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International Journal of Mental Health Systems
Published in: International Journal of Mental Health Systems 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Review

Mental health first aid training for the Bhutanese refugee community in the United States

Authors: Parangkush Subedi, Changwei Li, Ashok Gurung, Destani Bizune, M Christina Dogbey, Caroline C Johnson, Katherine Yun

Published in: International Journal of Mental Health Systems | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for Bhutanese refugee community leaders in the U.S. We hypothesized that training refugee leaders would improve knowledge of mental health problems and treatment process and decrease negative attitudes towards people with mental illness.

Methods

One hundred and twenty community leaders participated in MHFA training, of whom 58 had sufficient English proficiency to complete pre- and post-tests. The questionnaires assessed each participant's ability to recognize signs of depression, knowledge about professional help and treatment, and attitudes towards people with mental illness.

Results

Between the pre- and post-test, participants showed significant improvement in the recognition of symptoms of depression and expressed beliefs about treatment that became more concordant with those of mental health professionals. However, there was no reduction in negative attitudes towards people with mental illness.

Conclusions

MHFA training course is a promising program for Bhutanese refugee communities in the U.S. However, some adaptations may be necessary to ensure that MHFA training is optimized for this community.
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Metadata
Title
Mental health first aid training for the Bhutanese refugee community in the United States
Authors
Parangkush Subedi
Changwei Li
Ashok Gurung
Destani Bizune
M Christina Dogbey
Caroline C Johnson
Katherine Yun
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
International Journal of Mental Health Systems / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1752-4458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-015-0012-z

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