Attitude of Youth Immigrants towards the Mental Health HUB of the Finnish Health Village (virtual hospital)

Abstract

Mental health disorders are a major public health concern which has been estimated to constitute 10,4% of the global burden of diseases. Immigrants and their descendants make up between 11 and 17% of the population of Scandinavian countries. About 15–25% of asylum seekers and refugees in Finland have diagnosable mental health disorders, while a significantly larger percentage have some kinds of clinically significant symptoms which are not yet diagnosed. Among immigrants, non-western immigrant and second-generation immigrants are at the highest risk of a mental disorder. A staggering 76% of mental health cases remain untreated worldwide. The mental health HUB provides a digital space and environment to support youth immigrants’ mental health problems. To examine youth immigrants’ attitude towards the Mental Health HUB of the Finnish Health Village, by identifying the problems they face with the HUB, and what will encourage them to use the HUB. The study includes a literature review of published journals, articles, and books about mental health not earlier than 2005. Materials from trusted online resources like the World Health Organization (WHO), Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Statistics Finland, and the Health Village (Finnish eHospital) were used. An empirical study using a predetermined question list and interviews to gain a broader knowledge about youth immigrants experience with the mental health HUB was conducted. Snowball sampling method was used to select participants in Finland across Helsinki, Turku, and Seinäjoki. Inductive content analysis was used to analyse the data. All the participants found the information in the mental health HUB useful. However, they were not aware of the HUB before this study. Most of them preferred materials in English language while others were more concerned about discrimination, trust issues, and mental health services that suits their culture. Majority of the participants preferred an app to a webpage, while it did not matter to the rest. Participants were more supportive of providing mental healthcare through digital games. Creation of awareness, availability of information in appropriate language, exciting technology, consideration of cultural background, transparency, and trust, can motivate youth immigrants to use the mental health HUB. This study is limited to only the information available to the public in the mental health HUB. A further study with actual users of the HUB is thus recommended. The creation of a mental health HUB app with built-in games, and tasks to complete as a form of self-assessment are highly recommended.