Tag: Mental Health Education

Is there a Gender Difference in Mental Health Literacy that Affects Mental Health Attitude?

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Research Paper Title

Mental Health Literacy Affects Mental Health Attitude: Is There a Gender Difference?

Background

In the current study, the researchers aimed to compare the levels of and factors associated with mental health attitude between males and females. Of particular interest was ascertaining the degree to which mental health literacy was related to mental health attitude and whether this relationship would vary by gender.

Methods

A total of 732 participants aged 18 years or more were recruited from attendees at the 2016 Minnesota State Fair. They used the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) to measure attitude toward and literacy of mental health.

Results

The multivariate analysis reported that males’ mental health attitude was significantly lower than females. Some factors associated with mental health attitude differed by gender as well. Among men, receiving more social support, experiencing higher levels of depression, and being married predicted greater mental health attitude. Among women, older age was associated with lower mental health attitude levels. However, mental health literacy was the strongest factor regardless of gender. Men and women with greater mental health literacy had a more positive mental health attitude.

Conclusions

Provision of tailored mental health literacy education both for males and females could potentially improve the public’s mental health attitude toward mental illness.

Reference

Lee, H.Y., Hwang, J., Ball, J.G., Lee, J., Yu, Y & Albright, D.L. (2020) Mental Health Literacy Affects Mental Health Attitude: Is There a Gender Difference? American Journal of Health Behaviour. 44(3), pp.282-291. doi: 10.5993/AJHB.44.3.1.

Is More Clarification is Needed of Mental Health Practitioner’s Engagement Experiences in Early Intervention Settings?

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Research Paper Title

Mental Health Practitioner Experiences of Engaging With Service Users in Community Mental Health Settings: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence.

What is Known on the Subject?

Engagement is regarded as important and beneficial for service users and mental health services A universal definition of engagement is not yet fully agreed upon.

What this paper adds to existing knowledge?

Based upon their experience, mental health staff use varied engagement approaches to fit with the changeable and unique needs of people who use services (service users). Mental health staff demonstrate qualities such as persistence and adaptability to successfully engage with service users.

What are the implications for practice?

Irrespective of professional background, the role of community mental health staff is not restricted to any single approach. Practical help and social support are as seen as important as clinical treatment to establish successful engagement. Little is known about the engagement experiences of mental health staff working in early intervention settings as most studies in this review focused on the perspectives of staff based in assertive outreach or community mental health teams. There is a need to further understand staff experiences of engagement with service users in early intervention settings. Role descriptions and expectations of community mental health workers should account for the wide-ranging flexible approach required in order to deliver appropriate interventions. This may involve a focus on engagement in training programmes.

Background

Effective mental health care is dependent on engaging service users, but some individuals do not actively attend appointments, and may stop engaging with mental health services. Quantitative studies reveal some salient factors that seem to predict engagement, but these studies miss the nuances of good clinical practice in this area. A number of qualitative studies of health professionals’ experiences and understanding of effective engagement have been published.

This review aimed to systematically identify, evaluate and synthesise results from these studies with a view to informing effective practice in this area.

Methods

Electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO and AMED were searched (PROSPERO systematic review protocol registry (www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/; ID CRD42017083976). Of 799 records, ten papers met the inclusion criteria. All papers were subjected to quality appraisal based on the CASP checklist and data systematically extracted. A thematic synthesis of included studies examining mental health practitioners’ experiences of engagement in community mental health settings was conducted.

Results

Mental health practitioners see engaging service users as depending upon complex, multi-dimensional phenomena which should include individualised person-centred approaches as well as practical, social and clinical support. Mental health practitioners demonstrate qualities such as determination and adaptability to establish and maintain engagement with service users.

Conclusions

As a core aspect of nurse education, registered mental health nurses and other professionals would benefit from systematic guidance regarding engagement strategies. Most studies in this review focused on assertive outreach or community mental health teams, more clarification is needed of practitioner’s engagement experiences in early intervention settings.

Reference

Henderson, P., Fisher, N.R., Ball, J. & Sellwood, W. (2020) Mental Health Practitioner Experiences of Engaging With Service Users in Community Mental Health Settings: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. doi: 10.1111/jpm.12628. Online ahead of print.

Education & Training should Aim to improve the Recognition & Treatment of Postpartum OCD

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Research Paper Title

Advances in the pharmacological management of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the postpartum period.

Background

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder characterised by obsessions and compulsions.

Obsessions are defined as intrusive, recurrent and distressing thoughts, images or impulses, whereas compulsions are defined as repetitive behaviours or mental acts.

While there is an associated distress, and indeed oftentimes, the individual’s awareness that these behaviours are excessive and unreasonable, the individual continues to be disabled by an inability to cease their compulsions.

The postpartum period may herald the onset of OCD or precipitate an exacerbation of the preexisting OCD symptoms.

Common OCD symptom clusters occur in the postpartum period, with specific challenges associated with motherhood and lactation.

Areas Covered

This brief review aims to review the extent and nature of publications evaluating pharmacological treatment of OCD in the postpartum period.

Expert Opinion

Education and training should aim to improve the recognition and treatment of postpartum OCD.

Due to the limited nature of studies, more research is required to assess the role of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the postpartum period.

Reference

Brakoulias, V., Viswasam, K., Dwyer, A., Raine, K.H. & Starcevic, V. (2020) Advances in the pharmacological management of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the postpartum period. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. 21(2), pp.163-165. doi: 10.1080/14656566.2019.1700229. Epub 2020 Jan 1.

Education: Text-based Coaching Protocols for Digital Mental Health Interventions

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Research Paper Title

Guidance on defining the scope and development of text-based coaching protocols for digital mental health interventions.

Background

A body of literature suggests that the provision of human support improves both adherence to and clinical outcomes for digital mental health interventions.

While multiple models of providing human support, or coaching, to support digital mental health interventions have been introduced, specific guidance on how to develop coaching protocols has been lacking.

In this Education Piece, the authors provide guidance on developing coaching protocols for text-based communication in digital mental health interventions.

Researchers and practitioners who are tasked with developing coaching protocols are prompted to consider the scope of coaching for the intervention, the selection and training of coaches, specific coaching techniques, how to structure communication with clients and how to monitor adherence to guidelines, and quality of coaching.

Their goal is to advance thinking about the provision of human support in digital mental health interventions to inform stronger, more engaging, and effective intervention designs.

Reference

Lattie, E.G., Graham, A.K., Hadjistavropoulos, H.D., Dear, B.F., Titov, N. & Mohr, D.C. (2019) Guidance on defining the scope and development of text-based coaching protocols for digital mental health interventions. Digital Health. doi: 10.1177/2055207619896145. eCollection 2019 Jan-Dec.

What Can We Learning from Nurses’ Experiences of Events involving Physiological Deterioration of Consumers in Acute Inpatient Mental Health Settings?

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Research Paper Title

Clarity, confidence, and complexity: Learning from nurses’ experiences of events involving physiological deterioration of consumers in acute inpatient mental health settings.

Background

The objective of the current study was to capture the experiences of nurses in relation to the acutely physiologically deteriorating consumer.

Improving the physical health care of consumers with mental illness has been widely adopted as a priority for mental health nursing. Much of the effort thus far has focused on routine screening, prevention and treatment of common comorbidities including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancer.

There has been less focus on the acutely physiologically deteriorating consumer in the mental health setting.

Further study is warranted since this issue poses a set of highly complex challenges for nurses within the inpatient setting.

Methods

An exploratory, descriptive study was employed using focus groups to gather narrative data which was then subject to qualitative analysis.

Eleven mental health inpatient wards within a local health district in Sydney, Australia were studied, comprising ward-based nurses (n = 64) and nurse unit managers (n = 8).

This paper follows the COREQ guidelines for reporting qualitative health research.

Results

Qualitative data analysis revealed three themes central to the nurses’ experience:

  1. Lack of clarity (subthemes: procedures and leadership accountability);
  2. Confidence in the workforce (subthemes: knowledge & skills, training needs, relevant experience, collaboration with emergency and medical teams, stigmatising attitudes); and
  3. Complexity (subthemes: complexity as the new norm, and suitability of the mental health environment).

Conclusions

The themes found in this study can be used to guide and inform health care policy, protocols, education and processes around building a more confident nurse workforce for the acutely physiologically deteriorating consumer.

Findings provide a rich dataset for the generation of measurement tools and protocols to guide physical healthcare and evaluate performance.

Reference

Brunero, S., Everett, B., Ramjan, L.M., Salamonson, Y., Steel, K., Johnson, A.M., Stokes, M., Langdon, R. & Dickens, G.L. (2019) Clarity, confidence, and complexity: Learning from nurses’ experiences of events involving physiological deterioration of consumers in acute inpatient mental health settings. Journal of Clinical Nursing. doi: 10.1111/jocn.15126. [Epub ahead of print].

Partnering & the Interprofessional Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Education Curriculum

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Research Paper Title

Partnering for a Sustainable Interprofessional Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Education Curriculum.

Background

The World Health Organisation recommends that health care educators create a collaborative and practice-ready workforce.

Focused interprofessional education (IPE) promotes collaborative practice, yet few examples of how to develop sustained IPE and clinical partnerships exist.

Mental health care professionals competent in their specialty and prepared for interprofessional collaboration are needed to treat complex mental health needs of patients.

Methods

Doctor of Nursing Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) faculty partnered with College of Pharmacy faculty to create didactic, clinical, and simulation coursework and IPE competencies within PMHNP courses.

Students developed skills about providing interprofessional mental health care.

Results

Recommendations for faculties include:

  • Embrace the value of interprofessional faculty partnerships;
  • Plan for time, money, motivation, and recognition needed for sustainable IPE; and
  • Design courses that become part of the fabric of the curricula.

Conclusions

Embedding IPE into PMHNP curricula creates increased faculty satisfaction and positive feedback from students and clinical sites.

Reference

Peterson, B.L., Pittenger, A.L., Kaas, M.J. & Lounsbery, J.L. (2019) Partnering for a Sustainable Interprofessional Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Education Curriculum. The Journal of Nursing Education. 58(12), pp.723-727. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20191120-08.