Evaluating the perceptions of a required didactic Mental Health First Aid training course among first-year pharmacy students.
Didactic
MHFA
Mental health first aid
Pharmacy
Students
Journal
Currents in pharmacy teaching & learning
ISSN: 1877-1300
Titre abrégé: Curr Pharm Teach Learn
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101560815
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
09 2023
09 2023
Historique:
received:
08
09
2022
revised:
29
06
2023
accepted:
27
07
2023
medline:
1
9
2023
pubmed:
6
8
2023
entrez:
5
8
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training was designed to help participants identify mental health challenges and provide support to those in need. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of a required first-year didactic MHFA course and to determine if MHFA reduces stigma and increases confidence in first-year pharmacy students' abilities to offer help to those experiencing a mental health challenge or a crisis. Participants were first-year doctor of pharmacy students at a single site in the United States. Methods include the utilization of a survey-based study among a single pharmacy program. Students enrolled in this required MHFA training were asked to voluntarily complete pre- and post-training surveys. A total of 69 first-year pharmacy students participated in the MHFA training. Results demonstrated that students agreed with being able to identify stigmatizing words associated with mental health disorders and that they will work to reduce or avoid using words that can be perceived as stigmatizing related to mental health (P < .001). Students reported increased confidence in their ability to start a conversation with someone who may need mental health help compared to their confidence level before the training (P < .001). Completing MHFA training during the early phases of didactic education can help reduce stigma and increase confidence in abilities to help those experiencing a mental health challenge. Programs should consider implementing MHFA or similar training early in the didactic curriculum.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training was designed to help participants identify mental health challenges and provide support to those in need. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of a required first-year didactic MHFA course and to determine if MHFA reduces stigma and increases confidence in first-year pharmacy students' abilities to offer help to those experiencing a mental health challenge or a crisis.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING
Participants were first-year doctor of pharmacy students at a single site in the United States. Methods include the utilization of a survey-based study among a single pharmacy program. Students enrolled in this required MHFA training were asked to voluntarily complete pre- and post-training surveys.
FINDINGS
A total of 69 first-year pharmacy students participated in the MHFA training. Results demonstrated that students agreed with being able to identify stigmatizing words associated with mental health disorders and that they will work to reduce or avoid using words that can be perceived as stigmatizing related to mental health (P < .001). Students reported increased confidence in their ability to start a conversation with someone who may need mental health help compared to their confidence level before the training (P < .001).
SUMMARY
Completing MHFA training during the early phases of didactic education can help reduce stigma and increase confidence in abilities to help those experiencing a mental health challenge. Programs should consider implementing MHFA or similar training early in the didactic curriculum.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37543523
pii: S1877-1297(23)00202-2
doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2023.07.014
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
824-828Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of Competing Interest None.