in home stays had higher anxiety scores than those living with family, in dormitories, and with others. Moreover, a strong positive correlation was observed between depression and anxiety (r = .517, p < .001), with higher depression leading to greater anxiety. Therefore, identifying and efficiently managing factors that cause depression and anxiety in college students is necessary to improve their mental health.

Searching for a Screener: Examination of the Factor Structure of the General Health Questionnaire in Malaysia

Although mental health program development and service delivery have progressed in Malaysia since its independence in 1957, a shortage of mental health professionals remains a main barrier to mental health care ( Haque, 2005 ). Stigma and cultural beliefs about mental illness may further impede psychological help-seeking. An easy-to-use mental health screener such as the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) could be used to streamline mental health service delivery and to facilitate integration into primary health care settings. In this study, we conducted a Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) across English and Chinese language versions for the GHQ-12 to examine the fit of existing factor structures for the GHQ-12. Participants were Malaysian college students of diverse ethnicities attending 2 schools in Malaysia who completed English or Chinese versions of the GHQ-12 (English subsample, n = 151, Chinese subsample, n = 127). Results suggested that an eight-item version of Ye’s (2009) model provided the best fit for both language versions. However, some items on the Chinese version appear to underestimate general psychological distress compared with the English version, thus potentially limiting its utility. Possible reasons for differential item performance and implications of the study are discussed.

Time to change, time to evaluate. Invited commentary on … Evaluation of England's Time to Change programme

Time to Change is the largest national programme to counter stigma ever undertaken. It demonstrates that stigmatisation and its consequences are gradually becoming recognised as the most important obstacle to the development of mental health programmes. It also demonstrates that they can be prevented or reduced. The programme's evaluation answered many questions but others remain - concerning the indicators of success and ways of assessing them and relevance of the programme's achievements. The programme and its evaluation are important steps in the development of anti-stigma programmes worldwide.

Mental health response in Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake: a case study for building long-term solutions.

Significant challenges exist in providing safe, effective, and culturally sound mental health and psychosocial services when an unforeseen disaster strikes in a low-resource setting. We present here a case study describing the experience of a transnational team in expanding mental health and psychosocial services delivered by two health care organizations, one local (Zanmi Lasante) and one international (Partners in Health), acting collaboratively as part of the emergency response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake. In the year and a half following the earthquake, Zanmi Lasante and Partners in Health provided 20,000 documented individual and group appointments for mental health and psychosocial needs. During the delivery of disaster response services, the collaboration led to the development of a model to guide the expansion and scaling up of community-based mental health services in the Zanmi Lasante health care system over the long-term, with potential for broader scale-up in Haiti. This model identifies key skill packages and implementation rules for developing evidence-based pathways and algorithms for treating common mental disorders. Throughout the collaboration, efforts were made to coordinate planning with multiple organizations interested in supporting the development of mental health programs following the disaster, including national governmental bodies, nongovernmental organizations, universities, foreign academic medical centers, and corporations. The collaborative interventions are framed here in terms of four overarching categories of action: direct service delivery, research, training, and advocacy. This case study exemplifies the role of psychiatrists working in low-resource settings as public health program implementers and as members of multidisciplinary teams. (Harv Rev Psychiatry 2012;20:68–77.)

Beyond Evidence: The Moral Case for International Mental Health

Beyond Evidence: The Moral Case for International Mental Health

Mental health concepts and program development in Malaysia

Mental health in Malaysia has not received the kind of attention it deserves. This is true for most developing countries and results from various reasons including a lack of knowledge or misunderstanding about what mental health really is, adherence to the traditional cultural belief systems and practices, and priorities of the government. Malaysia has come a long way since independence in regards to the mental health program development and service delivery. This paper explores the concepts of mental health within the different Malaysian ethnic/religious groups, traces a brief history of the development of mental health services within the country, covers the highlights of the Mental Health Act (2001) and assesses the overall progress in the area based on the 1974 recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) for developing countries. A brief section covers recommendations based on the current state of affairs in the country.