The engagement of tertiary students with an online mental health intervention during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A feasibility study
Background We discuss the feasibility of a brief, online mental health promotion programme for tertiary students and establish recommendations for future programmes. Methods The programme ‘Student Elevenses’ was delivered at a tertiary education institution. ‘Student Elevenses’ aimed to promote stud...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2022-08-01
|
Series: | Digital Health |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221117746 |
_version_ | 1817995236638457856 |
---|---|
author | Michaela C Pascoe Sarah Dash Bojana Klepac Pogrmilovic Rhiannon K Patten Alexandra G Parker |
author_facet | Michaela C Pascoe Sarah Dash Bojana Klepac Pogrmilovic Rhiannon K Patten Alexandra G Parker |
author_sort | Michaela C Pascoe |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Background We discuss the feasibility of a brief, online mental health promotion programme for tertiary students and establish recommendations for future programmes. Methods The programme ‘Student Elevenses’ was delivered at a tertiary education institution. ‘Student Elevenses’ aimed to promote student wellbeing during the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis, comprised of 10–15-min daily online micro-interventions targeting six lifestyle areas for wellbeing, and was delivered via video conference. Upon programme completion, all students were invited to complete barriers to engagement survey, irrespective of whether they had attended or heard of the programme. Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographics, as well as feasibility and acceptability outcomes including recruitment rates, attendance rates and reported barriers to attendance. Open-ended questions were coded for themes. Results Less than 1% of those who consented to participate actually attended the programme, with attendance ranging from 2 to 17 participants. Participants were predominantly female (68%), domestic students (81%) and had a mean age of 29.5 years. The barriers students reported included fixed time, online format, a belief programme would not be helpful, preference for existing supports and perceived impacts of coronavirus disease 2019. Students recommended embedding support within policies/teaching, offering a range of supports and involving students in design. Conclusion Barriers to mental health promotion via telehealth should be considered to promote accessibility and acceptability for tertiary students. Future programmes should consider reaching students through mandatory activities (e.g. lectures, tutorials) and should include student consultation and co-design to support the development of programmes that meet student needs and preferences. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:03:03Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-e897f4f50eda4e1bb13a3ef61715fe16 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2055-2076 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:03:03Z |
publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
publisher | SAGE Publishing |
record_format | Article |
series | Digital Health |
spelling | doaj.art-e897f4f50eda4e1bb13a3ef61715fe162022-12-22T02:18:46ZengSAGE PublishingDigital Health2055-20762022-08-01810.1177/20552076221117746The engagement of tertiary students with an online mental health intervention during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A feasibility studyMichaela C Pascoe0Sarah Dash1Bojana Klepac Pogrmilovic2Rhiannon K Patten3Alexandra G Parker4 Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), , Melbourne, VIC, Australia Food and Mood Centre, IMPACT SRC, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia Mitchell Institute, , Melbourne, VIC, Australia Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), , Melbourne, VIC, Australia Centre for Youth Mental Health, , Parkville, VIC, AustraliaBackground We discuss the feasibility of a brief, online mental health promotion programme for tertiary students and establish recommendations for future programmes. Methods The programme ‘Student Elevenses’ was delivered at a tertiary education institution. ‘Student Elevenses’ aimed to promote student wellbeing during the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis, comprised of 10–15-min daily online micro-interventions targeting six lifestyle areas for wellbeing, and was delivered via video conference. Upon programme completion, all students were invited to complete barriers to engagement survey, irrespective of whether they had attended or heard of the programme. Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographics, as well as feasibility and acceptability outcomes including recruitment rates, attendance rates and reported barriers to attendance. Open-ended questions were coded for themes. Results Less than 1% of those who consented to participate actually attended the programme, with attendance ranging from 2 to 17 participants. Participants were predominantly female (68%), domestic students (81%) and had a mean age of 29.5 years. The barriers students reported included fixed time, online format, a belief programme would not be helpful, preference for existing supports and perceived impacts of coronavirus disease 2019. Students recommended embedding support within policies/teaching, offering a range of supports and involving students in design. Conclusion Barriers to mental health promotion via telehealth should be considered to promote accessibility and acceptability for tertiary students. Future programmes should consider reaching students through mandatory activities (e.g. lectures, tutorials) and should include student consultation and co-design to support the development of programmes that meet student needs and preferences.https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221117746 |
spellingShingle | Michaela C Pascoe Sarah Dash Bojana Klepac Pogrmilovic Rhiannon K Patten Alexandra G Parker The engagement of tertiary students with an online mental health intervention during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A feasibility study Digital Health |
title | The engagement of tertiary students with an online mental health intervention during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A feasibility study |
title_full | The engagement of tertiary students with an online mental health intervention during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A feasibility study |
title_fullStr | The engagement of tertiary students with an online mental health intervention during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A feasibility study |
title_full_unstemmed | The engagement of tertiary students with an online mental health intervention during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A feasibility study |
title_short | The engagement of tertiary students with an online mental health intervention during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A feasibility study |
title_sort | engagement of tertiary students with an online mental health intervention during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic a feasibility study |
url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221117746 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT michaelacpascoe theengagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy AT sarahdash theengagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy AT bojanaklepacpogrmilovic theengagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy AT rhiannonkpatten theengagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy AT alexandragparker theengagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy AT michaelacpascoe engagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy AT sarahdash engagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy AT bojanaklepacpogrmilovic engagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy AT rhiannonkpatten engagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy AT alexandragparker engagementoftertiarystudentswithanonlinementalhealthinterventionduringthecoronavirusdisease2019pandemicafeasibilitystudy |