Can the Australian Mental Health First Aid E-learning blended module be applied in Saudi Arabia through a culturally competent version?
Poster C34, Wednesday, October%2010, 11:30%20am%20-%201:00%20pm, Essex%20Ballroom
Yamam Abuzinadah1,2, Bader Benhadyan1; 1The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, Australia, 2The Ministry of Higher Education, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Early intervention in mental health is a key aspect in elevating mental health literacy amongst people, hence, people experiencing or at risk of developing mental health issues, such as depression, which has the third highest burden of all diseases globally. Previous studies outlined the importance of mental health promotional programs as an eminence mean for early intervention, which will help maximise people’s ability and performance, to enhance their potential in life, and to manage their challenges with more resilience. Therefore be an active contributing member in the community. One of these programs is Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) which was developed in Australia in 2000, then was adopted by many countries, such as Saudi Arabia in 2012, through the National Committee for the Promotion of Mental Health (NCMH) as a traditional face to face training. In 2016, MHFA AU launch the blended e-learning module .This study will explores the application and use of that module in increasing mental health literacy and improving the challenges associated with mental health issues such as stigma, help-seeking attitudes and behaviours, recovery and resilience. This study will also focus on the cultural aspects and current challenges that are found to plays a major role in limiting the traditional delivery module that is class based in Saudi Arabia. As a result, understanding these factors and the exploring the blended e-learning Australian module will help to develop a culturally suitable module for Saudi Arabia, which will be utilized through culturally competent module that is analogous to the Australian module.With an easy application through smart devices such as mobile phones.
Topic Area: Psychosocial Interventions