NorthBEAT: Final framework from narrative interviews to explore the needs of youth in remote/northern Canada
Poster A136, Thursday, October 20, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Chiachen Cheng1,2, Shevaun Nadin2, Mae Katt3, Carol Lem4, Carolyn Dewa4,5, Bruce Minore3; 1Centre for Applied Health Research - St. Joseph’s Care Group, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, 2Canadian Mental Health Association – Thunder Bay Branch, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, 3Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, 4Centre for Research on Employment and Workplace Health - Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 5Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - University of California, Davis, California, USA
Objectives: At IEPA 2014 in Tokyo, we presented preliminary results from narrative interviews in the NorthBEAT project. NorthBEAT (Barriers to Early Assessment and Treatment) is a descriptive mixed-method project addressing the perceived service needs of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth in Northern Ontario who experience first episode psychosis. In Northern Ontario (a central-province in Canada with an expansive geography with many Indigenous communities), programs struggle to understand and meet service needs. The complete study is highlighted in a separate presentation. This presentation focuses on the framework developed from narrative interviews with youth, family care-givers, and EPI service providers. Approach: Qualitative interviews were conducted in northern regions of Ontario. Participants were: youth ≤18 years old experiencing psychosis, their family care-givers, and rural EPI service providers. Sampling was by snowball (service providers) and convenience (youth & caregivers) techniques. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded for themes by two authors. Thematic maps were created to illustrate findings and results validated through a series of participant workshops. Results: Through inductive analysis of interviews, and dialogue with stakeholders/participants, we gained an understanding of: how youth in North Ontario experience early psychosis and services for psychosis; the barriers and facilitators for youth receiving appropriate early psychosis intervention in Northern Ontario, whether culture plays a role in the intersection between psychosis, Indigenous people, and rural or remote geography. Conclusions: The framework developed represents thematic maps - initial steps to understanding how to decrease barriers to early assessment and treatment, and meet service needs of youth who experience psychosis.
Topic Area: Translational Research