Research group
Mental Health Promotion
Our research group brings together specialists in the field who, through research, aim to influence the promotion of mental health, the prevention and treatment of mental health problems, and thereby increase the well-being of individuals, communities and society. Through research, we promote mental health service structure, mental health literacy and develop practices in a variety of subject areas both nationally and globally.
With an estimated one in four people suffering from mental health problems at some point in their lives, research in this area is increasingly important. Mental health reasons have risen to become the most common cause of disability by 2020. In 2021, the public sector allocated around €1 billion in resources to mental health, despite the fact that the cost of mental disorders is €11 billion per year.
Our research and development activities are focused on four key themes
- violence, aggression, mental health and substance abuse work
- preventive mental health work
- development of mental health training
- perinatal mental health and family well-being
Our research group is made up of multi-professional experts. We focus on promoting mental health across sectors through first-class research, development and innovation.
Mari Lahti, Principal Lecturer, Research Group Leader
Publications
Berg, J., Lipponen, E., Sailas, E., Soininen, P., Varpula, J., Välimäki, M., & Lahti, M. (2023). Nurses’ perceptions of nurse-patient communication in seclusion rooms in psychiatric inpatient care: A focus group study. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. Advance online publication. Jan 31. doi: 10.1111/jpm.12907. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36718606. IF 2.720
Lahti, M., Korhonen, J., Sakellari, E., Notara, V., Lagiou, A., Istomina, N., Grubliauskienė, J., Makutienė, M., Šukytė, D., Erjavec, K., Petrova, G., Lalova, V., Ivanova, S., & Laaksonen, C. (2023). Competences for promoting mental health in primary school. Health Education Journal, 0(0). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00178969231173270 IF 1.492
Groen, G., Jörns-Presentati, A., Dessauvagie, A., Seedat, S., van den Heuvel, L. L., Suliman, S., Grobler, G., Jansen, R., Mwape, L., Mukwato, P., Chapima, F., Korhonen, J., Stein, D. J., Jonker, D., Mudenda, J., Turunen, T., Valtiņš, K., Beinaroviča, A., Grada, L., & Lahti, M. (2022). Development of a Mobile Application for Detection of Adolescent Mental Health Problems and Feasibility Assessment with Primary Health Care Workers. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 43(11):1046-1055. doi: 10.1080/01612840.2022.2124003. Epub 2022 Oct 7. PMID: 36205922. IF 1.790
Korhonen, J., Axelin, A., Katajisto, J., & Lahti, M. (2022). Construct validity and internal consistency of the revised Mental Health Literacy Scale in South African and Zambian contexts. Nursing Open, 9(2), 966-977. doi: 10.1002/nop2.1132. Epub 2021 Nov 25. PMID: 34822738; PMCID: PMC8859090. IF 1.942
Korhonen, J., Axelin, A., Stein, D. J., Seedat, S., Mwape, L., Jansen, R., Groen, G., Grobler, G., Jörns-Presentati, A., Katajisto, J., & Lahti, M. (2022). Mental health literacy among primary healthcare workers in South Africa and Zambia. Brain and Behavior, 12(12):e2807. doi: 10.1002/brb3.2807. Epub 2022 Nov 3. PMID: 36326480; PMCID: PMC9759138. IF 3.405
Roth, M., Lahti, M., Gustafsson, N., Berg, J., Kaitala, E., & Kuosmanen, L. (2022). Non-European immigrants’ self-described strategies for mental health promotion and perceptions of Finnish mental health services: A qualitative descriptive analysis. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 58(4):3016-3023. doi: 10.1111/ppc.13096. Epub 2022 Apr 21. PMID: 35445746; PMCID: PMC9790472. IF 2.223
Murto, T., Berglund, M., Sakellari, E., & Lahti, M. (2021). Domestic violence at “home sweet home” – More education and technology-based solutions needed in pandemic. Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, 30, 100675. doi: 10.1016/j.srhc.2021.100675. PMID: 34741841; PMCID: PMC8564214. IF 2.194
Varpula, J., Välimäki, M., Lantta, T., Berg, J., Soininen, P., & Lahti, M. (2021). Safety hazards in patient seclusion events in psychiatric care: A video observation study. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 29(2):359-373. doi: 10.1111/jpm.12799. Epub 2021 Sep 24. PMID: 34536315. IF 2.720
Lahti, M., Groen, G., Mwape, L., Korhonen, J., Breet, E., Chapima, F., Coetzee, M., Ellilä, H., Jansen, R., Jonker, D., Jöns-Prestati, A., Mbanga, I., Mukwato, P., Mundenda, J., Mutagubya, J., Janse van Rensburg-Bonthuyzen, E., Seedat, S., Stein, D., Suliman, S., Sukwa, T., Turunen, T.-J., Valtins, K., van den Heuvel, L., Wahila, R., & Grobler, G. (2019). Design and development process of an m-health application for primary health care workers in South Africa and Zambia: An overview of the MEGA project. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 41(1 Depression Across the Globe), 24-30. doi: 10.1080/01612840.2019.1604919. Epub 2019 Jun 21. PMID: 31225763. IF 1.790
Our experts
The strength of our research group is the multidisciplinary nature of the experts. Our operations combine sector-specific expertise and diverse pedagogical expertise with the strong funding and project expertise of Turku UAS project professionals
Network and partners
The cities of Turku and Salo and the social and health services of the region, Turku University Hospital (TYKS), universities of applied sciences and universities in Finland and abroad, associations and federations in the field.
Strong project skills
The Turku University of Applied Sciences Project Office offers support and guidance throughout the life cycle of an RDI project. Our project experts have years of experience and strong expertise in national and international funding programmes. We have more than 200 projects running every year, and our RDI activities have received more than €10 million in external funding.