Mental health risk communication and community participation among an Indigenous people in Colombia

Objectives. To describe and analyze a community participation process to develop recommendations for adequate communication of mental health risks among the Wayuú people of Colombia. Methods. This qualitative study conducted focus groups in the Indigenous cities of Albania and Uribia, Colombia, from...

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Main Authors: Felipe Agudelo-Hernández, Lizeth Paola Coral-Vela, Luz Helena Pabuena-Yepes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pan American Health Organization 2025-01-01
Series:Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública
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Online Access:https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/63769
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author Felipe Agudelo-Hernández
Lizeth Paola Coral-Vela
Luz Helena Pabuena-Yepes
author_facet Felipe Agudelo-Hernández
Lizeth Paola Coral-Vela
Luz Helena Pabuena-Yepes
author_sort Felipe Agudelo-Hernández
collection DOAJ
description Objectives. To describe and analyze a community participation process to develop recommendations for adequate communication of mental health risks among the Wayuú people of Colombia. Methods. This qualitative study conducted focus groups in the Indigenous cities of Albania and Uribia, Colombia, from January to June 2024, to assess perspectives on mental health risk communication. Participants were adults (>18 years) residing in two municipalities in La Guajira (Uribia and Albania [the Indigenous capital of Colombia]) and included youth group leaders, Indigenous representatives, migrant population representatives, and representatives of official institutions in the region. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Results. In total, 42 participants (mean [SD] age, 20.1 years; 24 [57.1%] women and 18 [42.9%] men) participated in four focus groups (two in Albania and two in Uribia). Three main themes were identified in the thematic analysis: consequences of poor communication; community advice for social communication; and recommendations for public mental health in health communication. Based on the data analysis, recommendations for mental health risk communication were proposed for both municipalities and for the territory of La Guajira, Colombia. Conclusions. The findings of this qualitative study highlight the need to improve mental health communication among the Indigenous community by leveraging their perspectives. The involvement of community leaders and the development of mental health communication strategies are needed.
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spelling doaj-art-2aab79f7050045e0b0ca6fd732f36c392025-01-13T08:29:42ZengPan American Health OrganizationRevista Panamericana de Salud Pública1020-49891680-53482025-01-0149121810.26633/RPSP.2025.12rpspMental health risk communication and community participation among an Indigenous people in ColombiaFelipe Agudelo-Hernández0Lizeth Paola Coral-Vela1Luz Helena Pabuena-Yepes2Health Systems and Services, Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization, Bogotá, Colombia.School of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.School of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.Objectives. To describe and analyze a community participation process to develop recommendations for adequate communication of mental health risks among the Wayuú people of Colombia. Methods. This qualitative study conducted focus groups in the Indigenous cities of Albania and Uribia, Colombia, from January to June 2024, to assess perspectives on mental health risk communication. Participants were adults (>18 years) residing in two municipalities in La Guajira (Uribia and Albania [the Indigenous capital of Colombia]) and included youth group leaders, Indigenous representatives, migrant population representatives, and representatives of official institutions in the region. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Results. In total, 42 participants (mean [SD] age, 20.1 years; 24 [57.1%] women and 18 [42.9%] men) participated in four focus groups (two in Albania and two in Uribia). Three main themes were identified in the thematic analysis: consequences of poor communication; community advice for social communication; and recommendations for public mental health in health communication. Based on the data analysis, recommendations for mental health risk communication were proposed for both municipalities and for the territory of La Guajira, Colombia. Conclusions. The findings of this qualitative study highlight the need to improve mental health communication among the Indigenous community by leveraging their perspectives. The involvement of community leaders and the development of mental health communication strategies are needed.https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/63769community participationindigenous populationsmental healthbarriers to communicationsuicide preventionsocial mediacolombia
spellingShingle Felipe Agudelo-Hernández
Lizeth Paola Coral-Vela
Luz Helena Pabuena-Yepes
Mental health risk communication and community participation among an Indigenous people in Colombia
Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública
community participation
indigenous populations
mental health
barriers to communication
suicide prevention
social media
colombia
title Mental health risk communication and community participation among an Indigenous people in Colombia
title_full Mental health risk communication and community participation among an Indigenous people in Colombia
title_fullStr Mental health risk communication and community participation among an Indigenous people in Colombia
title_full_unstemmed Mental health risk communication and community participation among an Indigenous people in Colombia
title_short Mental health risk communication and community participation among an Indigenous people in Colombia
title_sort mental health risk communication and community participation among an indigenous people in colombia
topic community participation
indigenous populations
mental health
barriers to communication
suicide prevention
social media
colombia
url https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/63769
work_keys_str_mv AT felipeagudelohernandez mentalhealthriskcommunicationandcommunityparticipationamonganindigenouspeopleincolombia
AT lizethpaolacoralvela mentalhealthriskcommunicationandcommunityparticipationamonganindigenouspeopleincolombia
AT luzhelenapabuenayepes mentalhealthriskcommunicationandcommunityparticipationamonganindigenouspeopleincolombia