Tag: Health Promotion

Do Older Adults with Parent(s) Alive Experience Higher Psychological Pain and Suicidal Ideation?

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Research Paper Title

Do Older Adults with Parent(s) Alive Experience Higher Psychological Pain and Suicidal Ideation? A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

Background

Elderly mental health promotion is an important task in the current “Healthy China Action”.

This study aims to:

  1. Clarify the psychological pain and suicidal ideation of the Chinese elderly with different parental states;
  2. Examine the associated factors of psychological pain and suicidal ideation; and
  3. Examine the relationship between psychological pain and suicidal ideation.

Methods

A sample of 4622 adults aged 60 years and older were included in this study, from the China’s Health-related Quality of Life Survey for Older Adults 2018.

Results

Participants with both parents alive demonstrated the heaviest psychological pain, and those with one parent alive observed significantly lowest psychological pain and suicidal ideation.

Participants who were single, divorced, or widowed, live in rural areas, had higher education level, had lower family income, suffered from two or more chronic diseases, and had no self-care ability were more likely to experience psychological pain and suicidal ideation.

In addition, higher psychological pain was significantly associated with the occurrence of suicidal ideation.

Conclusions

In China, much more attention should be paid to the mental health condition of the elderly, especially for those with both parents alive.

Moreover, the associated factors above should be considered to develop targeted health interventions.

Reference

Yang, Y., Wang, S., Hu, B., HAo, J., Hu, R., Zhou, Y. & Mao, Zongfu. (2020) Do Older Adults with Parent(s) Alive Experience Higher Psychological Pain and Suicidal Ideation? A Cross-Sectional Study in China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17(17), pp.E6399. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17176399.

Developing a Behavioural Health Readiness & Suicide Risk Reduction Review for Military Personnel

Published on by Andrew Marshall1 Comment

Research Paper Title

Development of the US Army’s Suicide Prevention Leadership Tool: The Behavioural Health Readiness and Suicide Risk Reduction Review (R4).

Background

Although numerous efforts have aimed to reduce suicides in the US Army, completion rates have remained elevated.

Army leaders play an important role in supporting soldiers at risk of suicide, but existing suicide-prevention tools tailored to leaders are limited and not empirically validated.

The purpose of this article is to describe the process used to develop the Behavioral Health Readiness and Suicide Risk Reduction Review (R4) tools for Army leaders that are currently undergoing empirical validation with two US Army divisions.

Methods

Consistent with a Secretary of the Army directive, approximately 76 interviews and focus groups were conducted with Army leaders and subject matter experts (SMEs) to obtain feedback regarding existing practices for suicide risk management, leader tools, and institutional considerations.

In addition, reviews of the empirical literature regarding predictors of suicide and best practices for the development of practice guidelines were conducted. Qualitative feedback, empirical predictors of suicide, and design considerations were integrated to develop the R4 tools.

A second series of 11 interviews and focus groups with Army leaders and SMEs was also conducted to validate the design and obtain feedback regarding the R4 tools.

Results

Leaders described preferences for:

  • Tool processes (e.g. incorporating engaged leadership, including multiple risk identification methods);
  • Formatting (e.g. one page);
  • Organisation (e.g. low-intermediate-high risk scoring system);
  • Content (e.g. excluding other considerations related to vehicle safety, including readiness implications); and
  • Implementation (e.g. accounting for leadership judgement, tailoring process to specific leadership echelons, consideration of institutional barriers).

Evidence-based predictors of suicide risk and practice guideline considerations (e.g. design) were integrated with leadership feedback to develop the R4 tools that were tailored to specific leadership echelons.

Leaders provided positive feedback regarding the R4 tools and described the importance of accounting for potential institutional barriers to implementation. This feedback was addressed by including recommendations regarding the implementation of standardized support meetings between different echelons of leadership.

Conclusions

The R4 development process entailed the simultaneous integration of leadership feedback with evidence-based predictors of suicide risk and design considerations.

Thus, the development of these tools builds upon previous Army leadership tools by specifically tailoring elements of those tools to accommodate leader preferences, accounting for potential implementation barriers (e.g. institutional factors), and empirically evaluating the implementation of those tools.

Future studies should consider utilising a similar process to develop empirically based resources that are more likely to be incorporated into the routine practice of leaders supporting soldiers at risk of suicide, very often located at the company level and below.

Reference

Curley, J.M., Penix, E.A., Srinivasan, J., Sarmiento, D.S., McFarling, L.H., Newman, J.B. & Wheeler, L.A. (2020) Development of the U.S. Army’s Suicide Prevention Leadership Tool: The Behavioral Health Readiness and Suicide Risk Reduction Review (R4). Military Medicine. 185(5-6), pp.e668-e677. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usz380.

Is It Important that Health Promotion be a Focus that Permeates the Entire Organisation of Mental Health Care?

Published on by Andrew Marshall1 Comment

Research Paper Title

Mental health nurses’ experience of physical health care and health promotion initiatives for people with severe mental illness.

Background

Health care for people with severe mental illness is often divided into physical health care and mental health care despite the importance of a holistic approach to caring for the whole person.

Mental health nurses have an important role not only in preventing ill health, but also in promoting health, to improve the overall health among people with severe mental illness and to develop a more person-centred, integrated physical and mental health care.

Thus, the aim of this study was to describe mental health nurses’ experiences of facilitating aspects that promote physical health and support a healthy lifestyle for people with severe mental illness.

Methods

Interviews were conducted with mental health nurses (n = 15), and a qualitative content analysis was used to capture the nurse’s experiences.

Results

Analysis of the interviews generated three categories:

  • To have a health promotion focus in every encounter;
  • To support with each person’s unique prerequisites in mind; and
  • To take responsibility for health promotion in every level of the organisation.

Conclusions

The results show the importance of a health promotion focus that permeates the entire organisation of mental health care.

Shared responsibility for health and health promotion activities should exist at all levels:

  • In the person-centred care in the relation with the patient;
  • Embedded in a joint vision within the working unit; and
  • In decisions at management level.

Reference

Lundstrom, S., Jormfeldt, H., Ahlstrom, B.H. & Skarsater, I. (2020) Mental health nurses’ experience of physical health care and health promotion initiatives for people with severe mental illness. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 29(2), pp.244-253. doi: 10.1111/inm.12669. Epub 2019 Oct 29.

What is the Current Situation School Mental Health in ASEAN Countries?

Published on by Andrew Marshall1 Comment

Research Paper Title

Current Situation and Comparison of School Mental Health in ASEAN Countries.

Background

School-based mental health interventions are considered to have potential for the promotion of mental health in developing countries.

The researchers held a workshop to discuss the promotion of mental health in schools in southeast Asian countries.

This review report aimed to summarise the current situation of school mental health in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries as reported by their representatives in this workshop.

Methods

To summarise the current situation of ASEAN countries in relation to school mental health, the researchers qualitatively analysed the content of the discussions from four perspectives:

  1. Laws and regulations;
  2. Mental health services;
  3. Teacher training on mental health; and
  4. Mental health education for students.

Results

With regard to school mental health laws and regulations, this report could not provide clear conclusions because the laws were reported through the personal understanding of the public officers.

The results show that mental health services in schools are centred on professionals such as guidance counsellors, although the coverage varied among the different ASEAN countries.

Conclusions

Only Singapore conducted mental health training for teachers in a comprehensive way, and the number of people who were actually trained in other countries was very limited.

Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand included mental health education for students in health education or life skills subjects.

Reference

Nishio, A., Kakimoto, M., Bermardo, T.M.S. & Kobayashi, J. (2020) Current Situation and Comparison of School Mental Health in ASEAN Countries. Pediatrics International: Official Journal of the Japan Pediatrics Society. 62(4), pp.438-443. doi: 10.1111/ped.14137.

Quality of Life: Psychosocial Intervention in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer

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Research Paper Title

Technology-Based Psychosocial Intervention to Improve Quality of Life and Reduce Symptom Burden in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background

Men with advanced prostate cancer (APC) face multiple challenges including poor prognosis, poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and elevated symptom burden.

This study sought to establish the efficacy of a tablet-delivered, group-based psychosocial intervention for improving HRQOL and reducing symptom burden in men with APC.

The researchers hypothesised that men randomised to cognitive-behavioural stress management (CBSM) would report improved HRQOL and reduced symptom burden relative to men randomised to an active control health promotion (HP) condition.

Condition effects on intervention targets and moderators of these effects were explored.

Methods

Men with APC (N = 192) were randomised (1:1) to 10-week tablet-delivered CBSM or HP, and followed for 1 year.

Multilevel modelling was used to evaluate condition effects over time.

Results

Changes in HRQOL and symptom burden did not differ between groups.

Men in both groups improved across several intervention targets; men in the CBSM condition reported greater increases in self-reported ability to relax, and both conditions showed improvements in cancer-related anxiety, cancer-related distress, and feelings of cohesiveness with other patients over time.

Moderating factors included baseline interpersonal disruption, fatigue, and sexual functioning.

Conclusions

Tablet-delivered CBSM and HP were well received by men with APC.

The hypothesised effects of CBSM on HRQOL and symptom burden were not supported, though improvements in intervention targets were observed across conditions.

Participants reported high-baseline HRQOL relative to cancer and general population norms, possibly limiting intervention effects.

The identified moderating factors should be considered in the development and implementation of interventions targeting HRQOL and symptom burden.

Reference

Penedo, F.J., Fox, R.S., Oswald, L.B., Moreno, P.I., Boland, C.L., Estabrook, R., McGinty, H.L., Mohr, D.C., Begale, M.J., Dahn, J.R., Flury, S.C., Perry, K.T., Kundu, S.D. & Yanez, B. (2020) Technology-Based Psychosocial Intervention to Improve Quality of Life and Reduce Symptom Burden in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. doi: 10.1007/s12529-019-09839-7. [Epub ahead of print].