Preferred Sources Of Support Research Articles

The Emotional Impact and Coping Mechanisms Following Adverse Patient Events Among Canadian Vascular Surgeons and Trainees.

This study's objective is to evaluate the emotional experiences, coping mechanisms, and support resources for Canadian vascular surgeons and trainees following an adverse patient event or near miss. This is a cross-sectional survey study of all Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery (CSVS) members from October to November 2021. We collected data on participant experiences with adverse events, their emotional responses, the coping mechanisms used, and their perceptions on available support resources. The survey was sent to 233 CSVS members yielding 66 responses. The majority (77%) of respondents had experiences with adverse event causing serious patient harm. The most common negative experience following an adverse event included feelings of negativity towards oneself, general distress, and anxiety about potential for future errors. The most common coping mechanism was seeking advice from a mentor or close colleague. Peers (82%) and senior colleagues (59%) were the most preferred sources of support. Most of the respondents would reach out to a mentor if they had 1, but 30% reported no mentor or close colleague for support. Adverse patient events and near misses have serious negative impact on the lives of Canadian vascular surgeons and trainees. Peers and senior colleagues are the most desired source for support, but this is not universally available. Organized efforts are needed to bring awareness in our vascular surgery community on the ubiquitous nature and detrimental effects of adverse events.

Development of a Core Set of Self-Management Support Needs of Esophageal Cancer Patients: Results from a Delphi Study among Healthcare Professionals

Objective. We aimed to gain consensus on HCPs’ perspectives on self-management support information needs of patients with esophageal cancer during the preoperative phase. Methods. Based on the literature, observations of clinical consultations, and hospital patient information leaflets, a survey was created. HCPs were surveyed twice about their opinion on importance of information, from “not essential” to “absolutely essential,” using Delphi methods. Topics were included in the second round if predetermined criteria were met. To be included in the final list, topics had to meet criteria for consensus and stability. Results. 64 information items and 6 sources of support were identified. Survey response rates were 59% (68 out of 116, first round) and 75% thereafter. The final list included 33 topics, including logistical information, expectations for future health condition, complications, follow-up care, nutrition during treatment, and nutrition during recovery as topics with 100% agreement. Consensus on the source of support was reached for face-to-face contact, written information, information video, and a case manager. Conclusion. This study provides a list of important topics, from the perspectives of HCPs, to guide the systematic provision of education to support EC patients’ self-management during the preoperative phase. Additionally, the most preferred sources of support were face-to-face contact and a case manager.

Help-seeking attitudes and behaviours among humanitarian aid workers

Due to the nature of their work and operating environments, humanitarian aid workers experience higher rates of psychological distress, burnout and mental health conditions than other emergency service worker populations. Fourteen international humanitarian workers were interviewed to examine whether they seek help from others in the context of work-related distress, specifically, their attitudes and behaviors regarding personal help-seeking at such times, their preferred sources of support and factors that enable or constrain effective help-seeking. Thematic analysis of the data derived five superordinate themes: (1) cultural aspects of help-seeking; (2) risks with formal, internal support; (3) lack of shared understanding of humanitarian context; (4) self-censoring and withdrawal; and (5) role maturity. There is high, in principle, support for personal help-seeking but its use is highly selective. Work colleagues are regarded as the most trusted and effective source of help in high stress periods, while barriers that exist with family and friends mean they are rarely sought out at such times. Trust and confidentiality concerns limit the use of internal agency supports and psychosocial services. External psychological services are preferred but are often found to be unsatisfactory. These findings can support aid organisations to address stigma perceptions that are commonly associated with personal help-seeking, particularly among early career practitioners, and normalise its use as a form of occupational self-care.

Help-Seeking Preferences and Factors Associated with Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services Among First-Year Undergraduates

Many first-year university students experience stressors that impact their adjustment and well-being. Their help-seeking attitudes and preferred sources of support may be associated with various factors. The purpose of the present study was to (1) examine help-seeking preferences amongst first-year university students, (2) explore factors associated with students’ attitudes toward seeking mental health services, and (3) identify perceived barriers associated with accessing formal sources of support. First-year students at a Canadian university (N = 167) completed a survey assessing help-seeking attitudes and preferences, as well as challenges associated with seeking support. Participants also provided information about their perceived levels of social support, personality characteristics, and their tendency to experience positive and negative affect. Findings suggest that social support and negative affect were significantly associated with positive attitudes toward seeking mental health services. However, students were more inclined to rely on informal sources of support, such as family members and friends, compared to formal sources of support available through on- or off-campus mental health services. For thosestudents who are inclined to access formal mental health support, barriers may impede access to care. Perceived barriers include cost and concerns about the availability of services and their overall effectiveness. These findings call for the creation of more opportunities for on-campus informal support in addition to better access to on-campus mental health services.

Mental Health Service Utilization and Psychological Help-Seeking Preferences Among Canadian Muslims

Muslims in Canada may have unmet psychological service needs, but little is known about their past use of, and future preferences for, mental health services. We addressed this gap with an online survey of 238 Canadian Muslims. Analyses investigated differences in intentions to seek support from various informal and formal sources. A majority (65%) of the sample reported at least moderate levels of current distress but only 48.7% sought professional treatment in their lifetimes. Participants preferred dealing with future psychological concerns themselves or with friends/family, closely followed by professional help. Imams were the least preferred source of support.

Support for decision-making on sharing health data for research: are data counsellors relevant?

Abstract Background The implications of sharing one's health data are far-reaching. Potential applications of health data range from the delivery of treatments tailored to individuals' characteristics to improvements in public health, while also posing concerns about privacy, social justice and equity. Making informed decisions about health data sharing thus requires thorough consideration of the scientific, ethical and personal implications of donations. This study assessed participants' preferences regarding decision-making about health data sharing for research, including the need for support by data counsellors. Methods This observational cross-sectional study includes 159 patients and 479 carers followed at two reference centres for rare diseases in a Portuguese academic hospital, between June 2019 and March 2020. Participants were asked about preferred modes of decision-making: deciding on their own, deciding with support from another person, or delegating the decision to someone else. Those who responded the last two options also reported who they would choose for support or delegation: family or friends; a data counsellor; a professional with no specific training on data counselling; other. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results The majority of respondents would prefer to decide with support (62%), 37% would prefer to decide on their own and 1% would opt to delegate the decision of sharing health data. Among those who expressed a preference for support, 60% would like to rely on a data counsellor. Carers, older and higher educated participants, and those with upper white-collar occupations and who were satisfied with their own health were significantly more likely to select data counsellors as their preferred source of support when engaging in decision-making about health data sharing for research (p < 0.05). Conclusions This study supports recommendations for the creation of a new professional specialty of health data counsellors. Key messages Most participants express the need for support in making decisions about health data sharing for research, with 60% preferring support from a data counsellor. As a new professional specialism, health data counselling can help to advance informed public participation in health research.

Involvement of parents of children with ADHD in schools: Implications for social work practice

Summary School social workers and school counselors play an important role in providing support to the parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Issues regarding the barriers to parental involvement have not been well-explored empirically in social work. By means of semistructured interviews, this study explored the perspectives of 20 Mainland Chinese parents about parental involvement in their children’s education and in schools, parent–teacher relationships, the social factors that affect individual families, and the cultural and contextual factors that hinder parental involvement in children’s education. Findings Using thematic analysis, the researchers identified major themes: (a) emotional overinvolvement of parents in children’s education; (b) withdrawal of fathers; (c) positive and negative teacher–parent relationships; (d) contextual factors: school culture, system, and policies; and (e) parents’ preferred sources of support. Applications This research provides insight for school social workers and school counselors to develop supportive measures for parents of children with ADHD. Furthermore, it is recommended that social workers mediate tensions that arise from conflicts between teachers and parents. Social workers need to be sensitive to the power and cultural issues embedded in a parent–teacher relationship to facilitate parental involvement in school mental health services for children with ADHD. In particular, the cultural beliefs that affect parents and teachers relationships should not be ignored.

Knowledge, attitude and behaviours toward mental illness and help-seeking in a large nonclinical Tunisian student sample.

Mental disorders are widespread among students. However, mental health help-seeking remains low. Several reviews and meta-analyses have shown that the main barrier to seeking help from mental health professionals is stigma. This paper aimed to assess stigma in a sample of students, and its association with help-seeking intentions and comfort with disclosing a mental illness. The 'Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill', the 'Mental Health Knowledge Schedule', and the 'Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale' were administered to a total of 714 college students (62.2% female; mean age=20.9). We found that 43.8% of students agreed that one of the main causes of mental illness is a lack of self-discipline and willpower, 21.9% did not consider depression as a mental illness, and 39.6% felt that they would be 'unlikely' or 'very unlikely' to seek the help of a health professional for mental health problems. Females had higher scores in help-seeking intentions (p < .001) and knowledge of mental illness (p=.019). Students' age negatively correlated with knowledge (p < .001, r=-.147). Pearson correlations indicated that help-seeking intentions positively correlated with more favourable future intentions of being in contact with a person with a mental illness (p< .001, r= .103) and greater mental health knowledge (p< .001, r= .163); and that comfort with disclosing significantly and negatively correlated with attitudes (p < .001, r=-.125). To date, few young people see mental health professionals as a preferred source of support, and action is needed to change this perception or reform mental health services to make them more attractive to this age group.

Intention to reduce drinking alcohol and preferred sources of support: An international cross-sectional study

IntroductionDrinking alcohol is legal in most countries of the world. Given the social acceptance of this behavior despite potential negative impact on health, help-seeking behavior could differ when compared to other drugs. This paper aimed to assess intentions to reduce drinking and the preferred sources of support among a large international sample of people who drink alcohol. Materials and methodsThe Global Drug Survey (GDS) is the world's largest annual survey of drug use. This paper included data from 82,190 respondents from 12 countries on four continents who reported the use of alcohol in the last 12 months, collected during November 2016–January 2017 (GDS2017). ResultsOverall, 34.8% said they would like to drink less in the following 12 months and 7.6% said they would like help to drink less. Online tools were the preferred source of support to reduce drinking by respondents from Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, those with low AUDIT scores and without a mental health condition. Specialist counselling was most preferred by those from Germany, Switzerland, and Denmark and those with high AUDIT scores, not educated to degree level and with a mental health condition. ConclusionInterest in online interventions for harmful drinking is significant and highest among people who drink at low risk. Online tools should offer brief screening and feedback, ensuring that people with high risk drinking patterns are referred to more specialist services.

Mental health service use and help-seeking among women firefighters with a career history of suicidality.

Research indicates that women firefighters may experience elevated rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors; however, little is known about how at-risk women firefighters interface with mental health services and other support sources. This study aimed to identify rates of mental health service use and help-seeking, correlates of service use, and preferred sources of support among women firefighters with a career history of suicidality. A sample of 119 United States women firefighters reporting a history of suicide ideation, plans, and/or attempts during their firefighting careers completed a web-based survey of behavioral health. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analyses were utilized to examine rates of help-seeking and correlates of service use. Of the sample, 73.1% reported seeking professional mental health services and 43.7% reported seeking other forms of support (e.g., support groups, hotlines) during their firefighting careers. Stigma concerns were most frequently cited as hypothetical barriers to care; however, rates of stigma concerns did not appear to be significantly higher among service users. Participants reported a preference for seeking care from a psychologist, therapist, and/or counselor. Findings indicate that the majority of women firefighters with a career history of suicidality have utilized mental health services or other sources of support during their firefighting careers. Results suggest that self-reported stigma may not serve as a significant barrier to mental health service utilization in this population. Further research is needed to examine the temporal relationship between suicidality and service use in a nationally representative sample of women firefighters. (PsycINFO Database Record

Young people’s views on sexting education and support needs: findings and recommendations from a UK-based study

ABSTRACTYoung people’s sexting is an area of increasing concern amongst parents, educationalists and policy makers, yet little research has been conducted with young people themselves to explore their perspectives on the support they need to navigate relationships in the new digital media landscape. To address this absence, an inter-disciplinary team of researchers undertook a participatory study with students, aged 13 to 15, in a UK secondary school. This paper outlines key study findings, including young people’s views on sexting, their recommendations for improved education around sexting in schools, their preferred sources of support, and their perspectives on the way adults should respond to young people’s sexting. Findings indicate that sexting education needs to be developed within the context of wider relationship issues, such as gender, power dynamics and trust between peers, and improved communication between students and teachers or other responsible adults. Findings may be used to consider ways of designing and communicating messages around sexting to young people within and beyond educational settings.

Violence against children in Afghanistan: Concerns and opportunities for positive change

Violence against children (VAC) in Afghanistan is a serious issue in the context of many decades of conflict and poverty. To date, limited studies have explored the extent of VAC in Afghanistan and the settings where VAC takes place. To understand (i) the extent of VAC, (ii) settings where VAC takes place, (iii) parental forms of VAC and (iv) regional differences, an interview administered cross-sectional survey was employed among a community sample of 145 children and 104 parents living within Kabul, Torkham, and Jalalabad. Demographic information was collected as well as items from the International Child Abuse Screening Tool (ICAST-CH). In this study, 71% of children reported experiencing physical violence is some form in the past year. Home was the most likely location of violence. The overwhelming majority of parents reported using physical violence as a discipline method. Parents who attained higher levels of education and had more skilled occupations used violence less as a discipline method. However, consistent with international research, children cited their parents as their preferred source of support in situations of violence. Interestingly, parents did not see violent forms of discipline as more effective than non-violent strategies. The results offer a disturbing yet ‘on the ground’ insight into VAC in Afghanistan from the experience of children and parents. The results have important implications for programming design and provide a focus for stopping and preventing VAC in Afghanistan and similar contexts.

1870 Assessing the Information and Support Needs of Parents of Young Children in Canada

AimTo determine the parenting information and support needs of parents of young children in an urban center in Canada.MethodsA self-administered survey was mailed to a stratified random sample of 1064...

Improving Access to Information and Support for Patients With Less Common Cancers: Hematologic Cancer Patients’ Views About Web-Based Approaches

BackgroundMeeting the psychosocial needs of vulnerable groups such as cancer survivors remains an ongoing challenge. This is particularly so for those who have less access to the usual forms of medical specialist and in-person support networks. Internet-based approaches offer an opportunity to better meet patients’ information and support needs by overcoming the barrier of geographic isolation.ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to assess the reported level of access to the Internet, preferred sources of information, and preferred sources of support among survivors of hematologic cancers.MethodA population-based, Australian state cancer registry invited eligible survivors to complete a survey about psychosocial needs, including items measuring Internet access and patterns of use. Of the 732 eligible survivors invited to participate, 268 (36.6%) completed and returned the pen-and-paper-based survey.ResultsThe majority of participants (186/254, 73.2%) reported a high level of access to the Internet, with higher Internet access associated with a higher level of education, larger household, younger age, and being married or employed. A total of 62.2% (156/251) of survivors indicated they were likely to use the Internet for accessing information, with the percentage much lower (69/251, 28%) for accessing support via the Internet. Likelihood of using the Internet for support was associated with feeling anxious and being employed.ConclusionsWhile the Internet appears to offer promise in increasing equitable access to information and support for cancer survivors for both metropolitan and regional areas, it is viewed less favorably for support and by particular subgroups (eg, older people and those without a university degree) within the survivor population. Promoting greater understanding of this mode of support may be required to achieve its potential. Information and support options other than Web-based approaches may continue to be needed by vulnerable groups of cancer survivors.

‘Do it yourself’ sexual health care: the user experience

To describe client experience of self-management within a busy walk-in, sexual health service. Self-management in this context is self-registration and take-home pregnancy tests, chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) and gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) tests, or condoms dispensed from a free vending machine. Twenty-four in-depth, semi-structured interviews with users; 19 structured written reports from mystery shoppers paid to visit the service and report their experience; demographic details of those using the self-management option from the clinic database and 40 h of recorded observation in the clinic waiting room. Between 2 September 2008 and 1 September 2009, 18 657 people had 28 545 attendances at the service. Of these, 1845 (6.5%) attendances were self-managed by 1555 individuals (8.3% of all clients). Of those who self-managed, 646 (35%) obtained a chlamydia and gonorrhoea test only, 597 (32%) obtained condoms only and 488 (27%) obtained a pregnancy test only. Users valued the opportunity to self-manage because of the reduced waiting times, autonomy and privacy that such a service offers. Some prefer the additional support offered within a clinical consultation. Users made personalised decisions about self-management based on time pressure, need for additional services and preferred source of support. Users often required help and advice from client support workers to complete the self-management process. This created problems with confidentiality. Self-management is an acceptable option within sexual health services if informal support is available. Self-management options in clinical services could mean that 8% of clients at 6% of visits do not need to see a clinician, thus freeing up clinical capacity.

The Prevocational and Early Employment Needs of Adolescents with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: The Adolescent Perspective

The purpose of this study was to explore the prevocational needs of adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) from their own perspectives. A focus group discussion was undertaken with eight adolescents with JIA (14.2–16.6 years) attending one United Kingdom hospital. The topics of interest were (i) attitudes towards education, prevocational readiness and employment in relation to JIA; (ii) perceived barriers; (iii) coping strategies; and (iv) preferred sources of support. The data were analysed according to standardised procedures that included data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing and conclusion verifying. The provision of vocational support for young people with JIA was reported to be uncoordinated, limited and unresponsive to individual needs. A recurrent theme was that professionals generally underestimated adolescents' educational and vocational potential. This was felt to be true of teachers, careers advisers, admissions personnel at colleges and universities and potential employers. Most adolescents worried about discrimination and those in whom the JIA was not visible felt a dilemma about disclosure to potential employers. The current framework of careers advice appeared to have failed the adolescents in this study who, in the absence of satisfactory support, found themselves consulting health professionals instead. Greater careers advice support for adolescents and professionals is warranted.

Problems experienced by young men and attitudes to help-seeking in a rural Irish community.

Suicide is now the commonest cause of death among young Irish males. The literature identifies a wide range of contributory risk factors in suicide. However, a number of realities have frustrated clinicians' efforts in the area, including the reluctance of young males to engage in mental health services. In this study, we sought to explore the problems experienced by young men in a rural setting and their attitudes towards seeking help. Focus groups were employed to generate themes for a qualitative and quantitative questionnaire which was administered to a community sample of 71 young men (22.4% of the total number of males aged 16-30 years in the area) and 79 key informants. The questionnaires contained demographic items and examined available social outlets, types and extent of difficulties experienced by young men and perceptions of and access to potential sources of support. Both young men and key informants reported that peer pressure and alcohol misuse are areas of most difficulty, that friends and family are the preferred sources of support and that young men view much existing professional help as unacceptable. This study provides a basis for the next stage in the research cycle and also supports the viability of building a partnership between the health services and the local community in developing future suicide prevention strategies for young men.

REVIEW OF DRINKING PATTERNS OF RURAL ARAB AND JEWISH YOUTH IN THE NORTH OF ISRAEL*

This article reviews four studies addressing alcohol drinking patterns among rural Arab and Jewish youth. Three religions, Moslem, Druze, and Christianity, were represented among the Arab population studied. The Arab adolescents come from villages, Arab towns, and mixed Arab–Jewish towns, while the Jewish youth come from kibbutzim and developing towns in the northern district of Israel. The first epidemiological study among rural adolescents was implemented in 1990. This study focused on frequency of drinking during the previous month, and amounts of alcohol consumed on a drinking occasion. The 1992 study focused on preferred sources of support after acquiring a drinking problem, reasons for drinking, and the social context of drinking in the previous year. The 1994 study focused on reasons for not drinking, preferred places of drinking, and ways of obtaining alcoholic beverages. The 1996 study dealt with frequency of drinking in the last year, and amounts of alcohol consumed on a drinking occasion. This review also includes urban–rural comparisons. Urban adolescents were drawn from Haifa, the largest city northern Israel. [Translations are provided in the International s Section of this issue.]

WHY, WHERE AND WITH WHOM DO ISRAELI TEENAGERS DRINK? TO WHOM DO THEY TURN FOR HELP WITH ALCOHOL PROBLEMS?

This article describes preferred sources of support after having drinking problems, reasons for drinking and the social context of drinking of 1458 Israeli adolescents in the North of Israel in winter 1992. The article analyses the results by gender, grade and place of living (large city, small or developing town, kibbutz, religious settlement). Most teenagers drink with same-age friends, their preferred location of drinking is the pub and enjoyment is their most prevalent reason for drinking. The majority of the sample chose parents as the main source of support in cases of having problems with alcohol. The study provides pointers towards environmental approaches in the prevention of problem drinking.

The social impact of HIV infection on women in Kigali, Rwanda: A prospective study

In Rwanda, a central African country, the prevalence of HIV infection now exceeds 30% in urban adults. This study identifies the social services and counseling needs of women who are already infected with the HIV virus, the outcome after disclosure of the woman's HIV test result to her partner and estimates the social support available to the women from their partners and relatives. Fifty-five HIV-positive women in Kagali were interviewed in 1988 and 47 of this group were interviewed again in 1991. The social services most needed by the women in 1988 were housing, employment and money. By 1991, the women prioritised food, housing and money as their current needs and food, childcare and money were their future needs in the event they became ill. The preferred sources of support in 1988 were individual counseling and women's support groups. By 1991, the preferred sources of support were individual counseling and their priest. In 1988, almost 75% of the women did not expect a supportive reaction from their partners after disclosure of the test result. In 1991, acceptance, understanding and sympathy were the most common reactions of the partners after disclosure. However, 8 (21%) had not told their partner their test result. After disclosure, 18 of the 37 partners were subsequently tested. Of those tested, 75% were HIV-positive and 25% were HIV-negative. Condom use was almost twice as high when the partner was informed of the test result, although in couples overall, a third were not using condoms despite knowing the test result. There were 23 births since 1988 and pregnancy was equally likely whether the test result was known or if the partner tested. The women overall reported good morale in 1991, bolstered by their religion. Chronic difficulties with sleep, performing daily routine and feelings of depression were reported by a third of women. Conclusions are the basic survival services are needed for affected families, and a program of testing and counseling for partners is required.