Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
International Journal of Mental Health Systems
Published in: International Journal of Mental Health Systems 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Research

Improving responses to depression and related disorders: evaluation of a innovative, general, mental health care workers training program

Published in: International Journal of Mental Health Systems | Issue 1/2010

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Australian General Practitioners have been beneficiaries of extensive training in mental health care delivery over the last few years but less so other workers who support those with mental illness. Training is needed as it is widely recognised that the most effective interventions to prevent and treat mental disorders are often not readily available. The Mental Health Aptitudes into Practice (MAP) training package is a broad, innovative, interdisciplinary, general mental health training aimed at improving responses to individuals with depression and related disorders. The modular structure of this training program meant that such training could be targeted at those with varied backgrounds. Two hundred and seventy one days of free MAP training was delivered across Victoria in 2004/2005. The evaluation reported here assessed whether changes occurred in the trainees' confidence, mental health literacy, attitudes towards effective treatments, mental health knowledge and skills and community mental health ideology following training.

Methods

These elements were assessed using pen and paper tests prior, immediately following, 6 months after and then 12 months after the training. Trainees' confidence, mental health literacy and social distance were measured using scales that have been used in evaluations of Mental Health First Aid Training. Community mental health ideology was measured using a sub-scale of the Community Attitudes to the Mentally Ill (CAMI) scale. The trainees' knowledge and skills were accessed using instrumentation specifically designed for this evaluation.

Results

Following training, participants had more confidence in their ability to work with those who have mental health issues and less desire for social distance from them. Participants' knowledge and skills in relation to the treatment of mental disorders increased. These changes were observed immediately after training. The limited existing evidence suggests these changes were sustained six and twelve months later.

Conclusions

MAP training can be used to develop the capacity and capabilities of mental health workers.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
McGorry P: 'Every me and every you': responding to the hidden challenge of mental illness in Australia. Australas Psychiatry. 2005, 13: 3-15.PubMed
2.
Alegria M, Kessler RC, Bijl R, Lin E, Heeringa SG, Takeuchi DT, Kolody B: Comparing data on mental health service use between countries. Unmet need in psychiatry. Edited by: Andrews G, Henderson S. 2000, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 97-118. full_text.CrossRef
3.
Australian Bureau of Statistics: National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of results. Canberra. 2007
4.
World Health Organization: mhGAP Mental Health Gap Action Programme: Scaling up care for mental, neurological, and substance use disorders. 2008, Geneva: World Health Organization
5.
Council of Australian Governments (COAG): National Action Plan on Mental Health 2006-2011. Canberra. 2006
6.
State Government of Victoria: Because mental health matters: A new focus for mental health and wellbeing in Victoria. 2008, Melbourne: Victorian Government Department of Human Services
7.
The Boston Consulting Group: Improving mental health outcomes in Victoria: the next wave of reform. 2006, Melbourne The Boston Consulting Group
8.
Lambert G, Gournay K: Training for the mental health workforce: a review of developments in the United Kingdom. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 1999, 33: 694-700.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Kitchener BA, Jorm AF: Mental health first aid training for the public: evaluation of effects on knowledge attitudes and helping behaviour. BMC Psychiatry. 2002, 2: 10.1186/1471-244X-2-10.
10.
Kitchener BA, Jorm AF: Mental health first aid training: review of evaluation studies. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2006, 40: 6-8.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Kitchener BA, Jorm AF: Mental Health First Aid: An international programme for early intervention. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2008, 2: 55-61. 10.1111/j.1751-7893.2007.00056.x.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Sebuliba D, Vostanis P: Child and adolescent mental health training for primary care staff. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2001, 6: 191-204. 10.1177/1359104501006002003.CrossRef
13.
Richter D, Needham I: Effects of aggression management trainings for mental health care and disability care staff - Systematic review. Psychiatr Prax. 2007, 34: 7-14. 10.1055/s-2006-940063.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Kirby J, Keon W: Out of the shadows at last. Highlights and Recommendations The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs. Science and Technology. 2006
15.
Gray J, Julian J: MAP training project final report. Southern Synergy. 2007
16.
Mitchell P: Roles, Performance and Capacities of Community-based Primary Care Services in Mental Health: Voices from the Bridge. 2004, Melbourne: Program Evaluation Unit, School of Population Health
17.
Stufflebeam DL: CIPP evaluation model checklist: A tool for applying the fifth installment of the CIPP Model to assess long-term enterprises. 2002CrossRef
18.
Goldney RD, Fisher LJ, Wilson DH: Mental Health Literacy: an impediment to the optimum treatment of major depression in the community. J Affect Disord. 2001, 64: 277-284. 10.1016/S0165-0327(00)00227-5.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Lauber C, Nordt C, Rossler W: Recommendations of mental health professionals and the general population on how to treat mental disorders. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2005, 40: 835-843. 10.1007/s00127-005-0953-7.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Jorm AF: Mental health literacy. Public knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders. Br J Psychiatry. 2000, 177: 396-401. 10.1192/bjp.177.5.396.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Wright A, Harris MG, Wiggers JH, Jorm AF, Cotton SM, Harrigan SM, Hurworth RE, McGorry PD: Recognition of depression and psychosis by young Australians and their beliefs about treatment. Med J Aust. 2005, 183: 18-23.PubMed
22.
Marie D, Miles B: Social distance and perceived dangerousness across four diagnostic categories of mental disorder. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2008, 42: 126-133. 10.1080/00048670701787545.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Lauber C, Carlos N, Wulf R: Lay beliefs about treatments for people with mental illness and their implications for antistigma strategies. Can J Psychiatry. 2005, 50: 745-752.PubMed
24.
Thornton JA, Wahl OF: Impact of a newspaper article on attitudes toward mental illness. J Community Psychol. 1996, 24: 17-25. 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6629(199601)24:1<17::AID-JCOP2>3.0.CO;2-0.CrossRef
25.
Taylor SM, Dear MJ: Scaling community attitudes toward the mentally ill. Schizophr Bull. 1981, 7: 225-240.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Link BG, Phelan JC, Bresnahan M, Stueve A, Pescosolido BA: Public conceptions of mental illness: labels, causes, dangerousness, and social distance. Am J Public Health. 1999, 89: 1328-1333. 10.2105/AJPH.89.9.1328.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
27.
Kitchener BA, O'Kearney R, Dear KB: Mental health first aid training of the public in a rural area: a cluster randomized trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2004, 4: 33-10.1186/1471-244X-4-23.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
28.
Kitchener BA, Jorm AF: Mental health first aid training in a workplace setting: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2004, 4: 23-10.1186/1471-244X-4-23.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
29.
Sartore GM, Kelly B, Stain HJ, Fuller J, Fragar L, Tonna A: Improving mental health capacity in rural communities: mental health first aid delivery in droughtaffected rural New South Wales. Aust J Rural Health. 2008, 16: 313-318. 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2008.01005.x.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Lam AY, Jorm AF, Wong DK: Mental health first aid training for the Chinese community in Melbourne, Australia: effects on knowledge about and attitudes toward people with mental illness. Int J Ment Health Syst. 4: 18-10.1186/1752-4458-4-18.
31.
Pagnin D, de Queiroz V, Pini SC, Giovanni B: Efficacy of ECT in Depression: A Meta-Analytic Review. Focus. 2008, 6: 155-162.CrossRef
32.
Granello DH, Pauley P, Carmichael A: The relationship of the media to attitudes toward people with mental illness. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development. 1999, 38: 98-110.CrossRef
33.
Hinkelman L, Granello DH: Biological Sex, Adherence to Traditional Gender Roles, and Attitudes Toward Persons with Mental Illness: An Exploratory Investigation. Journal of Mental Health Counseling. 2003, 25: 359-270.CrossRef
34.
Cotton D: The attitudes of Canadian police officers toward the mentally ill. Int J Law Psychiatry. 2004, 27: 135-146. 10.1016/j.ijlp.2004.01.004.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Krawitz R: Borderline personality disorder: attitudinal change following training. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2004, 38: 554-559.CrossRefPubMed
36.
O'Hara MW, Gorman LL, Wright EJ: Description and evaluation of the Iowa Depression Awareness, Recognition, and Treatment Program. Am J Psychiatry. 1996, 153: 645-649.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Nakash RA, Hutton JL, Jorstad-Stein EC, Gates S, Lamb SE: Maximising response to postal questionnaires--a systematic review of randomised trials in health research. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2006, 6: 5-10.1186/1471-2288-6-5.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Improving responses to depression and related disorders: evaluation of a innovative, general, mental health care workers training program
Publication date
01-12-2010
Published in
International Journal of Mental Health Systems / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1752-4458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-4458-4-25

Other articles of this Issue 1/2010

International Journal of Mental Health Systems 1/2010 Go to the issue

Research

Psychologists experience of cognitive behaviour therapy in a developing country: a qualitative study from Pakistan

Research

Development of the Nursing Relationships Scale: a measure of interpersonal approaches in nursing care

Research

Mental health first aid training for the Chinese community in Melbourne, Australia: effects on knowledge about and attitudes toward people with mental illness

Research

Collective trauma in the Vanni- a qualitative inquiry into the mental health of the internally displaced due to the civil war in Sri Lanka

Research

Rehabilitation of torture survivors in five countries: common themes and challenges

Research

Schizophrenia and quality of life: how important are symptoms and functioning?