Unit:
Διατμηματικό ΠΜΣ Προαγωγή και Αγωγή της ΥγείαςLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Diakoumakou Foteini
Supervisors info:
Γεώργιος Γιαννακόπουλος, Διδάκτωρ, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Ανδρονίκη Νάσκα, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Καλλιρρόη Παπαδοπούλου, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, ΤΕΑΠΗ, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Παρέμβαση σε Επαγγελματίες Υγείας για την Αναγνώριση και Διαχείριση της Εφηβικής Κατάθλιψης
Translated title:
Intervention in Health Proffessionals for the Identification and Management of the adolescent depression
Summary:
Introduction
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in puberty and is responsible for numerous adverse outcomes for the teenagers, with suicide being the worst. Despite the frequency of the phenomenon, many teenagers are not diagnosed. There is evidence that the contact with the healthcare professionals, their support and effort to solve the problems faced by teenagers are often enough to prevent depression and that interventions for the early diagnosis and treatment of adolescent depression should be carried out.
Purpose
The present study sought to develop and evaluate a concise, evidence-based, intervention training program for the detection and management of adolescent depression by healthcare professionals, by using specialized questionnaires to assess depressive symptoms in adolescents and refer the teenagers to mental health services. The specific objectives were to increase the health professionals' knowledge of the symptoms of adolescent depression, the degree they consider their role to recognize and manage cases of teenage depression, the perceived level of preparation to recognize and manage it and the reduction of the individual barriers which they face during the recognition and management process.
Materials and methods
A pretest-posttest nonequivalent groups design was used. The intervention consisted of 19 health professionals whereas the comparison group consisted of 17 health professionals, all recruited through social media and scientific societies. The intervention was an e- learning program. The comparison group received no intervention. A questionnaire was constructed for the evaluation of the program. Within and between-groups differences were considered.
Results
In a sample of 36 health professionals, the use of recognition and management practices for adolescent depression was unfamiliar for health professionals, as almost seven out of ten had not used them. The intervention group showed significantly higher levels of belief that the recognition and management of adolescent depression is among their responsibilities, of preparation to use specific recognition and management practices, of use of recognition and management practices, of knowledge about the adolescent depression, and reduction of individual barriers (p < 0,01).
Conclusions
The results of the research have shown that even a short e-learning course can lead to increased knowledge and the mobilization of the healthcare professionals. However, the need for such programs to be included in broader, multilevel and advanced interventions for the detection and management of adolescent depression by health professionals is of utmost importance.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Depression, Adolescence, Primary health care, Educational intervention, Screening
