Starting at the Beginning: The Role of Public Health Nursing in Promoting Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health

Review: Improving access to mental health interventions for children from birth to five years: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

In spite of infants and children aged 0-5 years experiencing mental health difficulties being estimated to be in the range of 6%-18% globally, the mental health care needs for this age group are often overlooked in the design of specialist mental health services. Although there is increasing recognition of the importance of infant mental health services and treatments for younger children, access remains a barrier. Mental health services specifically designed for children 0-5 years are vital; however, little is known about how these services ensure access for infants at risk of mental health difficulties and their families. This scoping review seeks to address this knowledge gap.

METHODS

A scoping review methodology framework was used to search for relevant articles published between January 2000 and July 2021, identified using five databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SocIndex and Web of Science. The selection of studies was based on empirical research about access to infant mental health services and models of care. A total of 28 relevant articles met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in this review.

RESULTS

Findings can be summarised under five broad themes: (1) accessibility for at-risk populations (2) the importance of early detection of infants in need of mental health services and interventions; (3) the promotion of culturally responsive services and interventions; (4) ensuring the sustainability of IMH services and programs and (5) the integration of innovative interventions to improve existing practice models.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this scoping review highlight barriers to access and provision of infant mental health services. Future infant mental health service design, informed by research, is needed to improve access for infants and young children with mental health difficulties and their families.

Creating safe relational space: Public health nurses work with mothering refugee women

OBJECTIVE

Exploring how public health nurses (PHNs) provide community-based support to women who are refugees and mothering.

DESIGN

A constructivist grounded theory (CGT) design was used where intersectionality as an analytical tool was applied. Varying data collection approaches including focus groups were used.

SAMPLE

Twelve PHNs from four public health units in Western Canada participated in this study.

RESULTS

Participants in this study described an overall process of creating safe relational space to address a basic social problem of establishing trust while managing structural forces. This overarching process was expressed through burning with passion, connecting while looking beyond, protecting from re-traumatization, and fostering independence. Findings reveal strategies PHNs used to enhance health equity. This study extends critical caring theory to include sociopolitical and economic influences on public health nursing practice. Consequences of these influences on the mothering refugee women population are also revealed. Implications include structural integration of trauma-and-violence-informed principles to support public health nursing practice.

CONCLUSIONS

This study adds to an emerging body of knowledge on PHNs work with complex populations. Innovative application of intersectionality is demonstrated as an effective approach to analyzing impacts of broad sociopolitical priorities on communities that are systemically marginalized.

Assessing Undergraduate Student Nurses' Performance in Various Public Health Roles Using Simulation

Purpose: To expose students to various public health roles and complement clinical experience using simulated encounters.Design: This exploratory study assessed students' performance of basic nursing tasks for three public health nurse roles.Methods: 15-guided questions were used to evaluate a convenience sample of 137 students' expected performance compared to their actual performance of basic nursing skills.Findings: Students' performed well in all nurse roles with some significant differences in completing a few critical tasks in the case manager and school nurse roles.Conclusion: Simulation can address gaps in nursing programs and expose student nurses to various public health roles using real-life scenarios.Clinical Evidence: Lack of clinical sites in public health limits students' experience to a myriad of nurse functions within communities.

Promoting "Zest for Life": A Systematic Literature Review of Resiliency Factors to Prevent Youth Suicide

Suicide is a leading cause of death among youth globally. In this critical interpretive synthesis, we examined literature on resiliency factors and suicidality. Systematic searches identified 474 articles, 37 of which were included. Results revealed internal (positive self-appraisal, zest for life, personal traits, and coping skills) and external factors (social support system and inclusive environments) contribute to resilience among youth, with age, sex and gender, and Indigenous identity as important intersecting considerations. Findings validated fostering resilience as primary suicide prevention among youth, with little explanation for how these factors may work to protect youth from suicidality. Continued research in this area requires a focus on how to promote resilience at the community and systems levels.

Promoting Infant Mental Health Through Evidence-Informed Interventions to Support Infant Feeding and the Transition to Parenthood: A Clinical Practice Example

Infant mental health is influenced by many factors including the successful transition to parenthood and the feeding relationship with caregivers. Region of Peel – Public Health in Ontario, Canada promotes infant mental health through interventions that encourage cue-based feeding and responsive infant care that helps individual families meet their infant feeding goals and build a foundation of responsive parenting. Interventions have been developed to meet the needs of a large, ethnically diverse population. The use of a biodevelopmental framework identifying nutrition and the environment of relationships as important foundations of health provided key areas of focus for Nurturing the Next Generation, a public health strategic priority. Research evidence, literature syntheses, local research, and data informed the interventions. The promotion of a positive nursing practice environment supports the public health nurses who deliver these interventions. This framework of effective public health practice contributes to long-term health outcomes, including the promotion of mental health for infants, their families, and the population.