Conference presentation
Lifestyle interventions for mental health and wellbeing: acceptability, preferences and barriers and facilitators to engagement among university students
Society for Mental Health Research Conference, 2022 (Tasmania, Australia, 24-Mar-2022 - 26-Mar-2022)
2022
Abstract
Background: Over the past fifty years, there have been numerous innovative advancements in the treatment of mental health conditions, including in psychotherapeutic approaches and pharmacotherapy. Despite this, remains still a significant proportion of individuals who, after treatment, experience persistent subclinical symptoms and lower levels of wellbeing.
Lifestyle risk behaviours including smoking, poor nutrition, risk alcohol use, physical inactivity and suboptimal sleep (i.e. ‘SNAPS’ behaviours) have been linked with onset and/or maintenance of poor mental health and reduced wellbeing. Interventions targeting SNAPS (hereafter ‘lifestyle interventions’) have been shown to be effective in improving mental health and wellbeing and may offer an alternative or adjunct to existing treatments and prevention efforts.
University students are at greater risk of poor mental health and engagement in lifestyle risk behaviours compared to the general population. However, no research to date has explored the acceptability of lifestyle interventions to support mental health and wellbeing among university students, or preferences and perceived barriers and facilitators to such engagement.
Therefore, among student enrolled in a regional Australian university, this study aims to:
1) Assess the acceptability of lifestyle interventions to support mental health and wellbeing.
2) Explore associations between risk status for lifestyle behaviours and the perceived acceptability of lifestyle interventions.
3) Assess barriers and facilitators to engagement in a lifestyle intervention.
4) Determine preferences, in terms of referral pathways, mode of delivery and content, for lifestyle interventions.
Methods: A cross sectional online survey of all students enrolled at the University of the Sunshine Coast will be undertaken between July and September, 2021. The survey comprises validated measures of SNAPS and intervention acceptability and purposefully developed items to asses barriers and facilitators to engagement and intervention preferences.
Impact Statement: Findings will inform the development and implementation of a lifestyle intervention to improve the mental and physical health of an at-risk group.
Details
- Title
- Lifestyle interventions for mental health and wellbeing: acceptability, preferences and barriers and facilitators to engagement among university students
- Authors
- Alexandra Metse (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - PsychologyJacinta Ferlazzo (Author)Andrew Watkins (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson InstituteJennifer A Bowman (Author) - University of Newcastle Australia
- Conference details
- Society for Mental Health Research Conference, 2022 (Tasmania, Australia, 24-Mar-2022 - 26-Mar-2022)
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Psychology; Thompson Institute; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99741795302621
- Output Type
- Conference presentation
Metrics
54 Record Views