Pharmacy professionals’ preparedness to use Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) behaviors

Abstract

Background: There is a need to train healthcare professionals to provide first aid to people experiencing a mental health crisis. Research testing the association between Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and the use of MHFA behaviors could provide evidence of program effectiveness in the pharmacy setting.
 Objectives: The objectives of this study were to measure the preparedness of pharmacy professionals to function in a MHFA role, and compare preparedness and the use of MHFA behaviors based on demographic characteristics.
 Methods: Pharmacists and student pharmacists attended MHFA training under a multi-state pharmacy initiative in 2018. An anonymous electronic survey was administered to 227 participants using 4 contacts in May to June, 2019. The survey evaluated if participants had recommended MHFA to others, their preparedness to engage in MHFA behaviors (13 items), and their frequency of performing a set of MHFA behaviors (7 items). Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and ANOVA were used to describe the sample and compare these variables across groups.
 Results: The analysis was based on 96 responses (42.3%). Almost all respondents (96%) had recommended MHFA training to others. Respondents reported that the training program prepared them to provide a range of MHFA behaviors for multiple mental health conditions, particularly for depression and anxiety. Participants most often reported asking about a distressed mood and listening non-judgmentally. Almost half of participants had asked someone if they were considering suicide and a similar percent had referred someone considering suicide to resources. Those reporting the highest levels of preparedness engaged in significantly more MHFA behaviors than those with lower levels of preparedness (p=0.017). Preparedness and use of MHFA behaviors were not significantly associated with respondent demographic characteristics.
 Conclusion: These data suggest that pharmacy professionals who had MHFA training felt prepared to engage in MHFA and many used behaviors like asking about suicide and making referrals since being trained in MHFA. Research is warranted to better understand what makes someone feel maximally prepared to use MHFA behaviors compared to lower feelings of preparedness.

Pharmacists and Mental Health First Aid training: A comparative analysis of confidence, mental health assistance behaviours and perceived barriers

“…Results were generated using a combination of frequencies, means, standard deviations, percentages and one‐way ANOVAs. Consistent with previous research, ANOVAs were performed at two levels of analysis, the composite (mean of scale items; e.g., Boukouvalas et al, 2018) and item‐level (mean of individual items; e.g., Witry, Fadare, et al, 2020; Witry, Karamese, et al, 2020). Partial eta squared ( η 2 ) was calculated, reflecting the proportion of variance in the dependent variable attributable to MHFA training status (trained vs. untrained) (Richardson, 2011).…”

“…Results were generated using a combination of frequencies, means, standard deviations, percentages and oneway ANOVAs. Consistent with previous research, ANOVAs were performed at two levels of analysis, the composite (mean of scale items; e.g., Boukouvalas et al, 2018) and item-level (mean of individual items; e.g., Witry, Fadare, et al, 2020;Witry, Karamese, et al, 2020).…”

“…While previous research has examined whether MHFA trained pharmacists have used their skills to assist patients (Witry, Fadare, et al, 2020), overall prevalence estimates within this context remain unknown. The lack of data is problematic as it has important implications for pharmacists' scope of practice, training and policies.…”

“…While MHFA is not a clinical intervention, it does train individuals to identify the signs of a mental health problem or crisis, to approach, assess and assist the person, listen and communicate non‐judgementally, give support and information, as well as encourage the individual to seek appropriate support (Jorm & Kitchener, 2011). Research on the effectiveness of MHFA training within the pharmacy context suggests it enhances participants' ability to identify mental health problems and crises, as well as their confidence in applying skills (Boukouvalas et al, 2018; Witry, Fadare, et al, 2020) . Furthermore, training can increase knowledge about helpful treatments (O'Reilly et al, 2011), and empathy for patients (Frick et al, 2021), while also decreasing social distance and stigma (McCormack et al, 2018).…”

“…First, we seek to assess pharmacists' perception of mental health problems and crises amongst their patients and the modes of intervention most frequently employed. While previous research has examined whether MHFA trained pharmacists have used their skills to assist patients (Witry, Fadare, et al, 2020), overall prevalence estimates within this context remain unknown. The lack of data is problematic as it has important implications for pharmacists' scope of practice, training and policies.…”