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Bassi E, Bright K, Norman L, Pintson K, Daniel S, Sidhu S, Gondziola J, Bradley J, Fersovitch M, Stamp L, Moskovic K, LaMonica H, Iorfino F, Gaskell T, Tomlinson S, Johnson D, Dimitropoulos G. Perceptions of mental health providers of the barriers and facilitators of using and engaging youth in digital mental-health-enabled measurement based care. Digit Health 2024; 10:20552076241253093. [PMID: 38726214 PMCID: PMC11080807 DOI: 10.1177/20552076241253093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Increased rates of mental health disorders and substance use among youth and young adults have increased globally, furthering the strain on an already burdened mental health system. Digital solutions have been proposed as a potential option for the provision of timely mental health services for youth, with little research exploring mental health professional views about using such innovative tools. In Alberta, Canada, we are evaluating the implementation and integration of a digital mental health (dMH) platform into existing service pathways. Within this paper we seek to explore mental health professionals' perceptions of the barriers and facilitators that may influence their utilization of digital MH-enabled measurement-based care (MBC) with the youth who access their services. Methods A qualitative, descriptive methodology was used to inductively generate themes from focus groups conducted with mental health professionals from specialized mental health services and primary care networks in Alberta. Results As mental health professionals considered the barriers and facilitators of using dMH with youth, they referenced individual and family barriers and facilitators to consider. Providers highlighted perceived barriers, including: first, cultural stigma, family apprehension about mental health care, and parental access to dMH and MBC as deterrents to providers adopting digital platforms in routine care; second, perceptions of increased responsibility and liability for youth in crisis; third, perception that some psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders in youth are not amenable to dMH; fourth, professionals contemplated youth readiness to engage with dMH-enabled MBC. Participants also highlighted pertinent facilitators to dMH use, noting: first, the suitability of dMH for youth with mild mental health concerns; second, youth motivated to report their changes in mental health symptoms; and lastly, youth proficiency and preference for dMH options. Conclusions By identifying professionals' perceptions of barriers and facilitators for youth users, we may better understand how to address misconceptions about who is eligible and appropriate for dMH through training and education.
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Affiliation(s)
- E.M. Bassi
- Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - K.S. Bright
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, Community, and Education, Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy, and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Health Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - L.G. Norman
- Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - K. Pintson
- Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - S. Daniel
- Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - S. Sidhu
- Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - J. Gondziola
- Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - J. Bradley
- Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - M. Fersovitch
- Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - L. Stamp
- Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - K. Moskovic
- Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - H.M. LaMonica
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - F. Iorfino
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - T. Gaskell
- Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - S. Tomlinson
- Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - D.W. Johnson
- Departments of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Maternal Newborn Child and Youth Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - G. Dimitropoulos
- Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Calgary Eating Disorders Program, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Mitchell RHB, Toulany A, Chung H, Cohen E, Fu L, Strauss R, Vigod SN, Stukel TA, Moran K, Guttmann A, Kurdyak P, Artani A, Kopec M, Saunders NR. Self-harm among youth during the first 28 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada: a population-based study. CMAJ 2023; 195:E1210-E1220. [PMID: 37722745 PMCID: PMC10506509 DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.230127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Youth have reported worsening mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to evaluate rates of pediatric acute care visits for self-harm during the pandemic according to age, sex and mental health service use. METHODS We conducted a population-based, repeated cross-sectional study using linked health administrative data sets to measure monthly rates of emergency department visits and hospital admissions for self-harm among youth aged 10-17 years between Jan. 1, 2017, and June 30, 2022, in Ontario, Canada. We modelled expected rates of acute care visits for self-harm after the pandemic onset based on prepandemic rates. We reported relative differences between observed and expected monthly rates overall and by age group (10-13 yr and 14-17 yr), sex and mental health service use (new and continuing). RESULTS In this population of about 1.3 million children and adolescents, rates of acute care visits for self-harm during the pandemic were higher than expected for emergency department visits (0.27/1000 population v. 0.21/1000 population; adjusted rate ratio [RR] 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19-1.39) and hospital admissions (0.74/10 000 population v. 0.43/10 000 population, adjusted RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.46-2.03). This increase was primarily observed among females. Rates of emergency department visits and hospital admissions for self-harm were higher than expected for both those aged 10-13 years and those aged 14-17 years, as well as for both those new to the mental health system and those already engaged in care. INTERPRETATION Rates of acute care visits for self-harm among children and adolescents were higher than expected during the first 2 and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among females. These findings support the need for accessible and intensive prevention efforts and mental health supports in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel H B Mitchell
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Alene Toulany
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Hannah Chung
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Eyal Cohen
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Longdi Fu
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Rachel Strauss
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Simone N Vigod
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Therese A Stukel
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Kimberly Moran
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Astrid Guttmann
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Paul Kurdyak
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Azmina Artani
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Monica Kopec
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont
| | - Natasha R Saunders
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Mitchell); Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Mitchell); Department of Psychiatry (Mitchell, Vigod, Kurdyak), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders); Department of Pediatrics (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; ICES Central (Toulany, Chung, Cohen, Fu, Strauss, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Artani, Saunders); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Toulany, Cohen, Vigod, Stukel, Guttmann, Kurdyak, Saunders), University of Toronto; Child Health Evaluative Sciences (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Kopec, Saunders), SickKids Research Institute; Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children (Toulany, Cohen, Guttmann, Saunders), University of Toronto; Women's College Hospital (Vigod); Women's College Research Institute (Vigod); Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (Vigod); Ontario College of Family Physicians (Moran); Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kurdyak), Toronto, Ont.
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7
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Kourgiantakis T, Lee E, Kosar AKT, Tait C, Lau CKY, McNeil S, Craig S, Ashcroft R, Williams CC, Goldstein AL, Chandrasekera U, Sur D, Henderson JL. Youth cannabis use in Canada post-legalization: service providers' perceptions, practices, and recommendations. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2023; 18:36. [PMID: 37349741 PMCID: PMC10288694 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-023-00550-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2018, Canada legalized recreational cannabis use with the purpose of protecting youth and restricting access. However, concerns have been raised that this objective has not been met as rates of cannabis use among youth aged 16-24 have not declined. Youth cannabis use is associated with various adverse effects including psychosis, anxiety, depression, suicidality, respiratory distress, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, and intoxications. Service providers play a crucial role in addressing youth cannabis use. This study aimed to understand Ontario service providers' perceptions, practices, and recommendations on youth cannabis use. METHODS This mixed method study included a survey and two focus groups. The survey was distributed to mental health service providers serving youth aged 16-24 across Ontario who were given the option to participate in a focus group. The survey included closed and open-ended questions regarding perceptions, practices, and recommendations, while the focus groups explored these categories in greater depth. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze close-ended questions and interpretative content analysis was applied for open-ended questions. Focus group data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS The survey was completed by 160 service providers and 12 participated in two focus groups. Regarding perceptions, 60% of survey participants agreed with legalization, 26% had a strong understanding of medical versus recreational cannabis, 84% believed that cannabis has physical and mental health risks, and 49% perceived stigmatization. Less than half of the survey participants reported screening or assessing cannabis use, 16% stated they are highly familiar with treating cannabis use, and 67% reported that they rarely work with families. Subthemes identified in the focus groups under perceptions included normalization and stigmatization, harms for youth, and stigma, racism, and discrimination. Subthemes under practice included cannabis not being the primary focus, challenges with screening, assessment, and intervention, and referral to specialized services. Both the survey and focus group participants recommended increasing public education, enhancing service provider training, improving regulation and policies, reducing stigma and minimization, improving service access, and providing more culturally responsive services. CONCLUSION Youth cannabis use in Canada remains a significant public health concern, necessitating a more comprehensive plan to protect Ontario youth and reduce associated harms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toula Kourgiantakis
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada.
| | - Eunjung Lee
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | - A Kumsal Tekirdag Kosar
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | - Christine Tait
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | - Carrie K Y Lau
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | - Sandra McNeil
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | - Shelley Craig
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | - Rachelle Ashcroft
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | - Charmaine C Williams
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | - Abby L Goldstein
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Uppala Chandrasekera
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | - Deepy Sur
- Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - J L Henderson
- Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth and Family Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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8
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Leigh JP, Moss SJ, Sriskandarajah C, McArthur E, Ahmed SB, Birnie K, Halperin D, Halperin S, Harley M, Hu J, Ng Kamstra J, Leppan L, Nickel A, Racine N, Russell K, Smith S, Solis M, Stelfox M, Tutelman PR, Stelfox HT, Fiest KM. A muti-informant national survey on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health symptoms of parent-child dyads in Canada. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7972. [PMID: 37198202 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34544-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the mental health of children, youth, and their families which must be addressed and prevented in future public health crises. Our objective was to measure how self-reported mental health symptoms of children/youth and their parents evolved during COVID-19 and to identify associated factors for children/youth and their parents including sources accessed for information on mental health. We conducted a nationally representative, multi-informant cross-sectional survey administered online to collect data from April to May 2022 across 10 Canadian provinces among dyads of children (11-14 years) or youth (15-18 years) and a parent (> 18 years). Self-report questions on mental health were based on The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health and the World Health Organization of the United Nations H6+ Technical Working Group on Adolescent Health and Well-Being consensus framework and the Coronavirus Health and Impact Survey. McNemar's test and the test of homogeneity of stratum effects were used to assess differences between children-parent and youth-parent dyads, and interaction by stratification factors, respectively. Among 933 dyads (N = 1866), 349 (37.4%) parents were aged 35-44 years and 485 (52.0%) parents were women; 227 (47.0%) children and 204 (45.3%) youth were girls; 174 (18.6%) dyads had resided in Canada < 10 years. Anxiety and irritability were reported most frequently among child (44, 9.1%; 37, 7.7%) and parent (82, 17.0%; 67, 13.9%) dyads, as well as among youth (44, 9.8%; 35, 7.8%) and parent (68, 15.1%; 49, 10.9%) dyads; children and youth were significantly less likely to report worsened anxiety (p < 0.001, p = 0.006, respectively) or inattention (p < 0.001, p = 0.028, respectively) compared to parents. Dyads who reported financial or housing instability or identified as living with a disability more frequently reported worsened mental health. Children (96, 57.1%), youth (113, 62.5%), and their parents (253, 62.5%; 239, 62.6%, respectively) most frequently accessed the internet for mental health information. This cross-national survey contextualizes pandemic-related changes to self-reported mental health symptoms of children, youth, and families.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sofia B Ahmed
- Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Kathryn Birnie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Calgary, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Donna Halperin
- Rankin School of Nursing, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, Canada
| | - Scott Halperin
- Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Jia Hu
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Josh Ng Kamstra
- Department of Surgery, University of Hawaii John A Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI, Canada
| | - Laura Leppan
- Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Angie Nickel
- Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Nicole Racine
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Stacie Smith
- Young Canadian Roundtable On Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - May Solis
- Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Maia Stelfox
- Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Henry T Stelfox
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Calgary, Canada
- O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Kirsten M Fiest
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Calgary, Canada
- O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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