The European Alliance Against Depression four-level community intervention for depression and suicide prevention and wellbeing promotion focused on vulnerable groups: a study protocol for a prospective, controlled, cross-country design comparing intervention and control regions to reduce suicide attempts, deaths by suicide, and depressive symptoms, and to improve wellbeing (MentBest)
Prevention of suicidal behaviour and depression and promotion of wellbeing in the community (general population and vulnerable groups)
Communities in the intervention arm will receive the four-level European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD) community intervention (MentBest), with added components to improve wellbeing and reach vulnerable groups. Level 1 involves training healthcare professionals to recognize and treat depression and suicidal behaviour. Level 2 consists of public awareness campaigns to improve knowledge about depression, reduce stigma, and promote help-seeking. Level 3 provides training for community facilitators (teachers, school counsellors, police, clergy, pharmacists, social workers) to offer early support, crisis intervention, referral, and stigma reduction. Level 4 includes the iFightDepression® guided tool for patients with mild to moderate depressoin, and support activities for patients and high-risk groups, such as self-help groups, crisis hotlines, and information about local mental health services. Additional components include the iFight4Wellbeing website and tailored materials for five vulnerable groups (young people, older adults, migrants/refugees, long-term unemployed, and people with past or current mental health conditions). The intervention lasts 24 months, starting with an opening ceremony. Implementation will be continuously monitored via trackers and stakeholder surveys, and a general population survey (500 adults per region) will assess wellbeing and mental health at baseline and after 24 months. The intervention aims to reduce depression and suicidal behavior, including suicide attempts and deaths. Intervention and control regions were selected using a pragmatic approach, aiming to match areas with similar characteristics in each country.
Participants must belong to one of the four study levels: Level 1: Healthcare professionals involved in depression care. Level 2: General population, including the five vulnerable groups: Young people: 15–24 years; Older people: 65+ years, Long-term unemployed, Migrants/refugees and people with an existing mental disorder. Level 3: Community gatekeepers Level 4: People with mild to moderate depression using the iFightDepression® tool. Participants in Level 2 (general population survey) must be 18 years or older. Participants in Level 4 (iFightDepression® tool users) must be 15 years or older.
1. Individuals under 18 years of age for the general population survey. 2. Individuals under 15 years of age for using the iFightDepression® tool.