Mental Health Impairment

The association between adequate amount of physical activity and good health is well established and for children and young people, and sufficient physical activity is an important factor for normal growth and development. Contrary, physical inactivity is associated with higher symptom pressure of mental disorders. Adolescents with mental disorders report to be less active compare the general population, with potentially increased risk of health and lifestyle diseases. This project aims to provide new knowledge on the degree of physical activity, motivation for physical activity and subjective perception of health in adolescents in need of mental health care. Further, this project aim to provide possible solution on how to increase physical activity in this patient group. Thus, this project has the potential to impact future guidelines for mental health services for adolescents in need of mental health care.

The mental health of parents of preterm newborns (PTNB) is negatively affected by prolonged hospitalization of the PTNB in the intensive care unit. This produces changes in the role of the parents and the bond with the newborn, leading to states of depression, anxiety, and stress. Several strategies, including music therapy, have been implemented to mitigate the negative impact on the parents' mental health. The main objectives of the proposed trial are to determine whether Music Therapy (MT) songwriting combined with standard care (SC) during NICU stay is superior to SC alone in reducing the risk of postpartum depression in at-risk parents of preterm children at the end of treatment, and understand the lived experiences of participating parents who received music therapy for their mental health.

13 million (50.7%) Australians are born with ovaries, 14% (\~3 million) are currently aged 40-59 yrs, \& all such who live to midlife will experience menopause, defined as \>12 months without a period. Peri-menopause (peri), typically occurs 5 yrs before menopause as hormone levels decrease. As with oestrogen, peri symptoms can affect every bodily system; e.g. depression/anxiety, diminished mental function, irregular periods, hot flushes, sleep problems, vaginal atrophy \& urinary urgency. These symptoms are linked with lower quality of life \& significantly higher work impairment; a third experiencing symptoms so severe as to impede daily life \& increase risk of suicide. Lifetime increased risks of diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis \& dementia are also associated with menopause, yet it remains disconcertingly poorly studied. The investigators propose to create a world-first, cutting-edge, consumer-driven, Virtual peri-/menopause registry of AusTrALia (VITAL). The unique design will enable consumers to determine VITAL's questions, encourage secure revelation of private data e.g. vaginal \& mental health symptoms, \& to direct priorities for research, education, \& health service improvements. VITAL will thus deliver optimal assessments of incidence, prevalence \& impact. The participating consumers, researchers, clinical specialists, policy makers, \& modern virtual data infrastructure enable this unique \& innovative registry design, future translation to improved community health, \& promote awareness \& collaborative synergies. Leveraging the investigators' critical range of expertise \& ongoing feedback opportunities for both participants \& stakeholder partnerships, the investigators will create a ground-breaking platform that: * empowers the consumer voice and priorities, * enables peri-/menopause research to extend beyond existing niche focuses, * evidences the true impact of peri-/menopause across the nation, * evolves healthcare services and outcomes, \& * educates community, clinicians, \& policy-makers. After Australian registry establishment, the investigators will expand VITAL to mirror it in other nations while still protecting individual's data the right way, but so all can learn \& apply the best aspects of care from across the world.