Student-led approaches to mental health support

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Student Wellbeing
• Mental Health Literacy

Background:

• University students face significant mental health challenges.
• There is a growing need for accessible mental health resources and support systems.
• Student-led initiatives can play a crucial role in addressing these needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the Welfare Hub, a student-led mental health project at the University of Nottingham Medical School.
• To identify areas for improvement in content and support strategies for future students.
• To explore the role of social media in destigmatizing mental health discussions among medical students.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the Welfare Hub's Instagram account performance and content engagement.
• Qualitative assessment of the project's impact on committee members.
• Review of existing literature on student mental health and university support systems.

Main Results:

• The Welfare Hub's Instagram is strongly linked to mental health awareness and education.
• Top-performing content included positive support messages and shared lived experiences of medical students.
• The project positively impacted committee members, aiding in destigmatizing mental health discussions.

Conclusions:

• The Welfare Hub effectively contributes to mental health awareness and destigmatization within a medical school setting.
• Future efforts should focus on creating more educational and supportive content, fostering inter-institutional connections, and organizing well-being events.
• Leveraging social media platforms with relatable student experiences is a successful strategy for mental health outreach.