Improving the capacity of community-based workers in Australia to provide initial assistance to Iraqi refugees with mental health problems: an uncontrolled evaluation of a Mental Health Literacy Course
Abstract Background Australia is a multicultural nation with a humanitarian program that welcomes a large number of Iraqi refugees. Despite the high prevalence of trauma related disorders, professional help-seeking in this group is very low. This study sought to evaluate a face-to-face mental health...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2018-01-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Mental Health Systems |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13033-018-0180-8 |
| _version_ | 1819067039159943168 |
|---|---|
| author | Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo Shameran Slewa-Younan Betty Ann Kitchener Haider Mannan Yaser Mohammad Anthony Francis Jorm |
| author_facet | Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo Shameran Slewa-Younan Betty Ann Kitchener Haider Mannan Yaser Mohammad Anthony Francis Jorm |
| author_sort | Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Australia is a multicultural nation with a humanitarian program that welcomes a large number of Iraqi refugees. Despite the high prevalence of trauma related disorders, professional help-seeking in this group is very low. This study sought to evaluate a face-to-face mental health literacy (MHL) Course that teaches community-based workers how to provide initial help to Iraqi refugees with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related problems. Methods An uncontrolled pre, post and follow-up design was used to measure improvement in MHL in community-based workers assisting Iraqi refugees. Results Eighty-six participants completed the pre- and post-training questionnaires. Forty-five (52%) completed all 3-time point questionnaires. Fifty-six percent (48/86) of participants were able to correctly recognise ‘PTSD’ as the problem depicted in a vignette before the training. This increased to 77% (66/86) after training and was maintained at follow-up with 82% (37/45) correctly recognising the problem (p = 0.032). Recognition of depression also increased from 69% (59/86) at pre-training to 83% (71/86) after training and to 82% (37/45) at follow-up. There was a significant increase in perceived helpfulness of professional treatments for depression after training (p < 0.001 at post-training, p = 0.010 at follow-up). Significant changes were reported in confidence of participants when helping an Iraqi refugee with PSTD (p < 0.001 at post-training, p < 0.001 at follow-up) and depression (p < 0.001 at post-training, p = 0.003 at follow-up). A decrease were also found on social distance mean scores associated with PTSD (p = 0.006 at post-training, p < 0.001 at follow-up) and depression (p = 0.007 at follow-up). Changes were not significant following training for offering help and helping behaviours in both PSTD and depression vignettes and, the ‘dangerous/unpredictable’ subscale in the depression vignette. Conclusion This training is a recommendable way to improve and better equip staff on how to respond to mental health crises and offer Mental Health First Aid in a culturally sensitive manner to Iraqi refugees. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T16:11:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e595037b00534af282e1f45e8be02ffc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1752-4458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T16:11:55Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Mental Health Systems |
| spelling | doaj.art-e595037b00534af282e1f45e8be02ffc2022-12-21T18:57:47ZengBMCInternational Journal of Mental Health Systems1752-44582018-01-0112111310.1186/s13033-018-0180-8Improving the capacity of community-based workers in Australia to provide initial assistance to Iraqi refugees with mental health problems: an uncontrolled evaluation of a Mental Health Literacy CourseMaria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo0Shameran Slewa-Younan1Betty Ann Kitchener2Haider Mannan3Yaser Mohammad4Anthony Francis Jorm5Mental Health, Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Western Sydney UniversityMental Health, Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Western Sydney UniversityMental Health First Aid AustraliaTranslational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Western Sydney UniversityBankstown Community Mental Health ServicesCentre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of MelbourneAbstract Background Australia is a multicultural nation with a humanitarian program that welcomes a large number of Iraqi refugees. Despite the high prevalence of trauma related disorders, professional help-seeking in this group is very low. This study sought to evaluate a face-to-face mental health literacy (MHL) Course that teaches community-based workers how to provide initial help to Iraqi refugees with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related problems. Methods An uncontrolled pre, post and follow-up design was used to measure improvement in MHL in community-based workers assisting Iraqi refugees. Results Eighty-six participants completed the pre- and post-training questionnaires. Forty-five (52%) completed all 3-time point questionnaires. Fifty-six percent (48/86) of participants were able to correctly recognise ‘PTSD’ as the problem depicted in a vignette before the training. This increased to 77% (66/86) after training and was maintained at follow-up with 82% (37/45) correctly recognising the problem (p = 0.032). Recognition of depression also increased from 69% (59/86) at pre-training to 83% (71/86) after training and to 82% (37/45) at follow-up. There was a significant increase in perceived helpfulness of professional treatments for depression after training (p < 0.001 at post-training, p = 0.010 at follow-up). Significant changes were reported in confidence of participants when helping an Iraqi refugee with PSTD (p < 0.001 at post-training, p < 0.001 at follow-up) and depression (p < 0.001 at post-training, p = 0.003 at follow-up). A decrease were also found on social distance mean scores associated with PTSD (p = 0.006 at post-training, p < 0.001 at follow-up) and depression (p = 0.007 at follow-up). Changes were not significant following training for offering help and helping behaviours in both PSTD and depression vignettes and, the ‘dangerous/unpredictable’ subscale in the depression vignette. Conclusion This training is a recommendable way to improve and better equip staff on how to respond to mental health crises and offer Mental Health First Aid in a culturally sensitive manner to Iraqi refugees.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13033-018-0180-8Mental Health Literacy CourseCommunity-based workersIraqi refugeesMental health problems |
| spellingShingle | Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo Shameran Slewa-Younan Betty Ann Kitchener Haider Mannan Yaser Mohammad Anthony Francis Jorm Improving the capacity of community-based workers in Australia to provide initial assistance to Iraqi refugees with mental health problems: an uncontrolled evaluation of a Mental Health Literacy Course International Journal of Mental Health Systems Mental Health Literacy Course Community-based workers Iraqi refugees Mental health problems |
| title | Improving the capacity of community-based workers in Australia to provide initial assistance to Iraqi refugees with mental health problems: an uncontrolled evaluation of a Mental Health Literacy Course |
| title_full | Improving the capacity of community-based workers in Australia to provide initial assistance to Iraqi refugees with mental health problems: an uncontrolled evaluation of a Mental Health Literacy Course |
| title_fullStr | Improving the capacity of community-based workers in Australia to provide initial assistance to Iraqi refugees with mental health problems: an uncontrolled evaluation of a Mental Health Literacy Course |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving the capacity of community-based workers in Australia to provide initial assistance to Iraqi refugees with mental health problems: an uncontrolled evaluation of a Mental Health Literacy Course |
| title_short | Improving the capacity of community-based workers in Australia to provide initial assistance to Iraqi refugees with mental health problems: an uncontrolled evaluation of a Mental Health Literacy Course |
| title_sort | improving the capacity of community based workers in australia to provide initial assistance to iraqi refugees with mental health problems an uncontrolled evaluation of a mental health literacy course |
| topic | Mental Health Literacy Course Community-based workers Iraqi refugees Mental health problems |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13033-018-0180-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariagabrielauribeguajardo improvingthecapacityofcommunitybasedworkersinaustraliatoprovideinitialassistancetoiraqirefugeeswithmentalhealthproblemsanuncontrolledevaluationofamentalhealthliteracycourse AT shameranslewayounan improvingthecapacityofcommunitybasedworkersinaustraliatoprovideinitialassistancetoiraqirefugeeswithmentalhealthproblemsanuncontrolledevaluationofamentalhealthliteracycourse AT bettyannkitchener improvingthecapacityofcommunitybasedworkersinaustraliatoprovideinitialassistancetoiraqirefugeeswithmentalhealthproblemsanuncontrolledevaluationofamentalhealthliteracycourse AT haidermannan improvingthecapacityofcommunitybasedworkersinaustraliatoprovideinitialassistancetoiraqirefugeeswithmentalhealthproblemsanuncontrolledevaluationofamentalhealthliteracycourse AT yasermohammad improvingthecapacityofcommunitybasedworkersinaustraliatoprovideinitialassistancetoiraqirefugeeswithmentalhealthproblemsanuncontrolledevaluationofamentalhealthliteracycourse AT anthonyfrancisjorm improvingthecapacityofcommunitybasedworkersinaustraliatoprovideinitialassistancetoiraqirefugeeswithmentalhealthproblemsanuncontrolledevaluationofamentalhealthliteracycourse |