Mental Health Focus: Room 3 / Salle 107
13:30PM-15:10PM (Sorbonne Université)
Government, University and Community Organizations Partner to Prevent the Pandemic’s Effects on Mental and Emotional Health : COVID-19 Messaging Campaigns Show Reach and Impact Through Strong Collaborations View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Celina Wille, Melanie Jewkes, Paige Wray, Gabriela Murza
Utah saw high numbers of infection and death due to COVID-19, despite the state’s health directives, and ranked in the top ten nationally for COVID transmission rates. To reduce the spread and mitigate the potential isolating effects of physical distancing guidelines on mental and emotional health, Utah State University (USU) Extension reached vulnerable communities through unique educational and awareness campaigns. USU Extension received funding to promote COVID-19 health guidance to impacted communities in accordance with Utah’s Governor’s directives. In the Fall of 2020, a campaign was designed and executed leveraging the reach of media channels with on-the-ground efforts. Materials developed targeted seniors and caregivers, Native American and Latino communities, parents of school-aged youth, those with limited internet access, and the public within nine counties in specific areas of concern. The grant objectives were to improve awareness, attitudes, and behaviors related to COVID-19 guidelines. Working with community partners, a multidisciplinary Extension team designed and translated materials to Spanish and [Native American] languages. Creative messages were distributed as fliers, magnets, posters, radio ads, billboards, bus ads, social media and website ads. Impact data was gathered by surveying residents in those high-transmission areas. A Qualtrics® survey was designed and sent to a random sample from the target populations to assess changes in awareness, attitudes, and behaviors. Results showed that seeing the messages more than once increased awareness and favorable attitudes toward COVID-19 guidelines and encouraged adoption of practices that improve mental and emotional health and reduce the risk of COVID-19.
Analysis of County Physician and Nurse Practitioner Roles Regarding Measurement-based Quality Improvement Factors for Indirect Behavioral Healthcare Delivery View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Madison Parsons
Death rates from suicide, drug abuse, and chronic liver diseases have increased steadily over the last 15 years. Such behavioral health problems are amenable to prevention and intervention. Because behavioral healthcare (i.e. substance abuse and mental health services) has traditionally been delivered separately from physical healthcare rather than together, the Surgeon General’s report calls for integrating the two types of healthcare. However, surveillance for behavioral health has been hindered by organizational barriers, limitations of existing data sources, and issues related to stigma and confidentiality. A future integration of both process and outcome measures is the ideal standard of quality assessment for any healthcare system, and nationwide studies have found that the quality of behavioral healthcare varies widely. Variations in quality of care have been shown to influence critical clinical outcomes: rates of remission and relapse, severity of symptoms and functioning, and patients’ quality of life. Thus, it is important to advocate integration of measurement-based quality improvement factors into healthcare delivery. The purpose of this study is to explore, at the clinician level, the provider’s role in indirect healthcare delivery looking closely at the link they play between patients and supplemental programs. This study specifically focuses on psychiatric physician and nurse practitioner roles for adult outpatient facilities using semi-structured face-to-face interview methods. The results provide data that can be coded and used in identifying possible barriers and/or areas of success towards the integration of measurement-based quality improvement factors for behavioral healthcare delivery for county run facilities.
