Journal articles on the topic 'Mental healthcare accessibility'
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Chrysikou, Evangelia. "Accessibility for mental healthcare." Facilities 31, no. 9/10 (June 28, 2013): 418–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02632771311324972.
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Zartaloudi, A. "Accessibility of migrants to mental health services." European Psychiatry 65, S1 (June 2022): S138. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.374.
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Introduction Cultural barriers and prejudices of mental healthcare professionals may promote inequalities in the provision of care to immigrant population and have a negative impact in provided service quality. Objectives To identify barriers and facilitators of immigrants’ accessibility to mental health services. Methods A literature review has been made through PubMed database. Results Immigrants’ accessibility to mental health services may be related to social insurance problems, inadequate knowledge about their health rights, inadequate knowledge of the local language, as well as the bureaucracy of Greek State which may complicate mental health examination and treatment. The challenges faced by mental healthcare professionals in terms of diagnosis and treatment of migrants include communication difficulties due to linguistic and cultural differences as far as verbal presentation of symptoms and illness behavior is concerned. Culturally competent mental health professionals should work to erase racism and prejudice, to be familiar with cultural issues and have adequate knowledge related to cultural groups, to learn the life story of each patient separately and encourage patients to explain how their illness affects their lives, promoting a trustful communication environment in the context of healthcare provision. Conclusions Exploring the specific needs of migrants as well as assessing the degree of satisfaction from their access to healthcare services are essential to providing integrated mental health care for people from different culture. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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V, Minutha. "Accessibility of Public Healthcare Services in Mysore City- A GIS Approach." International Journal of Health Sciences and Research 11, no. 5 (May 21, 2021): 290–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20210546.
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The main theme of healthcare is to provide complete health facilities, to protect every one for physical, social, and mental health, to decrease the death rate, to increase the life expectancy of human being. The accessibility of healthcare centers is one of the most important indicators for measuring the efficiency of a healthcare system. Accessibility is a complex indicator that reflects the number of health care institutions, their geographical distribution and the impact of different types of barriers social, Economic and culture [1]. Geographers are mainly concerned with geographical accessibility for the calculation. GIS is a technique which provide a set of tools for describing and understanding the spatial distribution of healthcare facilities, evaluating accessibility and barriers to health care delivery of health facilities and Creating a map of health infrastructure. In this paper an attempt has been made to analyze the functioning of health care services and its infrastructure facilities in Mysore city using GIS techniques. To identify the gap between the availability and the accessibility of health infrastructure services in terms of prescribed norms. The present study is based on both Primary and Secondary Data. The Base Map of Study area has been Geo-referenced and digitized using GIS Software. Location of healthcare centres will be mapped with the help of Global Position System (GPS). Data is analyzed though simple quantitative techniques and the spatial disparity of health centers were measured by applying location quotient. Various Maps have been generated to show the health care services in the study area. The results show that the availability of healthcare center is unequally distributed and there is scarcity in the availability of infrastructure and workforce among the study area. Key words: Healthcare, Accessibility, Location quotient, GIS, GPS.
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Wang, Jeffrey, Stanislav Pasyk, Claire Slavin-Stewart, and Andrew Olagunju. "A Scoping Review on Barriers to Mental Healthcare in Canada as Identified by Healthcare Providers." BJPsych Open 8, S1 (June 2022): S78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2022.258.
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AimsMental illness is among the leading causes of disability globally, however the treatment gap is wide even for developed countries. The perspectives of patients and mental healthcare providers are critical to understanding barriers to adequate mental healthcare and developing scalable solutions that improve access and quality of services. However, the views of providers are relatively understudied, precipitating our review to collate and synthesize their perspectives on the barriers to mental healthcare in Canada.MethodsWe searched MEDLINE/PubMed and PsychINFO for studies with findings in Canada published in English from 2000–2021 with terms for mental health, psychiatry, barriers, and referrals. Included studies were evaluated with the National Institutes of Health Study Quality Assessment Tools and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme.Results631 papers were screened, finding 20 eligible studies, including 13 qualitative, one cross-sectional, one retrospective, and five mixed-methods studies. Through inductive content analysis, five themes of barriers emerged: (1) patient accessibility (19% of studies), (2) health systems availability and complexity (31%), (3) training/education (25%), (4) work conditions (21%), and (5) cultural sensitivity (4%). Among barriers discussed, common challenges included a lack of resources for both patients and providers, gaps in continuing education for primary care providers, and health systems challenges such as difficulty securing referrals, unclear intake criteria, and confusion due to overload of contacts.ConclusionHealth systems face a multi-faceted set of challenges to improving access to mental healthcare that will require solutions from various stakeholders. Understanding these barriers is critical in focusing initiatives to improve mental health care, both in Canada and in countries facing similar challenges.
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O'Hanlon, Katherine P., and Boris Budosan. "Access to community-based mental healthcare and psychosocial support within a disaster context." BJPsych. International 12, no. 2 (May 2015): 44–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/s2056474000000295.
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After a large-scale humanitarian disaster, 30–50% of victims develop moderate or severe psychological distress. Rates of mild and moderate mental disorders increase by 5–10% and severe disorders by 1–2%. Those with such disorders need access to mental healthcare. Primary care clinics are appropriate due to their easy accessibility and the non-stigmatising environment. There is a consensus among experts that the mental health effects of disaster are best addressed by existing services, that is, through capacity building rather than by establishing parallel systems. Mental health interventions in emergencies should begin with a clear vision for the long-term advancement of community services.
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Van, Nguyen Hang Nguyet, Nguyen Thi Khanh Huyen, Mai Thi Hue, Nguyen Thanh Luong, Pham Quoc Thanh, Duong Minh Duc, Vu Thi Thanh Mai, and Tran Thi Hong. "Perceived Barriers to Mental Health Services among the Elderly in the Rural of Vietnam: A Cross Sectional Survey in 2019." Health Services Insights 14 (January 2021): 117863292110260. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/11786329211026035.
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While the burden of neurological and mental disorders has been drastically increased in Vietnam, the current mental healthcare services do not meet the public demand. In order to determine perceived barriers to the use of mental health services, we conducted a cross-sectional study on 376 elderly people from a rural district in Hanoi, Vietnam. We found that depression may be an important indicator of the need for formal and informal community and home care mental health services. Barriers to mental healthcare access were categorized into 7 groups namely stigma, emotional concerns, participation restrictions, service satisfaction, time constraints, geographic and financial conditions, and availability of services. The most significant barriers are the limited availability of and accessibility to health professionals and services in rural areas. Our study highlights the urgent efforts that need to be made in order to enhance availability of mental healthcare services in rural areas of Vietnam.
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Nilsen, Per, Petra Svedberg, Jens Nygren, Micael Frideros, Jan Johansson, and Stephen Schueller. "Accelerating the impact of artificial intelligence in mental healthcare through implementation science." Implementation Research and Practice 3 (January 2022): 263348952211120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/26334895221112033.
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Background The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in mental healthcare offers a potential solution to some of the problems associated with the availability, attractiveness, and accessibility of mental healthcare services. However, there are many knowledge gaps regarding how to implement and best use AI to add value to mental healthcare services, providers, and consumers. The aim of this paper is to identify challenges and opportunities for AI use in mental healthcare and to describe key insights from implementation science of potential relevance to understand and facilitate AI implementation in mental healthcare. Methods The paper is based on a selective review of articles concerning AI in mental healthcare and implementation science. Results Research in implementation science has established the importance of considering and planning for implementation from the start, the progression of implementation through different stages, and the appreciation of determinants at multiple levels. Determinant frameworks and implementation theories have been developed to understand and explain how different determinants impact on implementation. AI research should explore the relevance of these determinants for AI implementation. Implementation strategies to support AI implementation must address determinants specific to AI implementation in mental health. There might also be a need to develop new theoretical approaches or augment and recontextualize existing ones. Implementation outcomes may have to be adapted to be relevant in an AI implementation context. Conclusion Knowledge derived from implementation science could provide an important starting point for research on implementation of AI in mental healthcare. This field has generated many insights and provides a broad range of theories, frameworks, and concepts that are likely relevant for this research. However, when taking advantage of the existing knowledge basis, it is important to also be explorative and study AI implementation in health and mental healthcare as a new phenomenon in its own right since implementing AI may differ in various ways from implementing evidence-based practices in terms of what implementation determinants, strategies, and outcomes are most relevant. Plain Language Summary: The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in mental healthcare offers a potential solution to some of the problems associated with the availability, attractiveness, and accessibility of mental healthcare services. However, there are many knowledge gaps concerning how to implement and best use AI to add value to mental healthcare services, providers, and consumers. This paper is based on a selective review of articles concerning AI in mental healthcare and implementation science, with the aim to identify challenges and opportunities for the use of AI in mental healthcare and describe key insights from implementation science of potential relevance to understand and facilitate AI implementation in mental healthcare. AI offers opportunities for identifying the patients most in need of care or the interventions that might be most appropriate for a given population or individual. AI also offers opportunities for supporting a more reliable diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and ongoing monitoring and tailoring during the course of treatment. However, AI implementation challenges exist at organizational/policy, individual, and technical levels, making it relevant to draw on implementation science knowledge for understanding and facilitating implementation of AI in mental healthcare. Knowledge derived from implementation science could provide an important starting point for research on AI implementation in mental healthcare. This field has generated many insights and provides a broad range of theories, frameworks, and concepts that are likely relevant for this research.
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Lawn, Sharon, Christine Kaine, Jeremy Stevenson, and Janne McMahon. "Australian Mental Health Consumers’ Experiences of Service Engagement and Disengagement: A Descriptive Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 19 (October 5, 2021): 10464. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910464.
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Mental health issues are a severe global concern with significant personal, social, and economic consequences and costs. This paper reports results of an online survey disseminated across the Australian community investigating why people with mental health issues choose particular mental health services over others, what causes them to disengage from services, and what factors and qualities of services are important to consumers to support their continued engagement or re-engagement with mental health services. The importance of GPs was evident, given their key role in providing mental healthcare, especially to those referred to as “the missing middle”—consumers with mental health issues who fall through the gaps in care in other parts of the healthcare system. The study found that many respondents chose to engage with mental healthcare providers primarily due to accessibility and affordability, but also because of the relational qualities that they displayed as part of delivering care. These qualities fostered consumers’ sense of trust, feeling listened to, and not being stigmatized as part of help seeking and having their mental health needs met. Implications for education and practice are offered.
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Davis, Lauren, and Rebecca Buchanan. "Strength in Numbers." Theory & Practice in Rural Education 12, no. 1 (June 21, 2022): 105–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.3776/tpre.2022.v12n1p105-115.
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Montana is a state that is ravaged by a suicide epidemic and mental health crisis, particularly among its youth. In an area in which harsh climates, geographic challenges, and distance to rural healthcare providers are significant barriers to mental healthcare accessibility, educators are faced with the acute social and emotional challenges of their students on a daily basis. This article documents the process and promise of utilizing novel and innovative community-based participatory research to support rural schools. By integrating a trauma-informed intervention in the school setting, while mobilizing local community resources, this interdisciplinary approach shows the ability to address the needs of adolescents while supporting rural educators.
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Kalkbrenner, Michael T. "Examining Global Wellness, Anxiety Severity, and Depression Severity Among Black and Latinx Adults: Implications for Counseling." Journal of Mental Health Counseling 45, no. 1 (January 1, 2023): 34–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.17744/mehc.45.1.03.
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The effectiveness of the Global Wellness scale of the Lifestyle Practices and Health Consciousness Inventory, measuring combined mental and physical health, is well documented in the literature among samples of primarily White clients. However, the global wellness literature is lacking research among ethnic minority populations who tend to face healthcare inequities. For example, Black and Latinx adults in the United States face inequities in the quality and accessibility of mental and physical healthcare services, including unique risks for anxiety and depression. In this study, a national random sample (N = 4,009) was recruited (stratified by age, gender, and geographic region of the United States) of Latinx and Black adults to examine the association of anxiety severity and depression severity with global wellness as well as demographic differences in global wellness. Anxiety and depression emerged as significant negative predictors of global wellness, and results revealed a number of demographic differences in global wellness. Implications for counseling practice and how mental health counselors can reduce healthcare disparities are discussed.
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Callander, Emily J., Lisa Corscadden, and Jean-Frederic Levesque. "Out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure and chronic disease – do Australians forgo care because of the cost?" Australian Journal of Primary Health 23, no. 1 (2017): 15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py16005.
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Although we do know that out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure is relatively high in Australia, little is known about what health conditions are associated with the highest out-of-pocket expenditure, and whether the cost of healthcare acts as a barrier to care for people with different chronic conditions. Cross-sectional analysis using linear and logistic regression models applied to the Commonwealth Fund international health policy survey of adults aged 18 years and over was conducted in 2013. Adults with asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) had 109% higher household out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure than did those with no health condition (95% CI: 50–193%); and adults with depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions had 95% higher household out-of-pocket expenditure (95% CI: 33–187%). People with a chronic condition were also more likely to forego care because of cost. People with depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions had 7.65 times higher odds of skipping healthcare (95% CI: 4.13–14.20), and people with asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had 6.16 times higher odds of skipping healthcare (95% CI: 3.30–11.50) than did people with no health condition. People with chronic health conditions in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland were all significantly less likely to skip healthcare because of cost than were people with a condition in Australia. The out-of-pocket cost of healthcare in Australia acts as a barrier to accessing treatment for people with chronic health conditions, with people with mental health conditions being likely to skip care. Attention should be given to the accessibility and affordability of mental health services in Australia.
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Balcombe, Luke, and Diego De Leo. "Human-Computer Interaction in Digital Mental Health." Informatics 9, no. 1 (February 22, 2022): 14. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/informatics9010014.
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Human-computer interaction (HCI) has contributed to the design and development of some efficient, user-friendly, cost-effective, and adaptable digital mental health solutions. But HCI has not been well-combined into technological developments resulting in quality and safety concerns. Digital platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) have a good potential to improve prediction, identification, coordination, and treatment by mental health care and suicide prevention services. AI is driving web-based and smartphone apps; mostly it is used for self-help and guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety and depression. Interactive AI may help real-time screening and treatment in outdated, strained or lacking mental healthcare systems. The barriers for using AI in mental healthcare include accessibility, efficacy, reliability, usability, safety, security, ethics, suitable education and training, and socio-cultural adaptability. Apps, real-time machine learning algorithms, immersive technologies, and digital phenotyping are notable prospects. Generally, there is a need for faster and better human factors in combination with machine interaction and automation, higher levels of effectiveness evaluation and the application of blended, hybrid or stepped care in an adjunct approach. HCI modeling may assist in the design and development of usable applications, and to effectively recognize, acknowledge, and address the inequities of mental health care and suicide prevention and assist in the digital therapeutic alliance.
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Okosun, Oboh Satur. "HEALTH FACILITIES LOCATIONAL ANALYSIS IN MAKURDI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE-NIGERIA USING GIS APPLICATION." Geosfera Indonesia 3, no. 3 (December 31, 2018): 26. http://dx.doi.org/10.19184/geosi.v3i3.8830.
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The most important indices of defining general welfare and quality of life of people in the world are the physical and mental health of individuals. This study attempts to examine GIS solution in the spatial analysis of health facilities in Makurdi local government area of Benue State, through mapping of the existing health facilities located in the study area, their spatial distribution pattern, identify areas with marginal services and propose a model for the future development as well examine the availability and accessibility of the existing health facilities, e.g (road network, travel time, distance covered and queuing time). The” Nearest neighbour analysis” Geospatial statistical method was employed to determine the spatial distribution pattern of the existing health facilities in other to determine the area of limited service and accessibility to healthcare facilities. The findings indicated that the healthcare facilities are randomly distributed; Fiidi ward was discovered to have limited service as regards the healthcare facilities in the study area. In line with the findings, recommendations were made on the use of GIS to build a concept that can be followed and replicated in divergent social-economic and political contexts. Conclusively, the study had shown that GIS is a vital tool in healthcare facility analysis and also in live application issues and thus should be encouraged in Nigeria for national economic transformation and sustainable development.
keywords: Health, GIS, Mapping, Location
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Spadaro, B., and N. Martin-Key. "A mixed methods evaluation of the current state of perinatal mental healthcare and users’ acceptability of a digital assessment for perinatal mental health." European Psychiatry 64, S1 (April 2021): S696—S697. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1845.
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IntroductionPerinatal mental health symptoms commonly remain underdiagnosed in maternity care settings in the UK, with the COVID-19 pandemic having further disrupted access to adequate care provision. Digital technologies may offer innovative ways to support the mental health needs of women and partners and assist midwives in recognition of concerns.ObjectivesWe set to investigate the current state of perinatal mental healthcare provision in the UK and the acceptability of a digital mental health assessment.MethodsThe study entailed completing an online survey. 829 women, 103 partners, and 90 midwives participated in the study. Quantitative data were explored using descriptive statistics. Open-ended responses regarding the perceived benefits and barriers to using a digital mental health assessment were investigated using thematic analysis. Resultant themes were then mapped onto the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Model of Behaviour (COM-B model).ResultsThe provision of perinatal mental healthcare support was limited and varied across respondents, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a strong interest in using a digital mental health assessment placed within maternity healthcare settings to screen, diagnose, and triage concerns (Figure 1). In-person and blended care approaches (i.e., in-person and remote support) were preferred by women and partners in the event of further care being advised (Figure 1). Identified barriers and benefits mainly related to physical opportunity (e.g., accessibility), psychological capability (e.g., cognitive skills) and automatic motivation (e.g., emotions).ConclusionsThis study provides proof-of-concept support for the development of a digital mental health assessment to inform clinical decision-making for perinatal mental health concerns.DisclosureNMK has financial interest in Psyomics Ltd., a company developing digital diagnostic devices for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Kettle, Liam, and Yi-Ching Lee. "“Welcome to your Daily Wellness Check”: The Proposed Evaluation of a SMS-based Conversational Agent for Managing Health and Wellbeing." Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 65, no. 1 (September 2021): 791–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1071181321651297.
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University students tend to sacrifice healthy lifestyles in favor of academic and financial gain. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to online schooling and reduced access to healthcare resources. To mitigate these pressures, artificial intelligence conversational agents (CA) have addressed mental wellness in the general population but are yet to address physical well-being. Therefore, a CA that can address barriers and improve physical and mental well-being by cultivating healthy behaviors is desired. This research is designed to evaluate the feasibility and user experience of a text-based CA on addressing student barriers for a healthy lifestyle using evidence-based theories including the Theory of Planned Behavior and Motivational Interviewing over a two-week timeframe. Data collection has been paused due to the pandemic; results are expected to show positive impacts on well-being outcomes compared to an information-only control group and support the implementation of CAs to those with less accessibility to healthcare resources.
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Burmeister, Oliver K., and Edwina Marks. "Rural and remote communities, technology and mental health recovery." Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society 14, no. 2 (May 9, 2016): 170–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jices-10-2015-0033.
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Purpose This study aims to explore how health informatics can underpin the successful delivery of recovery-orientated healthcare, in rural and remote regions, to achieve better mental health outcomes. Recovery is an extremely social process that involves being with others and reconnecting with the world. Design/methodology/approach An interpretivist study involving 27 clinicians and 13 clients sought to determine how future expenditure on ehealth could improve mental health treatment and service provision in the western Murray Darling Basin of New South Wales, Australia. Findings Through the use of targeted ehealth strategies, it is possible to increase both the accessibility of information and the quality of service provision. In small communities, the challenges of distance, access to healthcare and the ease of isolating oneself are best overcome through a combination of technology and communal social responsibility. Technology supplements but cannot completely replace face-to-face interaction in the mental health recovery process. Originality/value The recovery model provides a conceptual framework for health informatics in rural and remote regions that is socially responsible. Service providers can affect better recovery for clients through infrastructure that enables timely and responsive remote access whilst driving between appointments. This could include interactive referral services, telehealth access to specialist clinicians, GPS for locating clients in remote areas and mobile coverage for counselling sessions in “real time”. Thus, the technology not only provides better connections but also adds to the responsiveness (and success) of any treatment available.
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Sherman, Athena D. F., Monique S. Balthazar, Gaea Daniel, Kalisha Bonds Johnson, Meredith Klepper, Kristen D. Clark, Glenda N. Baguso, et al. "Barriers to accessing and engaging in healthcare as potential modifiers in the association between polyvictimization and mental health among Black transgender women." PLOS ONE 17, no. 6 (June 16, 2022): e0269776. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269776.
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Background Black transgender women endure pervasive polyvictimization (experiencing multiple forms of violence throughout the lifespan). Polyvictimization is associated with poor mental health. Black transgender women also face barriers in access to healthcare, but the extent that such barriers modify the association between polyvictimization and poor mental health has not been described using convergent mixed-methods analysis. Methods This convergent mixed-methods secondary analysis employs an intersectional lens and integrates two inter-related datasets to describe barriers to healthcare and the extent that such barriers modify the association between polyvictimization and mental health among Black transgender women. Investigators used survey data (n = 151 participants) and qualitative interview data (n = 19 participants) collected from Black transgender women (age 18 years and older) in Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC between 2016 and 2018. Analyses include thematic content analysis, bivariate analysis, joint display, and multivariate linear regression analysis examining mediation and moderation. Results Joint display illuminated three domains to describe how barriers to healthcare present among Black transgender women–Affordability, Accessibility, and Rapport and Continuity. Independent t-tests revealed significantly higher polyvictimization, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and depression scores among participants who reported at least one barrier to healthcare (BHI) compared to those who reported no barriers. BHI significantly moderated and partially mediated the association between polyvictimization and PTSD symptom severity and BHI fully mediated the association between polyvictimization and depressive symptom severity–when accounting for age and location. Discussion Findings highlight the importance of access to healthcare in modifying the association between polyvictimization and PTSD and depression symptom severity among Black transgender women. Findings call for immediate interventions aimed at reducing barriers to healthcare and improved training for clinical providers serving Black transgender women.
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Al-Mahrouqi, Tamadhir, Kamila Al-Alawi, Mohammed Al-Alawi, Naser Al Balushi, Abdullah Al Ghailani, Hilal Al Sabti, and Hamed Al Sinawi. "A promising future for tele-mental health in Oman: A qualitative exploration of clients and therapists’ experiences." SAGE Open Medicine 10 (January 2022): 205031212210863. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/20503121221086372.
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Objectives: Tele-mental health services can play an important role in overcoming barriers in mental health services in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. However, despite its potential, tele-mental health has not been widely adopted in Oman. This study is an exploratory investigation into the experiences of therapists and their clients in utilizing video-based tele-mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 19 semistructured qualitative interviews were individually conducted, it included 13 adult clients with mental health conditions who received video-based tele-mental health care and six clinical psychologists who provided video-based tele-mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The clients reported favorable experiences using tele-mental health, with the primary benefits being convenience, easy accessibility to subspecialized care, reduced absenteeism from work with commuting costs, and alleviated mental health stigma. The therapists also expressed experiencing benefits from tele-mental health, such as reduced risk of intrahospital infection, reduced healthcare costs, and the achievement of work-life balance. Primary concerns were related to the lack of public tele-mental health services, lack of specified tele-mental health guidelines, shortage of trained therapists, limited access to high-speed Internet, electronic devices, privacy, and concerns toward the security of telehealth systems in general. Conclusion: Clients and therapists report that tele-mental health offers new opportunities to improve the quality of mental healthcare services in Oman, and that the challenges could be resolved by establishing governmental tele-mental health services along with developing tele-mental health guidelines and implementing local postgraduate clinical psychology programs in universities in Oman.
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Sam Oh, Young, and Hyejin Jung. "The Relationships between Depression and Anxiety Disorder and Online Social Media for Healthcare." American Journal of Health Behavior 44, no. 4 (July 1, 2020): 409–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.5993/ajhb.44.4.4.
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Objectives: In this study, we investigated the relationships between a diagnosis of depression and anxiety disorder (DAD) and using online social media for healthcare. Online social media functions as a vital method of seeking health and disease information, providing low search costs and convenience for users. Because of these benefits, online social media can provide higher accessibility to people with mental health problems. Methods: We used propensity score matching to adjust for baseline differences and reduce confounding effects between DAD and non-DAD groups. Results: There was a statistically significant relationship between a diagnosis of DAD and the use of online social media. Conclusions: Patients with DAD are regarded as active and empowered decision-makers; social media functions as a vital method of seeking health and disease information, providing low search costs and convenience for users.
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Earl, Brian S. W., Anne Klee, Ellen L. Edens, James D. Cooke, Holly Heikkila, and Lauretta E. Grau. "Healthcare Providers’ Perceptions about the Role of Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Services in Substance Use Outpatient Treatment." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 15 (August 1, 2022): 9441. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159441.
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Addressing patients’ religion and spirituality (R/S) needs has been associated with positive health outcomes. However, despite receiving extensive training in spiritual assessment and care, chaplaincy services are primarily confined to inpatient settings, with few studies occurring in outpatient settings. The study sought to understand mental health providers’ views about what shaped provider and patient motivation to engage in R/S discussions and seek referrals to chaplaincy services. We conducted five one-hour focus group sessions with a total of 38 staff members and thematically analyzed the resulting session and field notes. We identified four themes concerning provider knowledge and attitudes about R/S and chaplaincy services: Staff Information Needs, Staff Motivation to Discuss R/S and Refer, Patient Motivation to Use Chaplaincy Services, and Chaplain Accessibility. The study findings suggest that providers in outpatient substance use treatment clinics in the Veterans Health Administration are receptive to learning about R/S care and the possibility of expanding chaplaincy services. However, staff have misconceptions about the roles and responsibilities of chaplains. Attitudes about and experiences with R/S discussions varied. Trust and confidence in the benefits of chaplaincy services may be improved among both providers and patients by increasing chaplains’ accessibility and visibility within these outpatient settings.
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Aryal, Shreyashi, Samata Nepal, and Sagun Ballav Pant. "Safe abortion services during the COVID -19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study from a tertiary center in Nepal." F1000Research 10 (February 15, 2021): 112. http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.50977.1.
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Background: Abortion is an essential service, the need for which has increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Because of the lockdowns at several periods, these services were hampered. This study analyzed the pattern of Safe Abortion Services (SAS) at a tertiary healthcare center during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analytical study. We compared the pattern of safe abortion services between the first three months of the pandemic when a lockdown was implemented and the second three months when the lockdown was eased. Demographic and obstetric profile of women, their abortion choices, method of termination, difficulty in accessibility, and level of psychological distress were studied. Results: A total of 52 women were provided SAS during the study period. The number of women coming for SAS during lockdown was 47.1% less than that after easing of the lockdown. During the lockdown, women came at a later period of gestation with a mean of 9.5 weeks compared to 7.5 weeks in the later three months. Because of fear of COVID-19, 19.2% (n=10) women opted for termination of pregnancy. Increased need of contraception was felt but 40% (n=12) had problems of accessibility. More women had probable serious mental illness during the lockdown period (p=0.008). Conclusion: Lockdown during the pandemic decreased the number of women coming for SAS due to barriers in accessibility. Contraceptive needs are also increased but access is difficult. The need for safe abortion services and contraception has increased during the pandemic but the lockdown caused inaccessibility. Psychological distress is prevalent, and fear of COVID-19 has become a common reason for termination of pregnancy. This pandemic can be taken as an opportunity to provide and improve contraception and abortion accessibility, and quality with integration of mental health support.
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Martinsen, Lars, Nina Østerås, Tuva Moseng, and Anne Therese Tveter. "Effect of a mHealth exercise intervention compared with supervised exercise therapy in osteoarthritis management: protocol of the DigiOA trial." BMJ Open 12, no. 9 (September 2022): e066248. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066248.
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IntroductionSoaring prevalence of hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) inflicts high costs on the healthcare system. A further rise in the OA incidence is expected, generating increased demand of care potentially challenging accessibility and threatening to overwhelm the healthcare system. Innovative solutions that may improve accessibility to recommended OA care for patients in primary care and maintain healthcare sustainability are warranted. Digitalising home exercise therapy may be one such solution. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile health app providing digitalised home exercises, compared with supervised exercise therapy in patients with OA. Second, we will evaluate the cost-efficiency of the intervention and explore potential differences in outcome and adherence to exercises in the experimental treatment group.Methods and analysisA two-armed non-inferiority randomised controlled trial will be conducted. In total, 156 patients with hip and/or knee OA will be recruited from physiotherapy clinics in primary care in Norway. Following patient education, patients will be randomised to either 6 weeks of standard treatment (2 weekly sessions of supervised exercise therapy) or experimental treatment (home exercises via the Virtual Training (VT) app). Primary outcome is the proportion of Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OMERACT-OARSI) responders at 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes include physical performance, patient-reported outcomes related to pain, fatigue, disease activity, physical function, mental health, health related quality of life, self-efficacy, utilisation of healthcare services and medication, digital competence and use of apps.Ethics and disseminationPatients will sign an informed consent form before participating in the trial. Approval has been granted by the Regional Ethics Committee (201105) and Data Protection Officer at Diakonhjemmet Hospital (00221). Patient research partners will contribute in all parts of the study.Trial registration numberNCT04767854.
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Samartzis, Lampros, and Michael A. Talias. "Assessing and Improving the Quality in Mental Health Services." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 1 (December 30, 2019): 249. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010249.
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Background: The mental health of the population consists of the three essential pillars of quality of life, economy, and society. Mental health services take care of the prevention and treatment of mental disorders and through them maintain, improve, and restore the mental health of the population. The purpose of this study is to describe the methodology for qualitative and quantitative evaluation and improvement of the mental health service system. Methods: This is a narrative review study that searches the literature to provide criteria, indicators, and methodology for evaluating and improving the quality of mental health services and the related qualitative and quantitative indicators. The bibliography was searched in popular databases PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, using the keywords “mental”, “health”, “quality”, “indicators”, alone or in combinations thereof. Results: Important quality indicators of mental health services have been collected and presented, and modified where appropriate. The definition of each indicator is presented here, alongside its method of calculation and importance. Each indicator belongs to one of the eight dimensions of quality assessment: (1) Suitability of services, (2) Accessibility of patients to services, (3) Acceptance of services by patients, (4) Ability of healthcare professionals to provide services, (5) Efficiency of health professionals and providers, (6) Continuity of service over time (ensuring therapeutic continuity), (7) Efficiency of health professionals and services, (8) Safety (for patients and for health professionals). Discussion/Conclusions: Accessibility and acceptability of service indicators are important for the attractiveness of services related to their use by the population. Profitability indicators are important economic indicators that affect the viability and sustainability of services, factors that are now taken into account in any health policy. All of the indicators mentioned are related to public health, affecting the quality of life, morbidity, mortality, and life expectancy, directly or indirectly. The systematic measurement and monitoring of indicators and the measurement and quantification of quality through them, are the basis for evidence-based health policy for improvement of the quality of mental health services.
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Dunn, Elizabeth A., and Aine C. Fitzpatric. "The views of professional on the role of self-help groups in the mental health area." Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 16, no. 3 (September 1999): 84–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0790966700005346.
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AbstractObjectives: Changes in healthcare policy over the last decade emphasise care in the community over residential care. Self-help organisations may play a useful role in these circumstances. Against this background, the objective of this study was to obtain the views of members of the main mental health professions on the place of self-help groups in mental health care.Method: A postal survey of 255 mental health professionals from two health boards was carried out, using a semi-structured questionnaire that contained both open and closed questions. The responses obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis as appropriate.Results: The response rate was 35% so results must be interpreted cautiously. Self-help groups are used particularly in the management of addictive behaviours, and are also considered useful in cases of mood disorder. In general, self-help organisations are seen as providing support to patients and their families; information on mental illness/health to the general public; and lobbying for services relevant to the needs of their members. Respondents were concerned that the philosophy and programme of a group should not conflict with established models of mental health. The impact of the organisational structure of the multi-disciplinary team on the referral pattern of the different mental health professions, and the role of group availability and accessibility on the decision to refer a patient to a self-help group is commented upon.Conclusions: While some professionals see a role for self-help organisations in the mental health care system, reservations expressed about a possible clash between selfhelp groups' approach and professional mental healthcare practice need to be addressed so that the potential of both positions can be realised.
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Myo, Theigi, Seo Ah Hong, Bang-On Thepthien, and Nate Hongkrailert. "Prevalence and Factors Associated with Postpartum Depression in Primary Healthcare Centres in Yangon, Myanmar." Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences 28, no. 4 (August 26, 2021): 71–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.21315/mjms2021.28.4.8.
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Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) can have serious consequences on both the mother and infant. Despite the higher prevalence, there are limited numbers of studies on PPD in low- and middle-income countries, like Myanmar. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and associated factors of PPD in primary healthcare settings in Myanmar. Methods: This cross-sectional online study was conducted with 220 mothers under 6 months postpartum in April–May 2020 and who registered in public health centres in Kungyangone Township, Yangon, Myanmar. The postpartum depression was measured with the Edinburgh postpartum depression scale (EPDS, ≥ 13 scores). Independent variables included sociodemographic factors, obstetric and infant factors, psychosocial factors (social support and social media usage), health services utilisation and accessibility factors. Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression were performed. Results: Overall prevalence of depressive symptoms in 220 women under 6 months postpartum was 31.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 25.9, 37.3). In multiple logistic regression, unplanned pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.946), less than four times antenatal care (ANC) visits (AOR: 2.518), travel time more than 1 h to reach health centres (AOR: 3.068) and birth interval more than 5 years (AOR: 4.594) were more likely to be associated with PPD, while preterm delivery (AOR: 0.091) was inversely associated. Conclusion: This study showed the relatively high prevalence of PPD and the strong association with preterm delivery, pregnancy intention, breastfeeding status, birth interval as well as frequency of ANC received and travel time to health centre. It may suggest that maternal mental health services should be integrated with existing maternal and child health (MCH) services for early detection and prevention of depression symptoms with promotion of MCH services utilisation and improved accessibility among mothers in primary healthcare setting.
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Kheirallah, Khalid A., Bayan F. Ababneh, Heba Bendak, Ahmed R. Alsuwaidi, and Iffat Elbarazi. "Exploring the Mental, Social, and Lifestyle Effects of a Positive COVID-19 Infection on Syrian Refugees in Jordan: A Qualitative Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 19 (October 2, 2022): 12588. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912588.
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Migrants and refugees are among the vulnerable populations that suffered disproportionately from the COVID-19 crisis. However, their experiences with COVID-19 positivity status have not been investigated. This study explored the physical, mental, and psychosocial impacts of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis on Syrian refugees living in Jordan. Using a qualitative approach, twenty phone interviews were conducted with ten adult Syrian refugees living within the camp and ten refugees living in non-camp (host community) settings in Jordan. Follow-up interviews with five health care providers at a refugee camp were conducted to explore the services and support provided to the refugees with COVID-19 infection. The findings were thematically analyzed and grouped into major themes, subthemes, and emerging themes. Refugees living within camp settings had better access to testing, healthcare, and disease management and did not experience fear of being deported. Refugees in both settings suffered mental and psychosocial health impacts, social isolation, fear of death, and disease complications. COVID-19 infection has negatively impacted refugees’ well-being with noticeable disparities across the different living conditions. Refugees living within host community settings may need more support for managing their condition, accessibility to free testing, as well as treatment and healthcare services.
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Gunner, Ellie, Sat Kartar Chandan, Sarah Marwick, Karen Saunders, Sarah Burwood, Asma Yahyouche, and Vibhu Paudyal. "Provision and accessibility of primary healthcare services for people who are homeless: a qualitative study of patient perspectives in the UK." British Journal of General Practice 69, no. 685 (July 15, 2019): e526-e536. http://dx.doi.org/10.3399/bjgp19x704633.
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BackgroundAnecdotal reports of people who are homeless being denied access and facing negative experiences of primary health care have often emerged. However, there is a dearth of research exploring this population’s views and experiences of such services.AimTo explore the perspectives of individuals who are homeless on the provision and accessibility of primary healthcare services.Design and settingA qualitative study with individuals who are homeless recruited from three homeless shelters and a specialist primary healthcare centre for the homeless in the West Midlands, England.MethodSemi-structured interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using a thematic framework approach. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was used to map the identified barriers in framework analysis.ResultsA total of 22 people who were homeless were recruited. Although some participants described facing no barriers, accounts of being denied registration at general practices and being discharged from hospital onto the streets with no access or referral to primary care providers were described. Services offering support to those with substance misuse issues and mental health problems were deemed to be excluding those with the greatest need. A participant described committing crimes with the intention of going to prison to access health care. High satisfaction was expressed by participants about their experiences at the specialist primary healthcare centre for people who are homeless (SPHCPH).ConclusionParticipants perceived inequality in access, and mostly faced negative experiences, in their use of mainstream services. Changes are imperative to facilitate access to primary health care, improve patient experiences of mainstream services, and to share best practices identified by participants at the SPHCPH.
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Malamou, Theodora. "S.W.O.T analysis of the Department of Nursing in healthcare organizations." Hellenic Journal of Nursing Science 13, no. 1 (March 31, 2020): 9–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.24283/hjns.202012.
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S.W.O.T analysis is a proposed strategic analysis tool for healthcare organizations. The issues identified in the S.W.O.T. analysis are classified into four categories. From the internal environment of the service are the strength points, such as accessibility, good level of provided health services, experienced and specialized nursing staff, modern level of technological-biomedical equipment, management oriented to quality procedures, staff satisfaction and the weakness points, such as shortages of human resources and equipment, mental and physical fatigue, non-application of treatment protocols, vague nursing tasks, modest or reduced staff training, worker culture. From the external environment, there are opportunities, start-up and operation of quality assurance systems, awareness of service weaknesses, medical records, volunteering, private forms of hospital funding, multiculturalism, and threats, such as financial and values crisis, bureaucracy in day-to-day management, the presence of a significant number of migrants and uninsured people, health users’ displeasure, private care, change of epidemiological model. The purpose of the article is to highlight the application of the S.W.O.T. analysis as an important tool in the hands of nursing administration, decision-making and shaping a future strategy of health services. S.W.O.T is a useful, but not a stand-alone, strategic planning tool that promises health services to make informed decisions and leave nothing to chance in order to be efficient and competitive.
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Mehta, Varun S., and Daya Ram. "A Mixed-Methods Approach to Evaluate the Needs, Support, and Services for Common Mental Disorders: A Protocol Examining Two Community Extension Clinics." Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine 42, no. 6_suppl (December 2020): S57—S62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0253717620971985.
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Background: The social, economic, and physical environments are widely recognized as important determinants of health and affect the outcome of service delivery. The differences in the patient outcomes can be inferred upon by looking into the process and content of service delivery. Methods: This study is a mixed-methods, prospective cohort study to be conducted at two community extension clinics run by the Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, Jharkhand. Service users diagnosed with a common mental disorder (CMDs) will be recruited during the study period of three years. The main objective is to ascertain the unmet needs of patients with CMDs. The secondary goals involve measuring the clinical outcome through the lens of process-oriented recovery, service satisfaction, and accessibility, and analyzing the barriers to access healthcare services along with the impact on the carers. Focus group discussions with participants will help understand the reasons behind their unmet needs and factors essential in service delivery. Discussion: Healthcare, as well as social care, aims to deliver services according to need. In a country with 15 million people with CMDs, evaluation of needs could create a platform for the rational distribution of services.
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Ciułkowicz, Marta, Błażej Misiak, Dorota Szcześniak, Jolanta Grzebieluch, Julian Maciaszek, and Joanna Rymaszewska. "The Portrait of Cyberchondria—A Cross-Sectional Online Study on Factors Related to Health Anxiety and Cyberchondria in Polish Population during SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 7 (April 5, 2022): 4347. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074347.
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The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has served as a magnifying glass for cyberchondria, while the internet emerged as one of the main sources of medical information and support. The core ambition of this study was to estimate the level of cyberchondria and describe the socio-demographic, clinical and pandemic-related factors affecting its severity amid the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was performed between 16 May 2020 and 29 December 2020 in Poland within a sample of 538 adult internet users. The online survey tool included a Polish adaptation of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS-PL) and the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI), complemented with a set of questions covering sociodemographic, clinical and pandemic-related factors. Participants were clustered according to severity of health anxiety and cyberchondria symptoms. The performed binary logistic regression indicated professional inactivity, having a chronic mental disorder and subjectively limited access to healthcare due to COVID-19 to be key determinants of severe health anxiety and cyberchondria. Cyberchondria might be a remarkable public health issue as large proportion of respondents from the analyzed sample population of internet users met the criteria for severe symptoms. Key determinants of intense cyberchondria corresponded with employment stability, mental resilience and accessibility of healthcare services, which could be greatly challenged amid the pandemic.
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Gaebel, W. "Dealing with Psychotic Symptoms at Digital Distance." European Psychiatry 65, S1 (June 2022): S55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.182.
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The EPA Guidance on the Quality of eMental health interventions in the treatment of psychotic disorders (1), based on systematic literature review, found strong evidence that web- and mobile based interventions for people with schizophrenia and/or other psychotic disorders are feasible and acceptable both for patients and caregivers. There was moderate evidence that eMental health interventions may improve specific elements of mental healthcare processes, such as shared-decision-making, symptom monitoring, disease management, information provision, empowerment, and there was preliminary evidence that they may also improve outcomes by fostering symptom reduction and treatment adherence. E-mental health interventions hold promise to shape the future of mental healthcare delivery through increasing service accessibility, reducing stigma and self-stigma, and providing timely and flexible support to individuals with psychotic disorders and their caregivers. Nevertheless, it is important to also consider other aspects such as the lack of ethical guidelines and quality assurance mechanisms, and the need to analyse the legal frameworks about eMental health in different nations when developing and implementing eMental health interventions. We did not identify ethical guidelines or quality assurance systems specifically developed for eMental health interventions targeting people with psychotic disorders. E-mental health interventions are efficacious to increase mental health literacy. We also found preliminary evidence that eMental health interventions are efficacious to treat psychotic disorders. Recent overviews (2) are coming to similar conclusions. Future research needs to provide better controlled, sufficiently powered studies to provide definite answers to open questions. Gaebel et al., 2016, DOI 10.1007/s00406-016-0677-6 Donahue, Rodriguez, Shore, 2021, doi.org/10.1007/s11920-021-01242-y Disclosure No significant relationships.
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Dern, Sebastian, and Tanja Sappok. "Barriers to healthcare for people on the autism spectrum." Advances in Autism 2, no. 1 (January 4, 2016): 2–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/aia-10-2015-0020.
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Purpose – Adults on the autism spectrum experience difficulties in receiving health care, and health care providers face difficulties in offering health care to adults on the autism spectrum. The purpose of this paper is first, to assess the various difficulties and second, to provide strategies to overcome them. Design/methodology/approach – In this qualitative research project, current barriers and facilitators to health care services were sampled from a collaboration of autistic self-advocates and autism professionals in Berlin, Germany. The findings were complemented by a review of practical guidelines and research about the service accessibility of patients on the autism spectrum. Findings – A comprehensive list of barriers to health care was compiled and structured according to various aspects, such as “making appointments”, “waiting area”, “communication”, and “examination”. Strategies considering the perceptual and communicative peculiarities of autism were found to improve access to health care for autistic adults. Practical implications – Providing access to the health care system may improve the diagnosis and treatment of mental and somatic illnesses, and thereby, the health status and quality of life for people on the autism spectrum. This recognition of the needs of adults on the autism spectrum may serve as a model for other areas in society, such as education and employment. Originality/value – Data acquisition in this project is of special value because it resulted from collaboration between an autistic self-advocacy organization and professionals working in the field of intellectual developmental disabilities considering the experiences of autistic adults in the entire range of intellectual functioning.
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Lesage, Alain, Carol E. Adair, Marie-Josée Fleury, Guy Grenier, Charles Gaucher, Tim Aubry, Carolyn S. Dewa, Michelle Patterson, Julian Somers, and Paula Goering (deceased). "Array of Services for Homeless Mentally Ill in Six Canadian Cities: Non-Governmental Organizations’ Contributions and Perspectives." Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health 39, no. 4 (December 1, 2020): 9–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.7870/cjcmh-2020-028.
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During the period 2010–2011, when the At Home project was conducted, a questionnaire was sent to 420 non-governmental organization (NGO) key managers in six Canadian cities to enquire about their collaboration with public services and their perspective on the services for homeless people with serious mental illness (SMI). NGOs constituted a dense network of collaboration among themselves. With regard to public services, housing and shelters were two services that NGOs had frequent contact with, followed by the healthcare addiction sectors and, to a lesser extent, social service and the justice sectors. Education and employment were both located in the network periphery. In general, NGOs viewed housing availability and accessibility to health services as largely unsatisfactory. They called for better public support, coordination, and funding.
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Chi, Peggy, Jennifer Gutberg, and Whitney Berta. "The Conceptualization of the Natural Environment in Healthcare Facilities: A Scoping Review." HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal 13, no. 1 (May 30, 2019): 30–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1937586719845118.
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Objectives: To identify how the natural environment (NE) in healthcare has been conceptualized. Background: The NE appears to afford significant therapeutic benefits. A clear concept of the NE in healthcare affords a shared understanding from which to advance science to facilitate comparisons across contexts. In this article, the various meanings of the NE were brought together into one framework by which to map its themes and their relationships. Method: A scoping review was conducted using database searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane for articles published up to July 2018. The bibliography of the included articles were manually searched for published books. Results: This review includes 137 peer-reviewed articles and research-based books from 27 countries. A conceptual framework was developed to identify five themes that conceptualize the NE in healthcare: (1) definitions of the NE in healthcare, (2) processes of the NE in healthcare, (3) usages of the NE in healthcare, (4) opinions about the NE in healthcare, and (5) NE’s impacts on health and work outcomes in healthcare. These themes are filtered by the NE’s physical and programmatic designs; changes in one affect the others. Definitions of the NE are described as human-made space, located in the indoors and outdoors, containing elements of nature and designed with the purpose to positively influence humans. Processes are described as the participatory approach in NE's development and its therapeutic goals. Usages are categorized into nature contact, frequency of usage, and accessibility. Opinions are accounted for by perceptions, preference, and satisfaction. Outcomes are related to physical health, mental health and well-being and work. Conclusions: This framework contributes to the conceptual discussion and emphasizes NE’s complementarity to the biomedical healthcare system.
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Green, Bethany, and Erminia Colucci. "Traditional healers’ and biomedical practitioners’ perceptions of collaborative mental healthcare in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review." Transcultural Psychiatry 57, no. 1 (January 14, 2020): 94–107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1363461519894396.
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Access to mental healthcare in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is one of the greatest challenges in public health today. One suggestion for improving accessibility is through collaboration between biomedical practitioners and traditional healers. This paper reviews studies of traditional healers’ and biomedical practitioners’ perceptions of collaboration. We conducted a systematic review of online databases, selected journals, and reference lists for relevant studies. Eligible papers were assessed using a tool designed for this review for quality and study characteristics, and qualitative data demonstrating participants’ views were extracted. A total of 14 papers from seven countries were included. The published literature on this topic is relatively homogenous and studies are of variable quality. The findings suggest that, despite differing conceptualisations of mental illness causation, both traditional healers and biomedical practitioners recognise that patients can benefit from a combination of both practices and demonstrate a clear willingness to work together. There are concerns about patients’ safety and human rights regarding traditional methods and some healers are sceptical about the effectiveness of Western psychiatric medication. Despite keeping the inclusion criteria open to all LMICs, 13 of the studies were conducted in Africa, seven of which were in South Africa. This limits the applicability of the findings of this review to the wider LMIC context. The paper concludes with recommendations for research and practice.
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Vukovic, I. Sarajlic, G. Valeriani, G. Mijaljica, A. Osmanovic Thunström, and A. Gonzales. "Digital solutions for mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic qualitative review and swot analysis." European Psychiatry 64, S1 (April 2021): S256. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.686.
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IntroductionSince its early stages, the Covid-19 outbreak has posed immense challenges for effective, scalable and rapid interventions. Telehealth approaches have been considered as key part of an effective pandemic response.ObjectivesThe aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the role of digital solutions in fighting the mental health needs during COVID-19 outbreak.Methods This review was conducted through searching four databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct. Inclusion criteria included studies clearly defining any use of telehealth services in all aspects of mental health care during COVID-19 outbreak, published from December 31, 2019 to October 31, 2020, written in English language and published in peer-reviewed journals. Narrative synthesis was undertaken to summarize the findings according a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis.Results 62 studies met the inclusion out of the 278 search results. Data converged on: strengths in minimizing the risk of Covid-19 transmission, reduction of travel time and costs, comparable effectiveness to in-person care; weaknesses i.e. decreased ability to detect non-verbal cues, lower therapeutic alliance, possible technical connection problems; opportunities in improving the healthcare system and expanding its accessibility for patients also for the future; threats such as privacy and legal issues, and risk to overlook vulnerable populations (e.g. elderly, marginalized ethnic minorities).ConclusionsIn the midst of a global mental health emergency, telehealth may represent a “virtually perfect” solution. However, further implementations facing issues of quality, justice and healthcare equity are required to ensure that all patients receive the care they need.
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Schokman, A., N. Glozier, M. Aji, Y. Bin, K. Kairaitis, and J. Cheung. "P127 Parliamentary Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness in Australia: How patient-centric is the process?" SLEEP Advances 2, Supplement_1 (October 1, 2021): A62—A63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sleepadvances/zpab014.168.
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Abstract Introduction The parliamentary inquiry into sleep health represents one of few platforms accessible to patients and their family/carers to contribute to the development of healthcare policy alongside other key stakeholder groups (i.e. healthcare professionals, organisations). Balancing diverse and sometimes divergent views of various stakeholder groups can be challenging, thus we set out to explore how patients and family/carer submissions were interpreted by the inquiry and translated into health policy recommendations. Methods Written submissions made to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness in Australia 2018 by self-identified patients or family/carers with narcolepsy (n=13) were extracted and thematically analysed using the Framework Approach. Each submission was systematically coded, with emergent themes evaluated against the final policy recommendations made by the inquiry. Results We identified three major themes: 1) ‘Pathways to Treatment & Care’ regarding concerns around lack of healthcare and research resource allocation for narcolepsy; 2) ‘Help-seeking Experience’ related to barriers to help-seeking and accessing care; 3) ‘Patient and Family/Carers’ Lived Experience of Disease’ which encompassed the tangible effects narcolepsy has on the daily lives of patients and family/carers. Discussion While patients and their family/carers prioritised issues that affected their daily lives (i.e. mental health sequela, workplace accommodations), policy recommendations focused on healthcare infrastructure, funding and engagement. Increased transparency, developing processes to balance stakeholder priorities and improving accessibility to stakeholder engagement are needed if patient and family/carer needs are to be met, and for healthcare policy to remain targeted and trusted by the public.
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Davies, Thomas, Stephen Owens, and Tonia Forjoe. "A closed loop two cycle audit investigating the availability and accessibility of physical healthcare equipment on forensic inpatient wards within mersey care's secure division." BJPsych Open 7, S1 (June 2021): S74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2021.236.
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AimsTo evaluate the provision of recommended medical equipment on forensic psychiatric inpatient wards in Mersey Care's secure division, as outlined by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in their 2019 guidance “Brief Guide: Physical Healthcare In Mental Health Settings”. It has been documented that people with severe and enduring mental illness are at risk of dying on average 15 to 20 years earlier than people without, two thirds of which are due to avoidable physical illnesses. It was our aim to use these data to improve the provision of physical healthcare equipment on the wards of Mersey Care's secure division, in turn allowing for the safe assessment of patients in the acute setting, and the monitoring their chronic health conditions.MethodWe conducted a closed loop, two cycle audit of all forensic inpatient wards in Mersey Care's secure division measuring the provision of physical health equipment against the CQC's 2019 guidance. The intervention was to present our findings and implement physical health equipment boxes in the clinic rooms on the wards. Low, medium, high, and secure learning disability (LD) wards were audited, with a control sample of non-secure wards (addiction, old age, general adult, and LD non-secure) in the initial cycle for comparison.ResultOn initial audit, the mean availability of equipment across the secure division was 66% (range 50.9%-88.9%), and 75% across our sample of wards in the non-secure divisions (range 61.1%-88.9%). Following the intervention in the secure units, the mean availability increased to 73.5% (range 72.2%-77.8%). The mean percentage increase in equipment availability following intervention was 12.5% (range -12.5% to 41.8%).ConclusionFollowing the intervention, the re-audit conducted found an overall improvement with 73.5% of recommended equipment available. Despite this improvement in equipment availability in the secure unit wards, the equipment is still less available than on the non-secure control wards. Due to this, further intervention and another re-audit have been planned. In the second cycle, significant items such as disposable gloves, pulse oximeters, sphygmomanometers, thermometers and stethoscopes were available across all wards. This was an improvement from the initial audit and allows for the safe assessment of patients in the acute setting.
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Mulwa, Esther Ndewa, Ruth Simiyu, and Peter Odera. "Challenges Faced By International Non – Governmental Organizations on Enhancement of Refugees Wellbeing in Dadaab Camp, Kenya." International Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Invention 8, no. 11 (November 19, 2021): 5770–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/ijmsci/v8i11.05.
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Challenges faced by International non – governmental organizations (INGOs) on enhancement of refugees’ wellbeing were complex. Mostly refugees’ experiences were debilitating as they struggled with stigma due to mental health conditions, poor social networks due to discrimination faced in the host country, disorientation and insufficient language to communicate or initiate conversations. This study was guided by Trauma Theory and it employed descriptive research design. Both primary and secondary data were utilized in the study. Data collection utilized questionnaires, interviews, Focus group discussions and Observations checklist on accessibility and safety of INGOs’ interventions. Data was analysed by statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS 22). Data was presented in tables, bar graphs and pie charts. The findings of the study demonstrate that INGOs faced language barriers, financial barriers, lack of culturally responsive psychosocial interventions, insufficient security and long-term mental health conditions in enhancement of wellbeing of refugees in Dadaab camp. Most refugees reported their trauma occurrences to INGOs. The study concluded that cultural stereotypes, stigma, fear, Limited knowledge and information about mental healthcare, limited clinical competency and language barrier were major challenges faced by INGOs in enhancement of refugees’ wellbeing.
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Vassiliadou, Io, Esther Tolani, Lindsay Ip, Abigail Smith, and Iliatha Papachristou Nadal. "Patient and public involvement in integrated psychosocial care." Journal of Integrated Care 28, no. 2 (October 4, 2019): 135–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jica-06-2019-0027.
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Purpose Recent models of care incorporate service user involvement within the development and sustainability of a quality improvement project. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the significance of working with patients and members of the public for the integration of psychosocial care into long-term condition (LTC) management. Design/methodology/approach Research shows that mental health difficulties are more prevalent in people with LTC. The three Dimensions for Long-term Conditions (3DLC) is a patient-centred multidisciplinary service which integrates psychological and social care into the usual physical care. Thematic analysis was conducted on the discussions of the two patient and public involvement workshops that were facilitated by the service. The workshops included healthcare professionals, patients with LTC and their carers. Findings Several themes and subthemes emerged which highlighted the importance of discussing and treating mental health in a physical health setting, the challenges that both the patients and healthcare professionals encounter and the ways in which an integrated care service may address these barriers. The findings show that there was an emphasis on patient-centeredness, accessibility of services and the need for better communication. Practical implications People with LTC can be empowered to better self-manage their condition, whilst having access to all types of care, physical, social and psychological. By involving service users in the implementation process of the 3DLC service, the components of an effective integrated service are delineated. Originality/value The service users have identified barriers and facilitators of integrating a biopsychosocial model in care pathways. This has helped the 3DLC team to further develop the model to ensure improvements in condition-specific outcomes, quality of life and healthcare utilisation.
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Chen, Tao, Shuangshuang Wang, and Nengliang (Aaron) Yao. "Mental Health of Homebound Older Adults in China: The Moderating Effect of Loneliness." Innovation in Aging 4, Supplement_1 (December 1, 2020): 95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa057.313.
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Abstract Homebound older adults are confined to their homes due to physical, mental, or social limitations, which contributes to elevated levels of depression. However, the mental health status of the homebound population in China is relatively overlooked. This study compares mental health status between homebound and non-homebound older adults, and examines the moderation effect of loneliness. The sample consists of 1,301 older adults aged 60 and over (39% homebound, 49% females, mean age = 69) from Shandong Aging and Health Survey, conducted by Shandong Provincial Government in 2019. Mental health status was measured by feelings of depression, not cheerful, bored, not calm or peaceful, and not happy. Compared to non-homebound older adults, homebound older adults tend to be older, lower educated, live in rural areas, and in worse health conditions. Results from generalized linear regression models show that controlling for demographic and physical health status, homebound population were more likely to have worse mental health status than other Chinese older adults. Feeling lonely, isolated, or lack of companionship intensifies the adverse effects of being homebound on older adults’ mental health. Findings from this study suggest that homebound older adults in China had both physical and psychological sufferings. Social programs and interventions may be designed to improve homebound older adults’ mental health. As the number of homebound older adults increases in China, medical care models may be tailored to improve the accessibility of healthcare services among people who are confined to their homes.
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Hemmings, Laura, Nicola R. Heneghan, Erin Byrd, Brendon Stubbs, and Andrew Soundy. "Healthcare professionals’ perceptions and experiences of physiotherapy for people with mental illness: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-ethnography." BMJ Open 12, no. 8 (August 2022): e061227. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061227.
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IntroductionThere is a high global prevalence of patients presenting with physical and mental health comorbidities. Physiotherapeutic interventions, such as exercise, can have positive benefits for physical and mental health. However, poor accessibility and negative experiences of healthcare services for those with mental illness (MI) have been consistently observed within literature with recent research identifying poor experiences of physiotherapeutic interactions and processes such as referrals and discharges. One way to help improve physiotherapy services for this population is to understand the personal experiences and perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) toward physiotherapy for patients with MI. Qualitative-based evidence syntheses are suited to bring this data together with the aim of improving physiotherapy services for patients with MI. This review will systematically search and synthesise existing evidence around HCP experiences and perceptions of physiotherapy for people with MI.Methods and analysisA systematic search and seven-phase meta-ethnography will be undertaken. A comprehensive search of electronic databases (CINAHL plus, MEDLINE, Pubmed, Embase and Psycinfo) and search engines as well as grey literature (unpublished primary research such as theses) will be completed. Searches are planned to take place in July 2022. Eligibility criteria include: (a) qualitative data, (b) perceptions identified from HCP, including physiotherapists, assistants and HCP referring into physiotherapy, about physiotherapy for patients with MI and (c) are primary studies.Ethics and disseminationThis work is exempt from requiring ethical approval due to review methodology with data accessed from published works. This systematic review is expected to provide insight into experiences and perceptions of HCP around benefits and barriers to accessing physiotherapy for patients with mental health illness. Findings will be used to inform further research and co-develop recommendations to overcome barriers and optimise facilitators to care for this population. Findings will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journal, conference presentations and to key stakeholder groups.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021293035.
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Shepherd, Victoria, Richard Griffith, Mark Sheehan, Fiona Wood, and Kerenza Hood. "Healthcare professionals’ understanding of the legislation governing research involving adults lacking mental capacity in England and Wales: a national survey." Journal of Medical Ethics 44, no. 9 (April 25, 2018): 632–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2017-104722.
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ObjectiveTo examine health and social care professionals’ understanding of the legislation governing research involving adults lacking mental capacity in England and Wales.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted using a series of vignettes. Participants were asked to select the legally authorised decision-maker in each scenario and provide supporting reasons. Responses were compared with existing legal frameworks and analysed according to their level of concordance.ResultsOne hundred and twenty-seven professionals participated. Levels of discordance between responses and the legal frameworks were high across all five scenarios (76%–82%). Nearly half of the participants (46%) provided responses that were discordant in all scenarios. Only two participants (2%) provided concordant responses across all five scenarios.DiscussionParticipants demonstrated a lack of knowledge about the legal frameworks, the locus of authority and the legal basis for decision-making. The findings raise concern about the accessibility of research for those who lack capacity, the ability to conduct research involving such groups and the impact on the evidence base for their care.ConclusionThis is the first study to examine health and social care professionals’ knowledge and understanding of the dual legal frameworks in the UK. Health and social care professionals’ understanding and attitudes towards research involving adults with incapacity may warrant further in-depth exploration. The findings from this survey suggest that greater training and education is required.
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Ibrahim, Mohd Salami, Harmy Mohamed Yusoff, Yasrul Izad Abu Bakar, Myat Moe Thwe Aung, Mohd Ihsanuddin Abas, and Ras Azira Ramli. "Digital health for quality healthcare: A systematic mapping of review studies." DIGITAL HEALTH 8 (January 2022): 205520762210858. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/20552076221085810.
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Objective To systematically catalogue review studies on digital health to establish extent of evidence on quality healthcare and illuminate gaps for new understanding, perspectives and insights for evidence-informed policies and practices. Methods We systematically searched PubMed database using sensitive search strings. Two reviewers independently conducted two-phase selection via title and abstract, followed by full-text appraisal. Consensuses were derived for any discrepancies. A standardized data extraction tool was used for reliable data mining. Results A total of 54 reviews from year 2014 to 2021 were included with notable increase in trend of publications. Systematic reviews constituted the majority (61.1%, (37.0% with meta-analyses)) followed by scoping reviews (38.9%). Domains of quality being reviewed include effectiveness (75.9%), accessibility (33.3%), patient safety (31.5%), efficiency (25.9%), patient-centred care (20.4%) and equity (16.7%). Mobile apps and computer-based were the commonest (79.6%) modalities. Strategies for effective intervention via digital health included engineering improved health behaviour (50.0%), better clinical assessment (35.1%), treatment compliance (33.3%) and enhanced coordination of care (24.1%). Psychiatry was the discipline with the most topics being reviewed for digital health (20.3%). Conclusion Digital health reviews reported findings that were skewed towards improving the effectiveness of intervention via mHealth applications, and predominantly related to mental health and behavioural therapies. There were considerable gaps on review of evidence on digital health for cost efficiency, equitable healthcare and patient-centred care. Future empirical and review studies may investigate the association between fields of practice and tendency to adopt and research the use of digital health to improve care.
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Srinivasan, C. R., Guru Charan, and P. Chenchu Sai Babu. "An IoT based SMART patient health monitoring system." Indonesian Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 18, no. 3 (June 1, 2020): 1657. http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijeecs.v18.i3.pp1657-1664.
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<span>Smart and connected health care is of specific significance in the spectrum of applications enabled the Internet of Things (IoT). Networked sensors, either embedded inside our living system or worn on the body, enable to gather rich information regarding our physical and mental health. In specific, the accessibility of information at previously unimagined scales and spatial longitudes combined with the new generation of smart processing algorithms can expedite an advancement in the medical field, from the current post-facto diagnosis and treatment of reactive framework, to an early-stage proactive paradigm for disease prognosis combined with prevention and cure as well as overall administration of well-being rather than ailment. This paper sheds some light on the current methods accessible in the Internet of Things (IoT) domain for healthcare applications. The proposed objective is to design and create a healthcare system centered on Mobile-IoT by collecting patient information from different sensors and alerting both the guardian and the doctor by sending emails and SMS in a timely manner. It remotely monitors the physiological parameters of the patient and diagnoses the illnesses swiftly. </span>
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Wong, Michelle M. Y., Merna Seliman, Eldon Loh, Swati Mehta, and Dalton L. Wolfe. "Experiences of Individuals Living with Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) and Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI) during the COVID-19 Pandemic." Disabilities 2, no. 4 (December 5, 2022): 750–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/disabilities2040052.
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The COVID-19 pandemic presents unique challenges for people living with acquired neurological conditions. Due to pandemic-related societal restrictions, changes in accessibility to medical care, equipment, and activities of daily living may affect the mental health of individuals with a SCI or ABI. This study aimed to understand the impact of the pandemic on psychological wellbeing, physical health, quality of life, and delivery of care in persons living with SCI and ABI. A secondary objective included exploring the use of virtual services designed to meet these challenges. In a companion study, participants were surveyed using validated scales of psychosocial health, physical health and healthcare access. In this study, 11 individuals gathered from the survey participated in virtual individual semi-structured interviews to provide accounts of lived experiences regarding critical health challenges and eHealth. Two researchers independently coded interviews for themes using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Through analysis of interviews, 5 themes were identified regarding COVID-19 and recovery, access to care, virtual healthcare, systemic barriers, and coping. Overall, limited opportunities due to the pandemic led to a need for adaptation and multifaceted outcomes on one’s wellbeing, which provides guidance for future clinical practice.
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Hall, Hugh, Michael Ward, Georgina Wicks, Katarzyna Sulej, and Abena Agyapongmaa. "QI: Improving Physical Healthcare Recording in a Mental Health Service for Homeless People – Working With KPI's." BJPsych Open 8, S1 (June 2022): S95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2022.298.
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AimsAs a mental health team for homeless people, we are aware of poor health outcomes for our patients. They face the double-hit of chronic serious mental illness (SMI) and homelessness, reducing life expectancy. As outlined in guidance, “secondary care team should maintain… monitoring service user's physical health”. We aimed to improve recorded annual physical health checks according to Trust Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for weight; hypertension; diabetes; cholesterol; and screening for smoking, drugs and alcohol on SystmOne (e-patient record) in Westminster's Joint Homelessness Team's (JHT) caseload, with target of 90% by December 2021 set by Central and North West London (CNWL) NHS Trust.MethodsUsing monthly physical health KPI reports to target uncompleted annual health checks for JHT's 135 patients. PDSA cycles were used over a six-month period from July 2021 – January 2022.Intervention 1: Using available GP data to pull across into our records, making use of existing information.Intervention 2: Dedicated clinical session from FY2 doctor to assess patients with missing physical health checks.Intervention 3: Specific teaching to whole MDT to increase awareness and uptake.Intervention 4: Designed our own reporting to give real-time rather than monthly reporting.Outcomes were measured from monthly Physical Health reports for the active caseload.ResultsAt baseline only 26.67% of patients had completed recorded health checks. Intervention 1 more than doubled our recordings to 54.17% over a 2-month period. Our second intervention further improved recorded physical health checks.The third intervention increased our recorded physical health checks to 82.35% over a 2-month period. Notably, at the beginning of our project 7 out of 135 patients, had no engagement in physical health check monitoring, this reduced to 1 after intervention 3.At the end of our fourth cycle, we had increased our recorded physical health checks to 83.93%.Overall, results show an improvement of 57.26%, or a relative increase of 3.15 times the amount of recorded physical health checks over 6 months.ConclusionAs a result of incorporating dedicated clinical time, teaching and real-time use of data, we have improved our recorded physical health checks. There is room for improvement with 16% of patients still with incomplete health checks and approximately 10% of patients without blood tests. Some of this is due to accessibility and engagement difficulties for people with SMI and entrenched rough-sleeping, with ongoing work being done.
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Noroozi, Mona, Ilina Singh, and Mina Fazel. "Evaluation of the minimum age for consent to mental health treatment with the minimum age of criminal responsibility in children and adolescents: a global comparison." Evidence Based Mental Health 21, no. 3 (July 19, 2018): 82–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ebmental-2018-300032.
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BackgroundIn many countries, a young person who seeks medical care is not authorised to consent to their own assessment and treatment, yet the same child can be tried for a criminal offence. The absence of child and adolescent mental health legislation in most countries exacerbates the issues young people face in independently accessing mental healthcare. Countries with existing legislation rarely define a minimum age for mental health consent (MAMHC). In stark contrast, nearly all 196 nations studied maintain legislation defining a minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR).ObjectiveThis review highlights inconsistent developmental and legal perspectives in defined markers of competency across medical and judicial systems.MethodsA review of the MAMHC was performed and compared with MACR for the 52 countries for which policy data could be identified through publicly available sources.FindingsOnly 18% of countries maintain identifiable mental health policies specific to children’s mental health needs. Of those reviewed, only 11 nations maintained a defined MAMHC, with 7 of 11 having a MAMHC 2 years higher than the country’s legislated MACR.ConclusionsWith increasing scientific understanding of the influences on child and adolescent decision making, some investment in the evidence-base and reconciliation of the very different approaches to child and adolescent consent is needed.Clinical implicationsA more coherent approach to child and adolescent consent across disciplines could help improve the accessibility of services for young people and facilitate mental health professionals and services as well as criminal justice systems deliver optimal care.
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Schokman, Aaron, Nick Glozier, Melissa Aji, Yu Sun Bin, Kristina Kairaitis, and Janet M. Y. Cheung. "How patient centric is health policy development? The case of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness in Australia." Australian Health Review 46, no. 2 (April 5, 2022): 233–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah21156.
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Objective Parliamentary inquiries into health-related issues empower everyday Australians to contribute to the development and reform of health policy. We explored how patient and family/carers concerns are translated by this process, using a less well-known disease, narcolepsy, as an example. Methods Written submissions made to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness in Australia 2018 by self-identified patients or family/carers with narcolepsy (n = 13) were extracted and thematically analysed using the Framework Approach. Each submission was systematically coded and abstracted into emergent themes before being evaluated against the final policy recommendations. Results Although patients and their family/carers prioritised issues that affected their daily lives (i.e. mental health sequela, workplace accommodations), the policy recommendations in the report focused mainly on issues of healthcare infrastructure, funding and engagement. Our analysis highlighted several barriers that patients and their family/carers face when contributing to this part of healthcare policy formation. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the parliamentary inquiry process in its current form is not an ideal vehicle by which patients and family/carers can contribute or influence healthcare policy. Despite calling for submissions from patients and their family/carers, the final report and subsequent health policy recommendations made by the inquiry do not appear to be patient-centric or reflective of the submissions written by these stakeholders. Increased transparency, development of processes to balance stakeholder priorities and improved accessibility for stakeholders to participate are needed if health-related parliamentary inquiries are to produce healthcare policy that ultimately meets the needs of patients and family/carers.
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Vilovic, Tina, Josko Bozic, Marino Vilovic, Doris Rusic, Sanja Zuzic Furlan, Marko Rada, and Marion Tomicic. "Family Physicians’ Standpoint and Mental Health Assessment in the Light of COVID-19 Pandemic—A Nationwide Survey Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 4 (February 21, 2021): 2093. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18042093.
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During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, family physicians (FPs) are the backbone of the healthcare system with considerable impact on the general population, and their well-being is of great importance. The aim of this investigation was to assess FPs mental health, as well as knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) regarding the pandemic, and opinions on non-communicable disease (NCD) health care provided to patients. A cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 613 FPs. Anxiety and depression levels were estimated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, subjective perceived stress with the Perceived Stress Scale, while trauma-related symptoms were assessed using the Impact on Event Scale-COVID19. KAPs toward the pandemic and opinions regarding NCD patients were evaluated with questionnaires accordingly. Results have shown that age (β = −0.02, p = 0.013) and personal risk of COVID‑19 (β = 1.05, p < 0.001) were significant independent correlates of the knowledge score. A total of 87.7% FPs expressed moderate/high perceived stress, 45.2% moderate/severe trauma-related symptoms, 60.4% borderline/abnormal anxiety levels, and 52.4% borderline/abnormal depression levels. Knowledge score was an independent predictor of perceived stress (β = −0.33, p = 0.023) and anxiety (β = −0.31, p = 0.006) levels. Limited accessibility to healthcare services and decreased number of newly-diagnosed NCD cases were mostly agreed on. The pandemic puts a considerable strain on FPs mental health, as well as on public health measures, due to the decreased overall quality of NCD patient health care. Educational programs may bridge the gaps between FPs’ knowledge. Thus lowering anxiety and improving patient care.