Improving mental health and lifestyle outcomes in a hospital emergency department based youth violence intervention
Abstract
Purpose
Current government policy aims to tackle youth anti-social behaviour and its psychological and social impacts. Given an increased likelihood that young victims of crime are also likely to engage in aggressive or deviant behaviour and to have psychological and social difficulties, interventions are needed which access vulnerable youth with adverse lifestyles to increase well-being and reduce offending. The current project utilised a hospital emergency department (ED) as an appropriate location to identify and interact with youth victims of violent crime; to support key lifestyle risk and mental health difficulties; and build resilience. The purpose of this paper is to use a youth work paradigm, to target vulnerable youth in a health setting at a crisis point where intervention may have a higher chance of uptake.
Design/methodology/approach
The study applied a quasi-experimental, longitudinal design. Using the strengths and difficulties questionnaire and the “What Do You Think” component of the ASSET risk assessment, data were collected from 120 youth aged 12-20, at baseline with 66 youth who successfully completed the programme with assessments at baseline and follow-up, at an average of 14 weeks.
Findings
There was significant reduction in both psychological problems and lifestyle risk at follow-up.
Research limitations/implications
These findings support the government initiative to intervene in youth violence in healthcare settings. Challenges revolve around increasing participation and greater formalisation of the intervention.
Originality/value
The youth work led violence intervention in the ED is successfully tackling psychological problems and lifestyle risk following injury.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding for three years (July 2013-July 2016) of the service was achieved through Southwark and Lambeth local councils and the Metropolitan Police; Southwark Youth Services were forthcoming in funding half of the three year term. The rest of the funding for the three years came from Lambeth Community Safety team, London Met Police and Lambeth and Southwark PCT. Additional funding for the project extension was granted from the underspend in the pilot phase by Guy’s and St Thomas Trust. The authors would like to acknowledge all of the support provided by the volunteers at the Oasis Trust in Waterloo, the Emergency Department staff and Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital and the young people themselves for participating in the intervention.
Citation
DeMarco, J., llan-Clarke, Y., Bunn, A., Isaac, T., Criddle, J., Holdsworth, G. and Bifulco, A. (2016), "Improving mental health and lifestyle outcomes in a hospital emergency department based youth violence intervention", Journal of Public Mental Health, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 119-133. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-07-2015-0031
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited