Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42482327›Full record

Trial reportInternational journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being2026

Mental health first aid in the workplace: a reflexive thematic analysis of UK workers' experiences.

Opeyemi Atanda, Eleni Vangeli, Steven D Brown, Patrick Callaghan, Graham Durcan, Kerry Wood, Tim Carter, Nick O'Shea, Sarah White, Paula Reavey

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04311203 (Evaluation of Mental Health First Aid From the Perspective of Workplace End Users - EMPOWER), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04311203 naunknown statusnot on this map

Evaluation of Mental Health First Aid From the Perspective of Workplace End Users - EMPOWER: Protocol of Trial Phase

TypeinterventionalSponsorLondon South Bank UniversityRan2020 to 2022Enrolled800ConditionsHelp-Seeking BehaviorArmsMental Health First Aid
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Mental health first aid in the workplace: a reflexive thematic analysis of UK workers' experiences.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2026
    Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Opeyemi AtandaSchool of Allied Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-8820-6596
Eleni VangeliSchool of Allied Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4016-4520
Steven D BrownNottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7841-3225
Patrick CallaghanSchool of Allied Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3175-5361
Graham DurcanCentre for Mental Health, London, UK.
Kerry WoodSchool of Allied Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-8523-3182
Tim CarterUniversity of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1608-5112
Nick O'SheaNottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
Sarah WhiteSt George's University of London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2468-6193
Paula ReaveySchool of Allied Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-0903-9097

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMental Health First Aid (MHFA) is used in workplaces to improve mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and promote help-seeking. This paper explores how employees perceive and engage with MHFA in work settings.

methodsThis qualitative study was embedded within the EMPOWER cluster randomised controlled trial (Atanda et al., 2020). Twenty-four participants, including Mental Health First Aiders, recipients of MHFA support, employees, and senior managers, took part in semi-structured interviews. Guided by a relativist epistemological position, data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.(Atanda et al., 2020).

findingsThree themes were identified: (1) ambiguity surrounding the purpose of MHFA; (2) uncertainty and scepticism regarding the role and effectiveness of MHFA (subthemes: Anticipated Stigma, MHFA not addressing core concerns affecting staff well-being); and (3) risks to personal relationships following disclosure. Participants questioned the purpose, boundaries, and organisational value of MHFA, contributing to reluctance to engage. Disclosure decisions were shaped by concerns about stigma, confidentiality, and potential impacts on workplace relationships and career progression. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest MHFA is most effective when part of a broader organisational commitment to employee wellbeing. Clarifying MHFA's purpose, addressing workplace stigma, and tackling organisational sources of distress may improve engagement and strengthen mental health initiatives. CLINICAL

trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT04311203. Registered on 17 March 2020, protocol published in 2020.

Indexed as

First AidHelp-Seeking BehaviorMental DisordersMental HealthMental Health ServicesSocial StigmaWorkplaceAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchUnited KingdomWorking Conditionshelp-seekingmental health first aidorganisational cultureReflexive thematic analysisworkplace mental health

Identifiers

PMID42482327
PMCPMC13393055

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.