Table 7 Responses to the First Aid Experiences Questionnaire for participants who did report experiencing a first aid situation (n = 30)
From: Mental health first aid for eating disorders: pilot evaluation of a training program for the public
| n | % | |
|---|---|---|
| Q1. In what capacity do you attend the college? | ||
| Student | 22 | 73.3 |
| Staff | 7 | 26.7 |
| Q2. Could you tell us something about the situation(s) and the problem(s) you believed the person was experiencing?* | ||
| Change in eating habits (ate less/restricted diet) | 15 | 50.0 |
| Binge eating | 2 | 6.7 |
| Change in exercise patterns | 11 | 36.7 |
| Vomiting | 1 | 3.3 |
| Weight loss | 17 | 56.7 |
| Q3. Did you try to assist the person you thought might be developing or experiencing an eating disorder? | ||
| No | 10 | 33.3 |
| Yes | 20 | 66.7 |
| Q4. What was the reason(s) that you were not able to assist that person?* (n = 10) | ||
| Not close enough to the person/others more appropriate to provide first aid | 5 | 50.0 |
| Person already adequate receiving support/care | 4 | 40.0 |
| Assistance refused | 1 | 10.0 |
| Q5. Can you give us an example of something you did to assist the person?* (n = 20) | ||
| Approached the person, discussed my concerns, listened to them | 11 | 55.0 |
| Discussed my concerns with someone more appropriate to provide first aid | 7 | 35.0 |
| Offered information and resources about EDs | 2 | 10.0 |
| Encouraged the person to seek help | 6 | 30.0 |
| Encouraged the person to use other supports | 5 | 25.0 |
| Q6. When assisting the person did you use the information provided in the 'Mental Health First Aid Training Course for Eating Disorders'? (n = 20) | ||
| Yes | 14 | 70.0 |
| No | 0 | 0.0 |
| Not sure | 6 | 30.0 |
| Q7. How successful do you think you were in assisting the person?(n = 20) | ||
| Very successful | 0 | 0.0 |
| Successful | 9 | 45.0 |
| Neither successful nor unsuccessful | 11 | 55.0 |
| Unsuccessful | 0 | 0.0 |
| Very unsuccessful | 0 | 0.0 |
| Q8. Would you like to comment on what happened?* (n = 20) | ||
| Unaware of outcome because I didn’t provide the first aid | 2 | 10.0 |
| The person received professional help | 3 | 15.0 |
| The person showed some signs of recovery | 3 | 15.0 |
| The person had made some changes, but am unsure how much recovery is progressing | 3 | 15.0 |
| Q9. Do you think the information in the 'Mental Health First Aid Training Course for Eating Disorders' contributed to the level of success you had in assisting the person? (n = 20) | ||
| Very much | 6 | 30.0 |
| A little bit | 12 | 60.0 |
| Not sure | 1 | 5.0 |
| Not really | 1 | 5.0 |
| Definitely not | 0 | 0.0 |
| Q10. When assisting the person, did you do anything differently from what you would have done before attending the 'Mental Health First Aid Training Course for Eating Disorders'? (n = 20) | ||
| Yes | 11 | 55.0 |
| No | 4 | 20.0 |
| Not sure | 5 | 25.0 |
| Q11. If you answered 'yes' please provide a short description* (n = 11) | ||
| Changed the way I approached the person | 7 | 63.6 |
| Because I had more knowledge I noticed more symptoms | 4 | 36.4 |
| Suggested professional help though wouldn’t have before | 3 | 27.3 |
| More understanding and supportive of the person | 2 | 18.2 |
| Q12. Did you suggest to the person you were assisting that they should seek professional mental health care (e.g. from a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist) (n = 20) | ||
| Yes | 10 | 50.0 |
| No | 3 | 15.0 |
| The person was already receiving mental health care | 3 | 15.0 |
| Not sure | 4 | 20.0 |
| Q13. As a result, did the person you were assisting seek mental health care from a professional? (n = 20) | ||
| Not applicable | 6 | 30.0 |
| Yes | 7 | 35.0 |
| No | 0 | 0.0 |
| Not sure | 7 | 35.0 |