AI for early intervention in mental health among young adults
Hello Lena Petersson, Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy at Halmstad University! Today, on 10 October, World Mental Health Day is highlighted globally, focusing on mental health and striving for change through collaboration. You are the project leader and researcher in the PadAI project, which aims to improve the mental health of young adults by using artificial intelligence (AI) and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by healthcare. Could you tell us more about the PadAI project?
“It’s clear that mental health issues are on the rise among adolescents and young adults, both in Sweden and internationally. Many do not receive the support they need, or it does not reach them in time. This is where AI comes in. We believe that AI-generated insights can improve healthcare and make it more precise. However, for this to work in practice, changes are required in both work methods and healthcare processes. In essence, we aim to use AI to predict who is at risk of mental health problems and to develop interventions to prevent these issues.”
Where are you currently in the project?
“We’ve already made several important discoveries. For example, we’ve mapped out the healthcare journeys of young people seeking help for mental health issues. We’ve also identified both barriers and opportunities for implementing AI in healthcare. Another critical aspect is how young adults and healthcare professionals view the use of AI. This gives us valuable input for our continued work. We are currently in a phase where we are analysing large amounts of healthcare data.”
What do you hope the project will achieve?
“We hope this work will provide useful insights that can make a real difference in primary care. Our main goal is to develop an AI algorithm to predict mental health issues in young adults. It will serve as a decision-making tool for healthcare professionals, allowing them to act earlier and more effectively. We are also exploring the possibility of AI helping young adults better navigate the healthcare system when they seek help.”
About PadAI
PadAI is a research and collaboration project led by Halmstad University, healthcare provider Capio Ramsay Santé, and Region Halland. The project’s goal is to improve young adults’ mental health.
The project is part of the Information Driven Care (IDC) research programme and the CAISR Health research profile at Halmstad University.
More voices about the project
Why is the PadAI project important?
“In psychiatry, we need to be highly skilled at understanding and supporting children and adolescents struggling with mental health. This allows us to offer treatments that meet their individual needs, which is always the most effective approach. That’s why this project is so important”, says Johanna Mehra, Quality and Development Manager at Capio Psychiatry.
What are the needs in healthcare?
“We need more efficient methods to identify and support patients in maintaining mental health. Early interventions are crucial to addressing future challenges. We must work preventively with mental health needs, similar to how we approach patients at risk of or already suffering from physical illnesses like cardiovascular disease”, says Katarina Wettin, Medical Director at Region Digital Capio Primary Care.
Why do we need innovative approaches?
“It’s essential that young adults receive prompt and effective help for mental health issues, or their development could be negatively affected. Tools like these can help us in healthcare to provide the right support to the right patient. Resources are limited in healthcare. We need tools like these to increase our interventions’ accuracy", says Linda Sundelöf, Regional Medical Director, Capio Primary Care Region South West.
Text: Anna-Frida Agardson
Picture: iStock
Portrait picture: Magnus Karlsson
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Emely Niemi Jonsson
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