Mobilizing Minds at the ‘The International Conference on the Use of the Internet in Mental Health’ May 14-16, 2009 in Montreal, Canada

York’s KM Unit is pleased to support the Mobilizing Minds: Pathways to Young Adult Mental Health research group. ResearchImpact’s own David Phipps is a co-applicant on this project and is supporting the group by working to identify lead community and practitioner champions, as well as to develop a strategy for community engagement.

Researchers from the Mobilizing Minds: Pathways To Young Adult Mental Health research group presented at the International Internet and Mental Health Conference.

To learn more about the Mobilizing Minds group check out their recently released web site: www.mobilizingminds.ca

The first presentation by this group focused on how well web sites concerning children’s anxiety disorders answer parents’ questions about treatment choices. Results demonstrated that web sites varied tremendously in the quality and quantity of information provided. The mean readability score across web sites was low, indicating that comprehension of this information may be beyond the scope of many parents. Future knowledge synthesis research is required to answer parents’ questions more comprehensively. This research also demonstrates a need for web sites to support informed decision making by enhancing the quality of information provided. Check out this presentation, WorkshopA3 by Kristin Reynolds here.

The second presentation used an innovative qualitative research methodology. The Internet Blogs of 8 young adults, who were suffering from problems with mood and anxiety disorders, were analyzed in an effort to understand their experiences. These young adults reported a pervasive sense of powerlessness over their all-consuming mental health problems but simultaneously felt that they ‘should’ have control over these experiences. They also reported experiencing a strong sense of disconnection and alienation from others. The results stress the need for a community of practice approach that includes decreasing young adults’ sense of disconnection by designing community systems, which are inviting and give young adults a voice, and include a range of treatment options.

Check out the www.mobilizingminds.ca web site to see this poster.

ResearchImpact helps to launch Mobilizing Minds: Pathways to Young Adult Mental Health

David Phipps, ResearchImpact/York University
Tara Syed, Mobilizing Minds/Trent University

Mobilizing Minds is a $1.5M CIHR funded 5 year KM project which is a partnership between young adults and academic researchers (jointly lead by York and UManitoba). The project will develop tools to inform young adults’ decisions about mental health and will also study the process of KM and young adult/adult partnership. This past weekend (Feb 28 and March 1) the young adult leaders and adult mentors met at the Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement in Toronto to launch the youth engagement aspect of the project. Young adults received an over view of the project and learned the basics of KM through the KM Rap (which may, or may not, be coming to a video near you…). The young adult leaders brainstormed ideas for young adult engagement on all the project teams and the young adult leaders identified two projects of particular interest to them.

1) By examining key organizations that have already undertaken the integrated health team approach, the young adult team will create a model for the integration of health care professionals into centres where normally only primary care physicians would be accessible. Another goal in this initiative is to develop the structure for a youth advisory board to provide feedback to the health team and to identify a youth advocate to help navigate new comers to the system.

2) Increase public awareness and education about treatment options (includes conventional medicine, alternative therapies, and psychological/cognitive therapies) available to those experiencing mental health issues and disorders. Efficacy, side effects and withdrawal symptoms, if any, will be included in the discussion of each treatment option.

Tara Syed is a 3rd year Biology major at Trent University and, partnered with ResearchImpact’s David Phipps, is the young adult leader on the Community Partnership Team. In addition to getting community and practitioner input into the Mobilizing Minds project Tara identified that it was equally important to get young adult input into policy decisions in community and practitioner organizations. Tara and David agreed to identify lead community and practitioner champions in Toronto and Peterborough and jointly develop a strategy for community engagement on the project.

A big thank you to those community organizations who have already given their support to the project. You’ll be hearing from us.