Mental Health America 2016 Annual Conference:
Mental Health and its Impact Across Cultural Groups
Vive Con Vida: A Suicide Awareness Campaign
for Mexican Adolescents and Young Adults
Paulina Fuentes Moad, Psy.D.
June 09, 2016.
Why am I here?
• Paulina Fuentes Moad, Psy.D.
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6/16/2016
Boston-based doctor in psychology.
Mexican
How can we help ourselves and others speak our Truth?
Media, arts, politics – central role in understanding mental illness
Value of psychoeducation, particularly in communities where mental illness
treatment is limited.
Radio Show: “NAMI Latino y la Comunidad”
A private meeting with former President of Mexico Felipe Calderón Hinojosa
inspired her to create a non-profit organization, “Vive Con Vida, A.C.,” which
provides mental health education to the Mexican population via online tools
and media.
Hopes to expand this project to other countries.
She has trained in different treatment modalities
Completed her internship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard
Medical School at the MGH Chelsea Healthcare Center.
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The Public Health Model (WHO, 2014b)
1. Surveillance: What is the problem?
2. Identify risk and protective factors.
3. Develop & evaluate interventions: What works and for whom?
4. Implementation.
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Research Design and Procedures
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Demonstration project
Based on Literature Review
Website Content Draft
Created four different websites in the
process
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Most salient problem? Suicide.
Suicide in the World
Suicide in Mexico
One of the main causes of death in the World
2nd cause of death in adolescents and young adults
Suicide kills 800,000 – 1,000,000 people each year
Suicide rates in women increased 55.1% (2000-2012)
90%-95% present at least one psychiatric disorder
Underutilization of services: 58%-68% don’t believe
Suicide rates for young people rising quickly
Children and adolescents 5-14 years old high rate
Second cause of death people 15-29 years old (8.5%)
Common cause: family argument
75% of suicides low-and-middle-income countries
1981-1983, 1993-1995 Increased suicidality
China, India, Russia, USA, Japan, and South Korea
Underreporting of suicide: stigma and sanctions
Men do it more, female try more.
Suicide rates in men increased 10% (2000-2012)
Methods: 1. Hanging 2. Pesticide Ingestion 3. Firearms Methods: 1. Hanging 2. Firearms 3. Poison
10 million suicide attempts each yr. 20M by 2020.
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89% adolescents with psych diagnosis had a plan
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The context: Mexico
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Population: <120,000,000.
Health care system = political party.
50% to 100% insured population: Psych services for “All.”
Shortage of mental health professionals (Frenk, 2006):
• 2005: 1451 registered psychiatrists (WHO, 2006).
• 1993-1998: 1600 psychologists – most not practicing as “health
professionals” (Piña-López, 2004).
• Inadequate infrastructure (Frenk, 2006).
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Suicide Awareness and Prevention Campaigns
Effective strategies:
• Promote protective factors
• Eliminate stigma/increase awareness
Research
Government
• Means-restriction programs/PCP
Online successful strategies:
• Promote help-seeking behaviors
• Online chats
Effective mental
• Risk: glamorization of suicide
health prevention and
Practice
services.
[Promoting VS. Preventing]
• Contemporary campaigns – emphasis
on protective factors
Lancet Global Mental Health Group, 2007
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Risk and Protective Factors
Risk Factors
Protective Factors
Health and societal: war, discriminated groups.
Strong personal relationships
Individual: mental illness, substance abuse, stress
Religious or spiritual beliefs
Youth: (in addition) academic pressure, parenting
Youth: positive role models
MX: Prevalence of underdiagnosed mental illness
Youth: community involvement
MX: Barriers to care and underutilization of services
MX Youth: Cohesiveness, live longer with families =
MX Youth: Exposure to violence, low school attendance
Later unset mental illness
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The Website: viveconvida.org
Website Content – Four Sections:
1. In Crisis/Homepage
2. Information
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Suicide Facts
Risk Factors
Protective Factors
Myths and Facts
Express Yourself
Mindfulness
3. Help and Resources
4. About Us
Website available in Spanish & Portuguese.
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Social Media and Website Design
Social media presence in:
• Facebook: Most popular social media platform
• Twitter: Widely used in Mexico
• YouTube: Videos.
Website Design:
• Green/White/Peach: “Lighter” version of Mexican flag.
• Tablet/smart phone/PC. Compatible with most Internet browsers.
• Navigation Style: Broad to Narrow
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The Reviewers - Demographics
Some Similarities
Some Unique Characteristics
All identified as Latinos
Five Mexicans
Most are leaders in their fields
One Guatemalan
All professionals 6-10 years of
experience
One Venezuelan
All except 1 have lived in both U.S.
and a Latin American country
One identified as Caucasian in
addition to Latino
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Future Research & Clinical Implications
• Qualtrics Questionnaire:
o Replication of study: bigger sample –
questionnaire on website
• Website Content & Design:
o More graphs and videos
o Discussed sections and images
• Website Expansion:
o Mental health awareness
o Other countries, settings (cultural
translation)
o Health policy and communication leaders
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• Usage:
o Schools
o Medical Professionals
o Paramedics
• Clinical Implications:
o Raising suicide and mental health awareness
o Calling for mental health services, especially
in remote parts of the country
o Lowering stigma of mental illness
o Lowering stigma of therapy and mental
health services
o Expansion of services by cultural adaptation
of specific communities
o Clinicians can be added to directory too
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Thank You!
www.viveconvida.org
“Thank you… your presence highlights the immense blessings that
emanate from God.” –Paulina
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