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Goodwin J, Savage E, O’Brien N, O’Donovan Á. "We're not educated on that enough, and we really should be": adolescents' views of mental health service education. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2023; 18:2249287. [PMID: 37639463 PMCID: PMC10464535 DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2249287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite the susceptibility to the experience of mental distress during adolescence, this population often demonstrate poor help-seeking behaviours. Efforts have been made by schools to address adolescents' knowledge around mental health; less focus has been given to addressing their knowledge of mental health services and avenues for help-seeking. This study aimed to explore adolescents' views of mental health services education. METHODS An interpretive descriptive design was adopted. Thirty adolescents from Ireland participated in individual interviews. Data were analysed using content analysis. TWO THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED Recognizing Gaps in Knowledge about Mental Health Service Education, and Enhancing Mental Health Service Education for Young People. Participants reported gaps in their knowledge about mental health services and were uncertain how to access help. Current strategies (e.g., print media) were considered tokenistic and ineffective; instead, multimedia (film/TV) approaches were recommended. RESULTS Two themes were identified: Recognizing Gaps in Knowledge about Mental HealthService Education, and Enhancing Mental Health Service Education for YoungPeople. Participants reported gaps in their knowledge about mental healthservices and were uncertain how to access help. Current strategies (e.g., print media) were considered tokenistic and ineffective; instead, multimedia (film/TV) approaches were recommended. CONCLUSIONS Current mental health education programmes need to expand their focus beyond social/emotional well-being, providing adolescents with the knowledge they need to access appropriate supports. Considering traditional print media was viewed as ineffective, while film/TV had an influence on perceptions of mental health services, a multimedia approach to education may be an effective way of engaging this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Goodwin
- Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Eileen Savage
- Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Niamh O’Brien
- Department of Education, South East Technological University, Waterford, Ireland
| | - Áine O’Donovan
- Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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Zhao G, Wang B, Li H, Ren H, Jiao Z. The relationship between depressive and anxious symptoms and school attendance among adolescents seeking psychological services in a public general hospital in China: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:456. [PMID: 37344768 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04813-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND School attendance problems (SAPs), whether absenteeism or dropout, are strongly associated with poor outcomes for adolescents. We examined multiple variables that influence SAPs to identify potential leverage points for improving school attendance. METHODS Self-reported SAPs and demographic information was collected from 392 adolescents in adolescents presenting to the general hospital for psychological services. PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were applied to assess the severity of depressive and anxious symptoms. We constructed logistic regression analysis and the Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) segmentation analysis via SPSS Decision Tree to identifying risk factors for the development of SAPs in adolescents. RESULTS SAPs were self-reported by 252 (64.3%) adolescents. The SAPs group and non-SAPs group showed a significant difference in age, PHQ9 total scores, GAD7 total scores, schools, siblings, residence, parental marital quality, general health, regular exercise, and regular diet. A post hoc comparison between the two groups showed that the frequency of SAPs was significantly higher in the moderately-severe and severe depressive groups compared with other three groups (none, mild, moderate). The frequency of SAPs in severe anxious groups was significantly different from the none-anxious group. According to the binary logistic regression analysis, the depressive severity, siblings, residence, marital quality of parents, general health, and regular diet were correlated with the SAPs among adolescents. The adjusted OR of SAPs according to moderately-severe depressive symptoms was 10.84 (95%CI: 1.967-59.742) and severe depressive symptoms was 6.659 (95%CI: 1.147-38.666). In the decision tree model, PHQ-9 severity was extracted as the first splitting variable, with regular exercise and residence as the second, and siblings as the third. The ROC curves for predicting SAPs showed a fair diagnostic accuracy of the model with AUCs of CHAID model (0.705,95%CI:0.652-0.759, P = 0.000) and logistic regression model (0.777,95%CI:0.729-0.824, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION Our study provides insights into the associations between depressive symptoms and poor school attendance and identifies a number of risk factors associated with SAPs. Effective intervention by mental health practitioners, more attention by policy makers, and further research in this area are urgently needed for adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqing Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, No. 324, Jingwu Weiqi Road, Huaiyin District, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, No. 324, Jingwu Weiqi Road, Huaiyin District, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Psychology, Qilu Hospital Of Shandong University Dezhou Hospital, Dezhou, 253014, Shandong, China
| | - Honghong Ren
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, No. 324, Jingwu Weiqi Road, Huaiyin District, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Zhian Jiao
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, No. 324, Jingwu Weiqi Road, Huaiyin District, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for integration of mental health into primary care for a decade. In Western countries, around 15% to 25% of patients with common mental disorders including mood and anxiety disorders seek help from primary care physicians (PCPs). The rate is only about 5% in China. AIMS This article reviews the Chinese findings on the barriers to primary care for common mental disorders and how they compared with Western findings. METHODS A narrative literature review was conducted, focusing on literature published from mid-1990s in English or Chinese. Patient, PCP and health system factors were reviewed. RESULTS Although Chinese and Western findings show similar themes of barriers, the Chinese have stronger barriers in most aspects, including under-recognition of the need for treatment, stigma on mental illness, somatization, worries about taking psychiatric drugs, uncertainties in the role, competency and legitimacy of PCPs in mental health care and short consultation time. CONCLUSION Current policies in China emphasize enhancement of mental health facilities and workforce in the community. Our review suggests that patients' intention to seek help and PCPs' competency in mental health care are other fundamental factors to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Sing Sun
- 1 Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Tai Pong Lam
- 1 Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Dan Wu
- 2 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Project-China, Guangzhou, China
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