On March 27–28, the Institute of Public Health of the University of (ISPUP) hosted the 3rd meeting of the EARLY Consortium partners, bringing together leading researchers and public health experts from across Europe. The meeting marked a key milestone in the progress of EARLY—Evaluating, Identifying, and Reducing Determinants of Mental Health Conditions in Youth—an ambitious, European Union-funded project focused on addressing the rising challenge of youth mental health.
EARLY is a collaborative initiative involving 19 partner institutions from 12 countries. Over the next few years, the project aims to investigate the burden of non-communicable diseases, with a strong focus on mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress-related disorders (particularly post-traumatic stress disorder), and substance abuse. A major objective is to tackle modifiable risk factors that contribute to these conditions in young people aged 15–24.
The Porto meeting provided a crucial opportunity for consortium members to align efforts, assess progress, and plan the next steps. These two days of EARLY teamwork at ISPUP allowed for face-to-face and in-depth discussions on theoretical options, methodological approaches, and context-specific challenges and enablers for the project’s development.
By hosting the meeting, ISPUP reaffirmed its commitment to advancing mental health research and contributing to evidence-based strategies that promote well-being among Europe’s youth.
For more updated information on the EARLY project, you can visit the EARLY webpage or follow the project on social media platforms.
