How to identify mental illness early in childhood by proactively harnessing today's technology will be among the topics addressed at this year's Festival of Health at the University of Alberta on May 26.
Over the course of their lifetime, most Canadians will at one point have experienced a mental health problem or illness. Mental health issues affect people of all ages, education, income levels and cultures. But increasingly, researchers are making a concerted effort to promote a lifetime of mental health and wellness by intervening when it matters most-in childhood and adolescence.
Deena Hamza, a postdoctoral fellow with the U of A's Department of Family Medicine, is among the scientists searching for ways to proactively prevent mental health issues among the young. According to Hamza, comprehensive but underutilized tools already exist today that can be used to better screen for substance misuse in youth and for the mental health challenges they face. She believes that screening could more effectively be done through online and app-based programs that can be integrated into schools and primary care.
"Seventy per cent of symptoms of addiction and mental illness begin in childhood or adolescence," said Hamza. "We have tools at our fingertips but we're not implementing them in a systemic way. If we did, evidence suggests we would have a significant decrease in suicidality, depression, anxiety and substance misuse in adolescent populations."
By making better use of today's technology, Hamza believes more youth can be put on the path to a lifetime of mental health. She will speak about the tools already available that can be used to identify risk behaviours and screen for mental health issues at the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry's Festival of Health on Saturday, May 26.
Learn more about this topic at the Festival of Health
Register here for your free ticket
Edmonton Clinic Health Academy 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
North Campus, University of Alberta
Barbecue and Entertainment
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Rapid Fire Presentations and Ask The Experts: Q & A Session
1 - 2:30 p.m.
Info Sessions and Tours
3 - 5 p.m.
More information available at uab.ca/healthfest.