Citation

Delaney A, Auger M, van der Woerd K, Crooks CV. Ment. Health Prev. 2021; 22: e200199.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.mhp.2021.200199

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

First Nations people in Canada experience high rates of mental health disorders associated with colonial trauma. The international course Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) was redeveloped by the Mental Health Commission of Canada to be more culturally relevant for First Nations communities. This follow-up study is an exploration of participants' experiences in applying first aid following their 2.5 day training in Mental Health First Aid First Nations (MHFAFN). MHFAFN course participants were invited to complete a follow-up survey at an average of 9 months (SD = 3.3) after training. The online survey included questions about their experiences using MHFAFN skills and asked for a description of the scenario, response, and outcomes. Responses were gathered from 33 participants and qualitative analysis was completed using an inductive approach to develop overarching themes. The majority of respondents personally experienced a situation where a mental health emergency or issue arose (n=25) and all but two reported they were able to respond using MHFAFN skills. For the participants who responded to the situation, they perceived their actions helped. A valuable aspect of the training was inclusion of cultural content and historical context. Respondents indicated feelings of increased confidence in responding to mental illness situations. Respondents perceived reduced mental illness stigma in their communities or work. Most respondents can translate MHFAFN content into everyday use to help a person experiencing a mental health problem. MHFAFN may help mitigate barriers to accessing mental health care in First Nations contexts.

Language: en

Keywords

Cultural Adaptation; First Aid; Indigenous; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Mental Health Education