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Intersectoral collaborations are recommended as effective strategies to reduce health inequalities. People most affected by health inequalities, as are people living in poverty, remain generally absent from such intersectoral collaborations. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects can be leveraged to better understand how to involve people with lived experience to support both individual and community empowerment. In this paper, we offer a critical reflection on a CBPR project conducted in public housing in Québec, Canada, that aimed to develop intersectoral collaboration between tenants and senior executives from four sectors (housing, health, city and community organizations). This single qualitative case study design consisted of fieldwork documents, observations and semi-structured interviews. Using the Emancipatory Power Framework (EPF) and the Limiting Power Framework (LPF), we describe examples of types of power and resistance shown by the tenants, the intersectoral partners and the research team. The discussion presents lessons learned through the study, including the importance for research teams to reflect on their own power, especially when aiming to reduce health inequalities. The paper concludes by describing the limitations of the analyses conducted through the EPF–LPF frameworks and suggestions to increase the transformative power of future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the factors involved in the capacity of newly trained suicide prevention gatekeepers to engage in the identification and support of people at risk of suicide. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted with 18 gatekeepers from various settings who had participated in a larger quantitative study of the impact of gatekeeper training. Conventional content analysis was performed on the data collected. Participants said that gatekeeper training provided key information and legitimized their role. Previous experience with suicidal friends and family members motivated their involvement and helped them to engage with at-risk individuals. Support available from the setting, including attitudes toward suicide, resources for referrals and promotion of the gatekeeper activities, were instrumental in gatekeepers' ability to fulfill their role. Gatekeeper programs may benefit from adopting a comprehensive approach to gatekeeper helping behaviors by attending to their contextual influences, and the effects of gatekeepers' personal experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gatekeeper (GK) training is a suicide prevention strategy in which community members learn to identify individuals at risk of suicide and refer them for appropriate help. Despite its widespread use, few studies have investigated its effects, including changes in helping behaviors. Aims: To assess the impact of GK training on participants' knowledge, recognition of the influence of attitudes, perceived self‐efficacy, intention to help and helping behaviors, and to identify variables associated with GK behaviors. Methods: Mixed linear effects and forward stepwise logistic regressions were used to analyze data from 159 participants receiving the Quebec Provincial GK Training program offered by five different suicide prevention centers using pretest, posttest and 6‐month follow‐up questionnaires. Results: Participants' knowledge of the GK role and suicide prevention, intention to help, self‐efficacy, knowledge of services, and recognition of the influence of attitudes significantly increased following training. Most changes decreased at follow‐up but remained higher than at pretest. Lower levels of education and higher intention to help were significant predictors of engaging in helping behaviors in the first 6 months after receiving training. Conclusions: The Quebec GK training appears to be effective in preparing participants for their role but does not appear to significantly increase helping behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to empirically explore the strengths and skills among public housing tenants as well as the opportunities offered by their environment to use them. In Québec (Canada), 310 participants took part in interviews including open and closed-ended questions about their strengths and skills. Public housing tenants indicated possessing a diversity of strengths and skills. Although participants hinted toward a positive influence of their environment, they quantitatively evaluated the available opportunities to use their strengths and skills as moderately satisfying. The findings suggest a need for interventions specifically tailored to low-income populations such as public housing tenants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Context In Quebec, adult mental health (AMH) first-line teams are mandated to provide psychosocial services to people living with mental health difficulties, including anxiety and mood disorders. Following the establishment of new clinical guidelines in 2017, the duration of interventions was not to exceed 15 sessions, with some exceptions. Objectives The overall aim of the longitudinal component of the Shared Knowledge study was to evaluate the care experience of individuals with an anxiety or depressive disorder receiving a short-term intervention (<15 sessions) by first-line AMH teams, and the evolution of recovery over time. Specifically, the objectives were to: 1) determine the appreciation of short-term interventions by service users; and 2) assess the evolution over time of the symptomatology, functioning and quality of life and recovery of individuals receiving short-term interventions. Method A mixed method longitudinal design was used. Telephone interviews were conducted with participants, in which the following variables were quantitatively and qualitatively assessed: appreciation of services received, quality of relationship with the provider (INSPIRE), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), global functioning (WHODAS), quality of life (ReQOL), and personal recovery (ERTAD). Linear mixed model analyses were performed to examine changes over time on quantitative measures. Content analysis was performed on the qualitative data. Results A total of 63 individuals participated in an interview before the start of their intervention and 22 of them participated after the end of this intervention. Statistical analyses showed a significant improvement in anxiety symptoms, quality of life, and personal recovery, but no difference was observed in depressive symptoms and level of functioning. Nearly half (47.4%) of participants reported that the intervention they received had "completely" met the need that had led them to seek help, and 33.3% felt "completely" equipped or empowered in their recovery. The quality of the relationship with the caregiver, the opportunity to take part in decision-making, and the personalization of the intervention according to their needs and preferences were some of the elements that were particularly appreciated. Conclusion Short-term interventions seem to be appreciated and produce positive effects in many people suffering from anxiety or depressive disorders. However, they remain insufficient for a number of them. A personal recovery measure should be used in conjunction with symptomatology and functioning scales to monitor the progress of people using first-line mental health services.