Bridging peer support and primary care in youth mental health: stakeholder perspectives on needs, key elements and integration challenges.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

This study explored how youth with mental health issues, peer support workers, and primary care professionals perceive youth's needs while receiving support, key elements of peer support, and its integration into primary healthcare.

Method

Twenty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed thematically to identify youth's needs, core components of peer support, and collaboration challenges between peer support services and primary care.

Results

All stakeholder groups recognized peer support as a valuable, low-threshold complement to traditional care, particularly for those awaiting treatment or lacking social support. Youth emphasized needs for knowledge, destigmatization, validation and connection - needs specifically addressed by the in

SUBMITTER: Pellemans-van Rooijen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12667305 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature