Authors: Khalid Shah
Year: 2017
Event: 2017 TheMHS Conference
Subject: Reducing Stigma and Discrimination,Promotion, Prevention, Early Intervention,Community, Culture, Society,Research & Evaluation Informing Practice,Technology, e-health
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
Abstract: Context: Asian communities make up the fastest growing minority in New Zealand. However, as mental illness, drug abuse and addiction problems are considered taboo subjects in many Asian cultures the extent of these problems is largely unknown. Since Asian communities readily access primary care services, these services may offer opportunities to identify and support Asian populations in need.
Objectives: This project aims to explore the acceptability and utility of eCHAT (Electronic Case-Finding and Help Assessment Tool) as an appropriate screener for mental health and lifestyle issues in Asian patients.
Methods: A co-design approach is used, with programme implementation, collation and refinement of resources, and mixed-methods data collection conducted in partnership with clinical staff at Apollo Medical Centre in Auckland. eCHAT was translated to Chinese and Korean for the purpose of the project (ASIAN eCHAT). Data collection from conducted between April 2016 until December 2016.
Results: Quantitative; 95% acceptance rate, 70% female & 30 % male participants, 26% problems with anxiety, 47 % requested help. 4.5% mild to moderate depression and 2.3 % severe depression, 60% of whom requested help. 50% of youth participants identified issues with sexual behaviours.
Qualitative: well accepted as screening tool, helped identified mental health and lifestyle issues and improved patients and clinicians knowledge about mental health issues.
Conclusion: The results indicate that Asian-eCHAT is an acceptable and useful tool for screening and supporting Asians with mental health and lifestyle concerns. It has the potential to enable better detection of issues facing Asians, as well as more clinically and cost-efficient assessment and stepped-care support.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objective 1: The role of primary health in early detection and identification of mental health issues amongst Asian communities living in foreign societies.
Learning Objective 2: Electronic screening tool (eCHAT) an effective tool for early detection of mental health issues for Asians and improving access to mental health services.
References
1. Goodyear-Smith, F., Warren, J., Bojic, M., & Chong, A. (2013). eCHAT for lifestyle and mental health screening in primary care. Annals of Family Medicine, 11(5), 460-466. doi:10.1370/afm.1512 [doi]
2. Wong, A. (2015). Challenges for Asian health and Asian health promotion in New Zealand.
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