Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo|Shameran Slewa?Younan|Betty A. Kitchener|Haider Mannan|Yaser Mohammad|Anthony F. Jorm
Improving the capacity of community-based workers in Australia to provide initial assistance to Iraqi refugees with mental health problems: an uncontrolled evaluation of a Mental Health Literacy Course
Translational Research Institute|Western Sydney University|Translational Research Institute|Western Sydney University|Mental Health Australia|Translational Research Institute|Western Sydney University|University of Melbourne
australia multicultural nation humanitarian program welcomes large number iraqi refugees despite high prevalence trauma related disorders professional helpseeking group low study sought evaluate facetoface mental health literacy mhl course teaches communitybased workers provide initial help iraqi refugees depression posttraumatic stress disorder ptsd related problemsan uncontrolled pre post followup design used measure improvement mhl communitybased workers assisting iraqi refugeeseightysix participants completed pre posttraining questionnaires fortyfive 52 completed 3time point questionnaires fiftysix percent 4886 participants able correctly recognise ptsd problem depicted vignette training increased 77 6686 training maintained followup 82 3745 correctly recognising problem p 0032 recognition depression also increased 69 5986 pretraining 83 7186 training 82 3745 followup significant increase perceived helpfulness professional treatments depression training p 0001 posttraining p 0010 followup significant changes reported confidence participants helping iraqi refugee pstd p 0001 posttraining p 0001 followup depression p 0001 posttraining p 0003 followup decrease also found social distance mean scores associated ptsd p 0006 posttraining p 0001 followup depression p 0007 followup changes significant following training offering help helping behaviours pstd depression vignettes dangerousunpredictable subscale depression vignettethis training recommendable way improve better equip staff respond mental health crises offer mental health first aid culturally sensitive manner iraqi refugees