Top
Subscribe

Testimonials

Read more testimonials

Not a member? Click here to find out about the benefits of membership and how to sign up.

Search
Contact Us

Tasha Broomhall

Mental Health &

Wellbeing Strategist

P: +61 (08) 6401 3499

M: +61 (0) 447 619 506

E: 

Public Research

Uncontrolled trial with the public, 2001

The first evaluation study of MHFA was an uncontrolled trial in 2001 with members of the public living in Canberra. This trial examined the effects of the course on knowledge of mental disorders, stigmatising attitudes and help provided to others. There were 210 participants who were given questionnaires at the beginning of the course, at the end, and at 6 months follow-up. The course was found to produce the following benefits:

  • Better recognition of mental disorders from case vignettes
  • Changed beliefs about treatment to be more like those of health professionals
  • Decreased social distance from people with mental disorders
  • Increased confidence in providing help
  • Increase in the amount of help provided to others

Download full report of uncontrolled trial from BMC Psychiatry 2002, 2:10 here.

There is also a report of this article in the British Medical Journal 16 November 2002: Download here.

 

Australian national survey looks at Mental Health First Aid responses of the public, 2003-2004

A national survey of 4000 Australian adults has examined how they would respond to someone they know and care about who has a mental disorder. Survey participants were given a description of a person with either depression or schizophrenia and asked what they would do to help the person. Many people said they would listen to the person and encourage professional help-seeking. However, a significant minority did not even mention these basic first aid strategies. Few said they would contact a professional on the person's behalf or accompany them to a professional. Mental Health First Aid responses were generally more appropriate in women than men, and in participants with less stigmatising attitudes. Participants who could correctly recognise depression or schizophrenia in the descriptions also had better first aid responses. These results show that mental health first aid skills need improving in a number of areas. They also show that lack of knowledge of mental disorders and stigmatising attitudes are barriers to people providing first aid.

Download full report of this survey from BMC Psychiatry 2005, 5:9 here.