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ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH VULNERABILITIES FROM ADOLESCENCE TO OLDER AGE: INNOVATING PREVENTION SCIENCE FOR TIMES OF CHANGE

Project description

DEENESFRITPL

A systemic strategy for mental health

Mental disorders constitute 26 % of all diseases in Europe. Most efforts aimed at addressing these disorders are confined to specialised clinical treatments. In light of escalating challenges such as climate change, migration, ageing populations, digitalisation and socio-economic inequalities, there is a need for more comprehensive preventive approaches. With this in mind, the EU-funded ADVANCE project will design direct strategies grounded in a social justice and human rights framework, intended to both promote mental health and pre-empt mental health issues among vulnerable populations. This interdisciplinary study will include participants from several European countries and will tackle mental health strategies spanning life stages from adolescence through old age. The aim is to present solutions that can enhance the landscape of mental health concerns.

Objective

Mental health has been identified as an urgent priority in Europe, but is under critical threat because of climate change, digitalization, socio-economic inequities, migration, aging populations, and COVID-19. Protecting the mental health of vulnerable populations in these times of change requires innovative solutions beyond treatment in the clinical healthcare system.

ADVANCE is a wide-ranging project which will deepen the understanding of the mental health promotion and prevention field. It will provide specific programmes which can be replicated for key groups in diverse countries in Europe and create the guidance and methodologies required to ensure that effective mental health programmes can be developed, adapted, implemented, assessed, and scaled.

We propose an ambitious mixed-methods project with overarching interdisciplinary focus on social justice. Our study encompasses: (1) a rigorous co-creation process with end-users, practitioners, and policy makers; (2) an interrelated set of intervention studies with diverse vulnerable populations (from youth to old age); and (3) scaling-up strategy development. We will conduct five trials and an implementation study. Participants will be youth affected by climate change in Germany; socio-economically disadvantaged young adults in Lithuania; working adults in highly digitalized work environments in the Netherlands; migrants in Italy and Denmark; and older adults in Switzerland.
All intervention studies will include adaptation through human-centred design; participatory process evaluations; stigma prevention; and scaling strategy development.

We will deliver situational analyses, intervention packages, and scaling strategies in 7 countries. Based on our research across a range of developmental stages, risks, and settings we will be able to deliver 5 higher-level (synthesis) guidelines widely applicable in Europe – collected in the public-facing, openly accessible ADVANCE resource package.

Fields of science

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

HORIZON-HLTH-2022-STAYHLTH-01-two-stage

See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

Coordinator

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution
€ 1 850 856,25
Address
NORREGADE 10
1165 Kobenhavn
Denmark

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Region
Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost
€ 1 850 856,25

Participants (10)

Partners (1)

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Last update: 29 June 2023

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101080323

European Union, 2024