Educational interventions: equipping general practice for youth mental health and substance abuse. A discussion paper.

Background: Youth mental health issues and substance abuse are important causes of morbidity and mortality in Ireland. General practice is a frequent point of contact for young people, however, reluctance amongst this population group to disclose mental health issues and a lack of confidence amongst GPs in dealing with them have been reported. Focussed training interventions with formal evaluation of their acceptability and effectiveness in achieving learning, behavioural change and impact on clinical practice are needed.

How social context impacts on the development, identification and treatment of mental and substance use disorders among young people - a qualitative study of health care workers.

Unlabelled: Introduction Social context has a major influence on the detection and treatment of youth mental and substance use disorders in socioeconomically disadvantaged urban areas, particularly where gang culture, community violence, normalisation of drug use and repetitive maladaptive family structures prevail. This paper aims to examine how social context influences the development, identification and treatment of youth mental and substance use disorders in socioeconomically disadvantaged urban areas from the perspectives of health care workers.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with health care workers (n=37) from clinical settings including: primary care, secondary care and community agencies and analysed thematically using Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory to guide analysis.

Youth mental health in deprived urban areas: a Delphi study on the role of the GP in early intervention.

Background: GPs, as healthcare professionals with whom young people commonly interact, have a central role in early intervention for mental health problems. However, successfully fulfilling this role is a challenge, and this is especially in deprived urban areas.

Aims: To inform a complex intervention to support GPs in this important role, we aim to identify the key areas in which general practice can help address youth mental health and strategies to enhance implementation.