Primary care and youth mental health in Ireland: qualitative study in deprived urban areas

BMC Family Practice

Research Article

Eamon Keenan¹  Rachel Davis²  Blanaid Gavin³  Fiona McNicholas³  Lena Sanci⁴  Patrick Ryan⁵  Bobby P Smyth⁶  Edel Reilly⁷  Claire Armstrong⁸  Dorothy Leahy⁸  Elisabeth Schaffalitzky⁸  David Meagher⁸  Walter Cullen⁸  Ray O’Connor⁹  Ellen O’Dea^1,10  Paula Cussen-Murphy^1,11  Pat McGorry^1,12  Tom P O’Toole^1,13  Barbara Dooley^1,14  Rory Keane^1,15  Linda Latham^1,16  Veronica O’Keane^1,17  Gerard Bury^1,18 

[1] Addiction Services, HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster, Dublin, Ireland;Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, HSE Mid-West, Limerick, Ireland;Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Lucena Clinic, Rathgar, Dublin 6, Ireland;Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia;Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland;Fatima Regeneration Board, Rialto, Dublin 8, Ireland;Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;HSE Mid-West, Limerick, Ireland;HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster, Dublin, Ireland;HSE Mid-West, Limerick, Ireland;Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia;Providence VA Medical Centre & Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Rhode, Island, USA;School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland;Sláinte Drug & Alcohol Services, HSE Mid-West, Limerick, Ireland;Thomas Court Primary Care Centre, Dublin 8, Ireland;Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Tallaght Hospital, Dublin 24, Ireland;UCD School of Medicine & Medical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland;

关键词: Young people;    Urban deprivation;    Mental health;    Substance use;    Primary care;    General practice;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2296-14-194

 received in 2013-05-30, accepted in 2013-12-09,  发布年份 2013

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMental disorders account for six of the 20 leading causes of disability worldwide with a very high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in youth aged 15–24 years. However, healthcare professionals are faced with many challenges in the identification and treatment of mental and substance use disorders in young people (e.g. young people’s unwillingness to seek help from healthcare professionals, lack of training, limited resources etc.) The challenge of youth mental health for primary care is especially evident in urban deprived areas, where rates of and risk factors for mental health problems are especially common. There is an emerging consensus that primary care is well placed to address mental and substance use disorders in young people especially in deprived urban areas. This study aims to describe healthcare professionals’ experience and attitudes towards screening and early intervention for mental and substance use disorders among young people (16–25 years) in primary care in deprived urban settings in Ireland.MethodsThe chosen method for this qualitative study was inductive thematic analysis which involved semi-structured interviews with 37 healthcare professionals from primary care, secondary care and community agencies at two deprived urban centres.ResultsWe identified three themes in respect of interventions to increase screening and treatment: (1) Identification is optimised by a range of strategies, including raising awareness, training, more systematic and formalised assessment, and youth-friendly practices (e.g. communication skills, ensuring confidentiality); (2) Treatment is enhanced by closer inter-agency collaboration and training for all healthcare professionals working in primary care; (3) Ongoing engagement is enhanced by motivational work with young people, setting achievable treatment goals, supporting transition between child and adult mental health services and recognising primary care’s longitudinal nature as a key asset in promoting treatment engagement.ConclusionsEspecially in deprived areas, primary care is central to early intervention for youth mental health. Identification, treatment and continuing engagement are likely to be enhanced by a range of strategies with young people, healthcare professionals and systems. Further research on youth mental health and primary care, including qualitative accounts of young people’s experience and developing complex interventions that promote early intervention are priorities. (350 words)

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Leahy et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013