Reference no: EM13838019

PHC in ACTION 2015

ASSESSMENT:

Video for use as trigger: "Deadly Thinking"

This video describes the program of mental health promotion developed for rural and remote Aboriginal peoples by the Australasian Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health. You can find out more about this organisation at https://www.acrrmh.com.au

Access via PHC in Action vUWS site

OR

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYlS7v1Pt6U

Please refer to the marking criteria and standards: Assessment 2 (pages 14-17 in the PHC in Action learning guide).

Question 1:

In the video the speakers identify a number of factors associated with living in a rural and remote area which contribute to the development of mental health problems for Aboriginal Australians.

One of these factors is poverty. With reference to primary health care principles and practices, discuss the link between poverty and mental health/ illness. Ensure you support your discussion with current nursing and health literature.

Question 2:

Mental health is one of The National Health Priority Areas (NHPAs) chosen by Australian governments for focused attention. The Deadly Thinking workshops target the prevention of mental health problems. One strategy used is teaching participants to recognise the signs that someone in their family or community may be suffering poor social, emotional or mental health. Another strategy involves teaching participants a variety of tools, techniques and "specific skills to help them work with their own people".

Identify one (1) or more of these tools, techniques or skills and explain how they can be used to promote mental health and wellbeing.

Question 3:

Participants in the Deadly Thinking workshops are community elders, community leaders and "natural helpers" - people wanting to raise awareness of and strengthen social and emotional wellbeing of their own communities.

This reflects the primary health care principle of community participation, whereby it is recognised that engagement and empowerment of individuals, families and communities are long term and effective strategies for achieving improvements in health and well-being.

With reference to the video, explain how community participation can be used as a strategy for promoting health and well-being.

Question 4:

The Deadly Thinking workshops are described in the video as "primary intervention" and thus likely to close the gap and prevent mental health problems arising in the first place. This is another way of saying primary prevention.

Explain the concept of primary prevention and describe the role of education in community-based, primary prevention workshops, such as Deadly Thinking.

Question 5:

In the video the narrator states that the Deadly Thinking workshops are based on 3 fundamental principles or ideals - culture, language and confidentiality. This means that these 3 principles underpinned all the activities that were conducted in the Deadly Thinking workshops as well as the development of the teaching materials that were used in these workshops.

Imagine you are on a clinical placement in a rural community health centre. Your facilitator has asked you to create a poster which conveys these three principles in a culturally sensitive manner. The poster will be used to highlight the importance placed on these 3 principles during the next Deadly Thinking workshop.