Exploring the acceptability of online mental health interventions among university teaching staff: Implications for intervention dissemination and uptake

Assessment of health sciences academic advisors' mental health literacy and their experiences with students facing mental health problems

BACKGROUND

Owing to everyday educational activities, academic advisors often have to deal with mental health problems among students. Therefore, their mental health literacy must be assessed to determine whether they can detect mental health problems when working with the students.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess health sciences academic advisors' mental health literacy and their experiences dealing with university students facing mental health challenges.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken among a convenience sample of 133 health sciences academic advisors at the medical campus of a public university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. An electronic self-administered questionnaire using the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) was used to appraise participants' recognition, knowledge, and attitudes toward ways to solve mental health difficulties. Data collection was completed from November 2020 to February 2021. Descriptive statistics, Student's t-test for independent samples, One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Tukey's test were selected for data analysis.

RESULTS

Academic advisors were found to be highly literate about matters of mental health. The mean mental health literacy score was statistically significantly higher in those advisors who were lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors, and professors (p <0.001). Additionally, the mean scores were significantly higher among advisors with a teaching role of lecturer rather than those who did not have the teaching role of a clinical supervisor (t = -2.331; p = 0.021).

CONCLUSIONS

The academic advisors had an elevated level of mental health literacy, and the highly experienced academic advisors could deal better with students having mental health problems. Hence, it is essential to continue to provide educational programs and training on mental health literacy to academic advisors, as it helps them identify the signs of mental health complications. Furthermore, it improves their skills and confidence when they offer student support in coping with mental health issues.

A novel multi-component online intervention to improve the mental health of university students: Randomised controlled trial of the Uni Virtual Clinic

BACKGROUND

Of the millions of students enrolled in university, up to 50% will experience a mental disorder. Many of these students do not seek help, and for those who do, university-based services are often over-burdened. Anonymous, evidence-based, online interventions can improve students' access to mental health support. The Uni Virtual Clinic (UVC) is a transdiagnostic online mental health program designed specifically for university students. This paper reports on a randomised controlled trial examining the effectiveness of the UVC in a sample of Australian university students.

METHODS

University students with elevated psychological distress (K10>15; n = 200) were randomised to the UVC intervention or a waitlist control condition for a period of 6 weeks. Baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up surveys assessed depression, anxiety, self-efficacy, quality of life, adherence, and satisfaction with the UVC intervention.

RESULTS

Mixed models analysis demonstrated that use of the UVC was associated with small significant reductions in social anxiety and small improvements in academic self-efficacy. The program was not effective in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, or psychological distress compared to a control group. The majority of participants in the intervention condition who were retained at follow-up engaged with the program, and most of these participants reported satisfaction with the UVC.

DISCUSSION

The results suggest that multi-component online interventions such as the UVC have utility in a university environment. Future trials of the UVC should examine the impact of guidance and/or tailoring on treatment efficacy, and the potential role of the UVC in a stepped care model incorporating on-campus services.

Managing student mental health: The challenges faced by academics on professional healthcare courses

AIMS

To explore how academics on nursing and healthcare programmes are managing their roles and responsibility in relation to student mental health.

BACKGROUND

There is growing concern about the mental health of university students in general and healthcare students in particular. Shifts in Higher Education policy, encouraging a "whole university approach," may place greater responsibility for student mental health on academics. However, little is known about the challenges that poor student mental health creates for academics on healthcare programmes.

DESIGN

A qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews and focus groups, provided the opportunity for in-depth analysis.

METHODS

Fourteen academics on healthcare programmes, including seven lecturers from nursing programmes, were interviewed between May-June 2017. Constant comparison analysis was followed to support grounded theory.

RESULTS

Four key themes emerged. Academics had difficulty identifying and maintaining boundaries due to competing academic and professional identities. Student disclosures are accompanied by challenges arising due to professional responsibilities. Supporting student mental health on placement is difficult. Academics are aware and concerned about the potential negative impact of course content and practice on student mental health.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to explore in-depth the challenges faced by academics on healthcare programmes by the rising prevalence of and concern for, student mental health. The findings indicate that leaders of nursing education programmes and their managers, need to be aware that academics face complex challenges in managing and responding student mental health and may struggle to maintain boundaries due, in part, to competing professional identities.

Detection and care practices for postpartum depressive symptoms in public-sector obstetric units in Mexico: Qualitative results from a resource-constrained setting

BACKGROUND

Postpartum depression (PPD) is amenable to detection and treatment, but effectively addressing it is contingent on policies, practices, and health care providers working together to address the issue. The aim of this study is to describe a sample of health care providers' existing practices in public-sector obstetric units in Mexico related to detecting and offering care to women with depressive symptomology.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews with 40 health care providers (16 physicians, 13 nurses, three social workers, and eight psychologists) from one tertiary-level and two secondary-level, public-sector obstetric units, were conducted by members of a trained research team from May to July 2012. Qualitative data were analyzed in Spanish according to Grounded Theory, using Nvivo 10 software.

RESULTS

Lack of hospital guidelines, training, and time constraints are reasons given for not detecting PPD symptoms among women. Providers reported that their role is cursory and limited to giving women anticipatory guidance for what to expect emotionally after childbirth or providing a trusting atmosphere for women to express their feelings. Care is fragmented and inadequate, in part because of the lack of protocols that define who makes mental health referrals and where. Providers indicated PPD is important but not prioritized in health care for pregnant and postpartum women.

CONCLUSION

Critical needs in obstetric units include formal mental health care detection and care protocols during the perinatal period, strategies to address mental health needs despite short hospital stays, and training for providers on how to implement detection and care protocols and strategies.

Women's use of online resources and acceptance of e-mental health tools during the perinatal period

OBJECTIVES

The women's professional help-seeking rate for perinatal depression is low, despite the prevalent and disabling nature of this condition. Therefore, new approaches should be implemented to increase women's access and utilization of treatment resources, namely e-mental health tools. This study aimed to characterize women's current pattern of use of online resources for mental heal issues and women's acceptance of e-mental health tools during the perinatal period, and to investigate its main determinants.

METHODS

This study used an online cross-sectional survey that was completed by 546 women during the perinatal period.

RESULTS

31.3% had prior knowledge of websites targeting mental health illness. Women presenting an actual need for help (i.e., a positive screen for depression) reported greater use of online resources and greater engagement in e-health behaviors related to mental health (d=0.46-0.61), and being more accepting of e-mental health tools, particularly of informative websites. Women's perceptions concerning the e-mental tools were found to predict their intentions to use them.

CONCLUSIONS

The results seem to globally support Portuguese women's acceptance of e-mental health tools. To improve the level of acceptance, women should be involved as stakeholders in the development of new e-mental health tools and provided with specific information before their utilization.

Online support system for students in higher education: Proof-of-concept study

Background

Providing support to the increasing numbers of students facing mental health difficulties in higher education (HE) can be difficult due to stigma or lack of resources. Alternative and/or complementary sources of support are needed, such as online interventions that are recognised for their therapeutic value and cost-effectiveness.

Objectives

We aim to provide evidence supporting the conceptual and practical value of a newly developed online multimedia intervention system for HE students who face mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety and depression and study-skills difficulties.

Methods

Students from five universities were invited to participate in a cross-sectional proof-of-concept study. Students were invited through the universities’ internal communication channels. Following demonstration of each part of the system, students completed a survey with quantitative and qualitative questions.

Results

Response was largely positive. Positive responses on the features of the questionnaire ranged between 65% and 86%; on the features of the workshops ranged between 57% and 91%; on ‘My place’ ranged between 65% and 79%; on the animated videos ranged between 79% and 92%; and on the overall system ranged between 78% and 89%. Participants indicated areas for improvement and ways in which such improvement could be accomplished; these then guided the development of the system.

Conclusions

The results confirm the need for such a system. It can complement student support services (SSS) by dealing with cases with mild to moderate difficulties, hence allowing SSS to prioritise and effectively address more severe cases. Potentially this method can provide a meaningful alternative to SSS; this is worth investigating further.