The EARLY Consortium met on 7th-8th October in Chisinau (Moldova) and focused on advancing research and collaboration in mental health and resilience among youth. Key discussions included analysing results and lessons learned from focus groups conducted by consortium partners, including WONCA Europe president, Prof. Vinker, with input from the Advisory Board. The group evaluated and decided on instruments for assessing mental health conditions, resilience, and related socio-demographic factors, as well as strategies for recruiting participants for a cross-sectional study. The meeting facilitated collaboration among partners, including WONCA Europe, to refine tools, methodologies, and future directions for the project.
EARLY project mission is to provide robust data on youth mental health in the European region and design, implement and evaluate evidence-based interventions. With 19 partners (including WONCA Europe) from 14 countries, they are dedicated to addressing the critical issue of youth mental health and herewith reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases, especially mental health conditions, in youth. Through a mixed methods study, they aim to develop a comprehensive exposure matrix, understand perceptions on youth mental health, and provide representative, robust data on youth mental health.
The project is committed to a comprehensive and ethically sound approach across all consortium partners, both within and outside the European Union. This includes adhering to legal and ethical requirements, ensuring data management and security, establishing causal pathways for mental health conditions, and analysing national and international data on mental health and associated factors. Additionally, the project seeks to assess country preparedness for implementing youth mental health interventions, and map existing services for youth.
It is funded by the European Union under grant agreement no. 101095392.
EARLY project website https://www.early-project.eu/