Hossain D, Gorman D, Eley R, Coutts J
Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.
Rural Remote Health. 2010 Oct-Dec;10(4):1593. Epub 2010 Nov 24.
This study was a pilot project responding to the increasing levels of stress, depression and other mental health issues in Australian rural areas resulting from prolonged drought and a changing economic and social environment.
Thirty-two Advisory and Extension Agents (AEAs) attended a training course held in 2007 and 2008 in Queensland, Australia. A year after the training, data was collected to determine its value. Interviews were conducted with course participants and their supervisors and focus groups were held with stakeholders (farmers, agency staff and health professionals).
The findings show that Mental Health First Aid training improved the participants' confidence level and their knowledge of mental health issues and increased their empathy toward persons with mental health problems. Furthermore, providing training on mental health issues to AEAs was perceived by stakeholders to be beneficial to both farmers and AEAs.
This study demonstrated that stakeholders and course participants see this type of training as very much needed and highly beneficial. Further, providing training in mental health issues to rural service providers can be very beneficial to their farmer clients and their social network.
本研究是一个试点项目，旨在应对澳大利亚农村地区因长期干旱以及不断变化的经济和社会环境而导致的压力、抑郁和其他心理健康问题日益增多的情况。
32名咨询与推广代理（AEA）参加了2007年和2008年在澳大利亚昆士兰州举办的培训课程。培训一年后，收集数据以确定其价值。对课程参与者及其主管进行了访谈，并与利益相关者（农民、机构工作人员和卫生专业人员）举行了焦点小组讨论。
研究结果表明，心理健康急救培训提高了参与者的信心水平以及他们对心理健康问题的了解，并增强了他们对有心理健康问题者的同理心。此外，利益相关者认为，为AEA提供心理健康问题培训对农民和AEA都有益。
本研究表明，利益相关者和课程参与者认为此类培训非常必要且益处极大。此外，为农村服务提供者提供心理健康问题培训对其农民客户及其社交网络非常有益。
