Health Festival – HelMSIC Greece

Name of the activity: Health Festival

Country/NMO: HelMSIC Greece

Program: Mental Health

Contact information: contact [email protected] to get in touch with the Activity Coordinator

Type of the activity: Continuous Activity

Category: Education

Focus area: Mental Health advocacy and public awareness

Sustainable Development Goals addressed: SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

General description:

The program lasts 3 days and it has as its main subject the Mental Health. The first stage of the program (conference) includes a number of speeches and round tables, presentation of scientific projects by specialized health professionals and medical students, as well as trainings and workshops by peer education trainers of HelMSIC. The second stage includes street action in which the conference participants will inform the public about Mental Health.

Problem statement:

According to data from the European Union, 1 in 8 people in Europe suffered from one mental health problem, i.e. 84 million people (2018), while annually the total number of deaths of suicides in Europe reached 48,000 people (2017). The European average of suicides is 11 deaths per 100,000 people, while in Greece it is less than 6 deaths per 100,000 people. It’s estimated that the costs associated with mental illness amount to more than 4% of GDP of Europe (more than 600 billion euros).

Target groups:

• General population
• Medical students

Beneficiaries:

• General population
• Medical students
• Doctors

Objectives:

1. Regarding mental health

1.1 To educate 170 medical students about the basic mental health diseases, their epidemiology and treatment

1.2 To educate 170 medical students about management of patients with mental disorders in daily clinical practice

1.3 To inform 170 medical students about the the psychiatric reform 

1.4 To inform 170 medical students about the education received by health professionals in mental disorders worldwide and the approach of the health systems worldwide on them

2. To train 50 medical students on the research process and bibliographic search
3. To inform 170 medical students about the social implications of mental health in the general population
4. To highlight HelMSIC’s positions on mental health to medical students, representatives of civil society and to institutional representatives
5. To inform 1500 people of the general population about mental health
6. To highlight  the role of medical students in informing the public about major health issues

Indicators:

1. Regarding mental health 70% of participants will rate >=4 (οn a scale from 1 to 5) in evaluation form the knowledge they acquired on:

1.1 the basic mental health diseases, their epidemiology and treatment in general population

1.2 management of patients with mental disorders in daily clinical practice

1.3 the the psychiatric reform 

1.4 on the education received by health professionals in mental disorders worldwide and the approach of the health systems worldwide on them

2. 30 medical students to register for the round tables of the conference
3. 70% of participants will rate >=4 (οn a scale from 1 to 5) in evaluating the knowledge they acquired on the social implications of mental health in the general population
4. 80% of participants to complete 60% of conference attendance
5. 1000 people of the general population will be informed about mental health
6. 70% of participants rate the conference as educational

Methodology:

The conference (2,5 days) includes:

Speeches and round tables on Mental Health

Workshops & trainings on practical skills

Fair that will include organizations that are involved in supporting people with mental disorders

The street action (4 hours) includes:

Information of the public by distributing leaflets

Questionnaire on people’s knowledge on Mental Health

The activity will have 2 committees:

a 12-members organizing committee by HelMSIC members, which will be supported by the NT of HelMSIC

A 10-members scientific committee by professors of Medical Schools

The sustainability plan of the program includes:

Creation of educational infographics on mental health for the medicals students and the public

Creation of a website with information for mental health

Using data from the survey to the general public for future actions of the organization

Plans for evaluation:

The evaluation form will consists on both qualitative and quantitative questions and it will be completed by:

all participants. They will evaluate all different aspects of the project, including the time management, content, presenters and presentations of each specific session of the conference, methods that were used, availability of the OC before, during and after the conference

the medical students who will participate in speeches of the congress

all external partners, commenting on the conference in general but also at their specific part and their communication and cooperation with the OC

the organizing committee and the volunteers of HelMSIC

the peer education trainers of HelMSIC

External collaborations:

We are planning to collaborate with plenty of external partners, such as:

NGOs: speakers of the conference

Medical Schools: speakers of the conference

Medical Scientific Associations: speakers of the conference & scientific support of the street action

Foundations: financial support

Municipality of Thessaloniki and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki: venue support