TY - JOUR
T1 - Reducing mental health distress and preventing depression in young people in the community
T2 - A multimethod observational study with a real-world and prospective 12-month controlled approach: mental health distress in community youths
AU - Hui, Christy Lai Ming
AU - Chen, Eric Yu Hai
AU - Wong, Stephanie Ming Yin
AU - Wong, Gloria Hoi Yan
AU - Chan, Sherry Kit Wa
AU - Sham, Pak Chung
AU - Wong, Michael Tak Hing
AU - Chan, Kai Tai
AU - Cheung, Charlton
AU - Lai, Gabriel Chun Hei
AU - Rickwood, Debra
AU - Mcgorry, Patrick D.
AU - Suen, Yi Nam
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (funding reference number 2020/0012/001 ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Community-based youth mental health (YMH) platforms are challenging to evaluate. Using a multi-method approach, we examined the efficacy of an integrated YMH program in Hong Kong. The real-world outcomes of 1047 participants were compared with a propensity score (PS) matched control group randomly selected from the community (study 1). In a separate prospective 12-month study, a sample of up to 133 matched pairs of YMH and controls were compared for more detailed symptomatic and functional outcomes (study 2). Study 1 revealed that the YMH program was associated with a significant reduction in distress. A higher proportion of YMH participants improved, and fewer deteriorated compared with controls. The YMH program also translated into a net reduction of 1.28 % in the risk of common disorders. Study 2 revealed that the YMH program showed significant reductions in depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, distress, and functioning after 12 months. The two complementary studies, using PS-matched controlled comparisons, enabled the sample representativeness and the comprehensive examination of the longitudinal impact. This YMH program reduces current distress, symptoms, and functional impairment, and prevents the emergence of probable mental disorder. Findings have significant implications for developing and evaluating future YMH services.
AB - Community-based youth mental health (YMH) platforms are challenging to evaluate. Using a multi-method approach, we examined the efficacy of an integrated YMH program in Hong Kong. The real-world outcomes of 1047 participants were compared with a propensity score (PS) matched control group randomly selected from the community (study 1). In a separate prospective 12-month study, a sample of up to 133 matched pairs of YMH and controls were compared for more detailed symptomatic and functional outcomes (study 2). Study 1 revealed that the YMH program was associated with a significant reduction in distress. A higher proportion of YMH participants improved, and fewer deteriorated compared with controls. The YMH program also translated into a net reduction of 1.28 % in the risk of common disorders. Study 2 revealed that the YMH program showed significant reductions in depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, distress, and functioning after 12 months. The two complementary studies, using PS-matched controlled comparisons, enabled the sample representativeness and the comprehensive examination of the longitudinal impact. This YMH program reduces current distress, symptoms, and functional impairment, and prevents the emergence of probable mental disorder. Findings have significant implications for developing and evaluating future YMH services.
KW - Controlled study
KW - Depression
KW - Mental health
KW - Multi-method approach
KW - Prevention
KW - Real-world
KW - Youth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85211058954&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116279
DO - 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116279
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85211058954
SN - 0165-1781
VL - 344
SP - 1
EP - 9
JO - Psychiatry Research
JF - Psychiatry Research
M1 - 116279
ER -