Improving mental health and lifestyle outcomes in a hospital emergency department based youth violence intervention
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-07-2015-0031 |
| Pages | 119-133 |
| Date | 19 September 2016 |
| Published date | 19 September 2016 |
| Author | Jeffrey DeMarco,Yael llan-Clarke,Amanda Bunn,Tom Isaac,John Criddle,Gillian Holdsworth,Antonia Bifulco |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Public mental health |
Improving mental health and lifestyle
outcomes in a hospital emergency
department based youth violence
intervention
Jeffrey DeMarco, Yael llan-Clarke, Amanda Bunn, Tom Isaac, John Criddle,
Gillian Holdsworth and Antonia Bifulco
The authors affiliations can be
found at the end of this article.
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 Evaluation, Risk factors, Injury, Adolescence, Conduct disorder
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Adolescents are at a greater risk of involvement with violence whether as an offender or victim,
with increased risk of recurrent violent encounters (Borowsky and Ireland, 2004; Cunningham
et al., 2015). Adolescence is thus an optimum point for intervention and preventative work
(Buka et al., 2001). Whilst risk of violence is highly associated with social deprivation and
neighbourhood risks, resilience factors such as parental attachment, community involvement
and neighbourhood engagement mitigate to assist in the protection from further anti-social
victimisation (Khouri-Kassabri et al., 2004). Nonetheless, the need to explore alternative options
for the more marginalised and excluded youth populations nationally is seen as a priority in
Received 15 July 2015
Revised 15 February 2016
16 June 2016
Accepted 16 June 2016
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’sand
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.
DOI 10.1108/JPMH-07-2015-0031 VOL. 15 NO. 3 2016, pp. 119-133, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-5729
j
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC MENTALHEALTH
j
PAG E 11 9
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