Listening to Depression and Suicide Risk in Medical Students: The Healer Education Assessment and Referral (HEAR) Program
In this study, published in Academic Psychiatry, the authors describe a 4-year trial of the Healer Education Assessment and Referral program, designed to increase mental health services utilization (MHSU) and decrease suicide risk as assessed by an Interactive Screening Program at one U.S. medical school. Results suggest that the screening program identified a high proportion of an untreated, at risk, and potentially suicidal population. Furthermore, MHSU among medical students who completed the survey increased from year 1 to year 4. Based on this single-site experience, the authors suggest that future multisite studies incorporate a comparison group, acquire baseline (prematriculation) data regarding MHSU and SR, and use an individualized yet anonymous identification system to measure changes in individual participants’ mental health status over time.
Topics:
Learning Environment, Organizational Strategies
Tags:
Educator, Student/Trainee