Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET): The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Rural Community-Based Strategy to Prevent Mental and Emotional Health Problems
Introduction: People in rural regions frequently lack resources for mental health support. Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET) is a universal, community-based program designed to address mental and emotional health issues early and prevent crises. COMET Community Training is a short...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Primary Care & Community Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319251317337 |
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| author | Linda Zittleman Maret Felzien Kristen Curcija Christopher Bennett Kaitlyn Bennett Joseph Carrica Christin Sutter Ashley Sherrill John M Westfall |
| author_facet | Linda Zittleman Maret Felzien Kristen Curcija Christopher Bennett Kaitlyn Bennett Joseph Carrica Christin Sutter Ashley Sherrill John M Westfall |
| author_sort | Linda Zittleman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: People in rural regions frequently lack resources for mental health support. Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET) is a universal, community-based program designed to address mental and emotional health issues early and prevent crises. COMET Community Training is a short, interactive training that teaches people how to initiate a supportive and potentially emotional conversation using the simple, 7-item COMET Conversational Gravity Assist. This article describes and reports on the feasibility and acceptability of COMET and its Community Training. Methods: COMET was developed using a participatory research approach by community members and health professionals living in a rural region and their research partners. COMET Community Trainings were conducted over a 22-month period. Surveys were administered to attendees before and after training to describe attendees’ characteristics, view on content, and impact on intention to use COMET components. Field notes were completed by trainers to document the date and number of attendees. Results: Over 700 people attended 60 Community Trainings. Questionnaires were completed by 644 trainees before and 580 after training. Of pre-survey respondents, 25% worked in education and 15% in farming/ranching. Post-survey respondents were 62% female, and 32% were between age 18 and 36. High levels of training satisfaction were reported. Average likelihood of using items in the COMET conversational guide increased significantly from pre to post training. On a scale of 1 to 10, nearly 80% of respondents rated their likelihood of using COMET in the next 3 months a 7 or higher. Conclusions: COMET Community Training is a feasible program that effectively reaches a range of community members and improves the likelihood that they will initiate conversations when concerned about someone else’s mental health. Results lay the groundwork for COMET as an intervention that promotes mental and emotional well-being to address inequality in mental health for people living in rural communities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-60cf7583022a48afad8fce762c6d99eb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2150-1327 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Primary Care & Community Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-60cf7583022a48afad8fce762c6d99eb2025-02-05T15:03:22ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Primary Care & Community Health2150-13272025-02-011610.1177/21501319251317337Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET): The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Rural Community-Based Strategy to Prevent Mental and Emotional Health ProblemsLinda Zittleman0Maret Felzien1Kristen Curcija2Christopher Bennett3Kaitlyn Bennett4Joseph Carrica5Christin Sutter6Ashley Sherrill7John M Westfall8Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of MedicineHigh Plains Research Network Community Advisory Council, USADepartment of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of MedicineHigh Plains Research Network Community Advisory Council, USAHigh Plains Research Network Community Advisory Council, USAValley-Wide Health Systems, Inc., Alamosa, CO, USADepartment of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of MedicineDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of MedicineDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of MedicineIntroduction: People in rural regions frequently lack resources for mental health support. Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET) is a universal, community-based program designed to address mental and emotional health issues early and prevent crises. COMET Community Training is a short, interactive training that teaches people how to initiate a supportive and potentially emotional conversation using the simple, 7-item COMET Conversational Gravity Assist. This article describes and reports on the feasibility and acceptability of COMET and its Community Training. Methods: COMET was developed using a participatory research approach by community members and health professionals living in a rural region and their research partners. COMET Community Trainings were conducted over a 22-month period. Surveys were administered to attendees before and after training to describe attendees’ characteristics, view on content, and impact on intention to use COMET components. Field notes were completed by trainers to document the date and number of attendees. Results: Over 700 people attended 60 Community Trainings. Questionnaires were completed by 644 trainees before and 580 after training. Of pre-survey respondents, 25% worked in education and 15% in farming/ranching. Post-survey respondents were 62% female, and 32% were between age 18 and 36. High levels of training satisfaction were reported. Average likelihood of using items in the COMET conversational guide increased significantly from pre to post training. On a scale of 1 to 10, nearly 80% of respondents rated their likelihood of using COMET in the next 3 months a 7 or higher. Conclusions: COMET Community Training is a feasible program that effectively reaches a range of community members and improves the likelihood that they will initiate conversations when concerned about someone else’s mental health. Results lay the groundwork for COMET as an intervention that promotes mental and emotional well-being to address inequality in mental health for people living in rural communities.https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319251317337 |
| spellingShingle | Linda Zittleman Maret Felzien Kristen Curcija Christopher Bennett Kaitlyn Bennett Joseph Carrica Christin Sutter Ashley Sherrill John M Westfall Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET): The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Rural Community-Based Strategy to Prevent Mental and Emotional Health Problems Journal of Primary Care & Community Health |
| title | Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET): The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Rural Community-Based Strategy to Prevent Mental and Emotional Health Problems |
| title_full | Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET): The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Rural Community-Based Strategy to Prevent Mental and Emotional Health Problems |
| title_fullStr | Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET): The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Rural Community-Based Strategy to Prevent Mental and Emotional Health Problems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET): The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Rural Community-Based Strategy to Prevent Mental and Emotional Health Problems |
| title_short | Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET): The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Rural Community-Based Strategy to Prevent Mental and Emotional Health Problems |
| title_sort | changing our mental and emotional trajectory comet the feasibility and acceptability of a rural community based strategy to prevent mental and emotional health problems |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319251317337 |
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