Factors affecting Beneficiary Attendance in a Community Youth Mental Health Promotion Programme (Yuva Spandana) in Karnataka, India

Background: Yuva Spandana is a unique community-based Youth Mental Health Promotion programme implemented to provide guidance and counselling services to youth having any issues through Yuva Spandana Kendras (YSKs) acorss Karnataka. We assessed the factors affecting beneficiary attendance to YSKs across Karnataka. Methods: A conceptual framework was developed to understand the factors affecting beneficiary attendance through stakeholder consultation. First-time beneficiaries attending guidance centres between 1st January 2017 and 31st December 2018 across 30 districts of Karnataka were considered as study subjects. Requisite data were drawn from the computerised management information system (CMIS) specifically developed for the programme. Multivariate linear regression was performed with factors affecting beneficiary attendance as the outcome and a host of hypothesised exposures. Results: For every sensitization programme where > 1 issue was addressed, the beneficiary attendance increased by 84%. Reaching out to parent beneficiaries through sensitization programmes and referring clients to resource mapped organisations significantly increased beneficiary attendance at YSK by 79% and 81% respectively. For every percentage increase in reminder calls to beneficiaries who sought support following a sensitization programme, beneficiary attendance increased by 2.18 times. Availability of internet connectivity at these guidance centres in 2017 increased beneficiary attendance by 18 times. Conclusions: This study provides important inputs towards increasing beneficiary attendance at large scale youth mental health promotion programmes in India.