Health Advancement and Health Promotion Proposal for Youths in MENA Region

Running head: HEALTH ADVANCEMENT AND PROMOTION
Health advancement and health promotion
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

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Table of Contents
Aim and objectives:.........................................................................................................................2
Background and rationale:...............................................................................................................2
Proposed action plan:.......................................................................................................................5
Anticipated outcomes and significance:........................................................................................10
Strategies to evaluate outcomes:....................................................................................................13
Proposed timeliness:......................................................................................................................15
Proposed budget:...........................................................................................................................16
References:....................................................................................................................................18

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Aim and objectives:
The main aim of this proposal is to develop a hypothetical health promotion intervention
in response to mental health risk identified for young adults while making their transition to
adulthood living in the Mena region of Egypt. The SMART objectives of this proposal are as
follows:
 To give background information related to the mental health issues experiences by young
adults of Egypt living in refugee camps (Specific)
 To highlight the risk factors or vulnerability to mental illness for the target group
(Measureable)
 To propose an innovative health intervention to reduce risk of mental illness in the group
and discuss about the significance of the project (Actionable)
 To plan evaluation strategies to analyze effectiveness of the intervention (Relevant)
 To achieve the desired objective with one year (Time bound)
Background and rationale:
This project mainly aims to improve the psychological health of youths living in Mena
region of Egypt and the main rationale behind this intervention is the prevalence of mental
illness in the group. This understood from the research done by Liu, Modrek and Sieverding
(2017). Liu, Modrek and Sieverding (2017) investigated about the mental health of youth and
young adults during transition to adulthood in Egypt and the study gave the evidence that young
women in Egypt suffer from more mental health issues compared to overall young men. The
main rational behind investigating about mental health of this group was the evidence regarding
stalled development during adolescence for the MENA youths. Appropriate social and economic

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environment is needed for progressing towards optimal development and transition from the
stage of adolescence to youth (Mohammed, Nadeem & Yousif, 2017). However, many social
factors present at young age predisposed youths to risk of mental illness and young people in the
region develop frustration and anxiety due to lack of economic opportunity and little chance to
obtain a secure job. Depression was the third leading cause of disability adjusted life years in
MENA region (Ferrari et al., 2013). Hence, social and economic factors are linked to
inappropriate transition to adulthood in the group.
Many social and economic disparities present in the life of MENA youths have
predisposed them to risk of mental illness. For example, gender wise differences in educational
attainment for young men and young women was found as percentage of young girls completing
school in MENA was low compared to young men (Liu, Modrek & Sieverding, 2017). Social
factors like educational attainment have been found to have significant affect on mental health
and development. Thomson et al. (2017) explain that foundation of mental health is established
from a young age and mental health mostly affects children before age 17. Onset of severe
childhood mental issues in youth is mostly linked to low household income and educational
attainment. This is because it increases material deprivation for such children and minimize
many opportunities for such children. Hence, similar circumstances have been found to exist in
the life of youths living in MENA too.
Employment has also been found to be one social factor that increases risk of mental
stress and mental disorders among youths in Mena. Gender wise gaps in employment transitions
have been found particularly because of gaps in attainment of employment in young men
compared to women in MENA. Hence, socio-demographic data of youths in the region clearly
indicates their mental health status. This evidence suggest the need to directly monitor risk

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factors and vulnerabilities present in the group during transition from adolescence to adulthood
and plan strategies to mitigate elements that impair psychological and physical development of
children. It gives the implication to monitor social determinant of health for target population
and this is considered important because good mental health is shaped by the type of social,
economic and physical environments in which a person is raised (Liu, Modrek & Sieverding,
2017). For certain vulnerable groups, inherent social inequalities and discrimination is the main
factor contributing to common mental disorders. Elias and Paradies (2016) support this by
showing racial discrimination to be a pervasive social problem in many countries and high risk
of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder because of exposure to racial
discrimination.
Disparity has been found in the pattern of depressive disorder diagnosed among different
group in MENA. For example, evidence shows correlation between social inequities and gender
disparity. = This is understood from the statistics that 10.6% of men and 21.1% of women were
found to suffer from mental disorder (Liu, Modrek & Sieverding, 2017). Employment and
education were found to be common areas during the transition from adolescence to adulthood
during which youths of MENA faced issues. There were individuals who dropped out of school
and never intended to return. Hence, schooling was found to be directly associated with mental
health issues. Negative patterns of transitions in education and employment are some issues that
affect mental health of young women. Yu (2018) revealed about the hidden impact of inequality
on mental health. The investigation regarding the link between social inequities and gender
disparities revealed that regional or geographic variations due to cultural, environmental and
socioeconomic factors also plays a role in gender disparities in depressive disorder. Therefore,
the evidence confirms that different types of social inequalities such as wealth inequality and

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gender inequality can have differential impact on mental health for both genders. In order to plan
interventions to improve mental health of the vulnerable group, there is a need to take
multidisciplinary approach so that social determinants of health are addressed.
This project aims to implement a health promotion intervention of education and
counseling for youths of MENA to facilitate positive growth and development of youths in
MENA. The education and counseling sessions in school would act as an early stage health
promotion intervention that would help to prevent transition of mental health to long-term issues.
Modifying social norms related to gender wise biases is important to provide equal opportunity
to women and provide better life circumstance to women too. The rationale for the project is also
understood from the impact of stalled transitions from adolescence to adulthood on quality of
life, disability adjusted life year lost and cost to the economy (Elias and Paradies (2016). Most of
the youths live in refugee camps and refugees are highly likely to suffer from mental health
disorders like PTSD and anxiety compared to general population. These symptoms can manifest
due to stressors occurring because of separation anxiety, harassment and lack of fulfillment of
basic needs (Hameed, Sadiq & Din, 2018). Therefore, taking efforts to reduce mental health
trauma and vulnerabilities in the group are important.
Proposed action plan:
In response to the risk of mental illness identified because of low educational attainment
and poor opportunities of employment for youths of MENA, the proposed action plan is to
implement an education and counseling intervention in schools of MENA so that individuals at
risk of mental illness are targeted in the early stage of their life. The main rationale behind
implementing the intervention in school setting is that adolescents spend maximum time in their