News

The Alex Panton Foundation has announced the results from the mental health component of the 2018 Cayman Islands Student Drug Use (CISDUS) biennial survey at the recent 2^nd Annual Youth Mental Health Symposium.

The mental health component of the biennial (CISDUS) survey studied the general mental health of the students and sought to explore the risk factors that lead to attempted suicide and suicidal behaviours which remains in the top two causes of death in the youth population. These are identified as: self-harm, bullying, violence related behaviours, childhood abuse and binge drinking.

In relation to suicide, the 2018 CISDUS indicated that 34% of students – one in three - reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide. This represents a +15% increase from the 2007 CISDUS survey.

Self-Harm: 28% of students reported that they have engaged in self-harming behaviours, the number one method of self-harm is cutting, followed by hitting or banging body parts, scratching /pinching, and burning. Students who reported self-harming were 17 times more likely to have attempted suicide.

Bullying: More than half of the students surveyed, 54%, reported being bullied at some time and over 67% reported carrying a weapon in the community or at school. This was reported higher than average in Cayman Brac and Bodden Town. Students who were bullied were 5.9 times more likely to have attempted suicide.

Physical & Sexual Abuse: Physical abuse was experienced by 17% of students surveyed with girls more likely to report this than boys. Sexual abuse was reported by 10% of the students. Both physical and sexual abuse serve as a risk factor to attempted suicide, 4 and 6 times respectively.

Binge Drinking: The prevalence of binge drinking overall was 20%. Students who reported binge drinking were 1.5 times more likely to have attempted suicide compared to those who had not reported binge drinking.

Positively, 92% of students surveyed understood what mental health is with just over half the students acknowledging they were taught about mental health in school.

Speaking on the importance of the recent findings, Dr Erica Lam, Clinical and Education Committee member of the Alex Panton Foundation said:

‘Until now we have been relying on international data to keep us informed on mental health issues. While the international data is still valuable, we now have new localized data which for the first time allows us a more insightful analysis of issues affecting our youth. This new data will also assist in planning better youth mental health services in the future that is tailored to the needs of our young people’.

Over two hundred attendees gathered to hear the first nationally representative data on how children and young adults on our islands are coping with mental health issues.

Speaking on the survey results and the 2^nd Annual Youth Mental Health Symposium, Jane Panton, Chairperson of the Alex Panton Foundation said:

‘The Alex Panton Foundation has a clear mission, to improve the mental health of our children and young adults in the Cayman Islands. This can only be done by acknowledging the issues they are facing and educating our community on services available to help those in our community dealing with mental health issues. The collaboration with the National Drug Council has allowed us to achieve this mission and the symposium gives us the platform to shape the narrative around mental illnesses’.

Next steps for the Alex Panton Foundation includes addressing the recent data and continuing to work with a number of community partners such as the National Drug Council, YMCA, Loud Silent Voices, Ministry of Community Affairs, the Mental Health Commission, and Health Services Authority, as well as international organizations to help direct the future initiatives of the foundation.

Speaking at the symposium, Hon. Dwayne Seymour, Minister of Health, Environment, Culture and Housing announced during his opening remarks:

‘This is the first nationally representative data available in the Cayman Islands and it is vitally important to draw comparison between the international data that we have previously relied upon and the recent findings – both in terms of the prevalence of youth mental health issues and the risk factors that lead to them. Indeed my ministry is in the process of conducting a needs assessment that will identify current services available within the public and private sector and will highlight gaps which need to be filled in future if we are to properly support our youth’.

The symposium was made possible thanks to its speakers and volunteers as well as sponsors: Cayman National, Ironshore Pharmaceuticals and Development Inc., Maples Group, the Ministry of Community Affairs; Walkers, Tower, the Ministry of Health, Appleby, PwC, Logic and Hurley’s Media.

Those looking for more information on the Alex Panton Foundation can follow them on Facebook and Instagram as well as www.alexpantonfoundation.ky. Presentations from the symposium will be uploaded onto the website shortly.