Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Experiences of clients who have made the transition from the psychiatric hospital to community service provision: a phenomenological approach
- Authors:
- MANNIX-MCNAMARA Patricia, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 14(1), 2012, pp.44-56.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Mental health and well-being are fundamental to the quality of life and the productivity of individuals, families and communities, enabling people to experience life as meaningful. Deinstitutionalisation, the replacement of long-stay hospitals with community-based alternatives, can have favourable outcomes for people experiencing mental health problems. However, in many cases the community services needed for comprehensive care are not available. This raises the question as to whether the move from the long-stay hospital has been positive or not for health of clients. Therefore, it is important to examine clients' lived experiences of such a move. This study, carried out over the period of 1 year, sought to qualitatively explore the lived experiences of clients who made the transition from institutional-based care to community service provision. Nine residents took part in the study, and the average time spent in various institutions varied from 1 to 13 years. Findings indicated that participants experienced a significant change in their lives in relation to their psychological, physical and social health and well-being. Freedom for self-determination and living in an environment that gives them autonomy is at the core of their personal experience. It could be argued that deinstitutionalisation generated a shift in client experience in relation to their health and well-being.
Psychological distress as a key component of psychosocial functioning in community-dwelling older people
- Authors:
- SCHNITTGER Rebecca I. B., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 16(1-2), January 2012, pp.199-207.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Psychological distress is a critical issue affecting the quality of life in older adults with implications for both mental and physical health. The aim of this study was to explore the key components of psychosocial functioning in older adults with a focus on identifying the constituents of psychological distress. Another aim was to examine the relationship between these components and health outcomes such as frailty. The study was conducted at the Technology Research for Independent Living Clinic, a comprehensive geriatric assessment facility in Dublin. As part of a structured clinical assessment, 579 participants completed 9 primary psychosocial measures as well as a broad range of health and demographic secondary assessments. Principal factor analysis identified 3 core dimensions of the construct of psychosocial functioning. The first is related to a core internal component of psychological distress. The 2 other components are related to external and physiological functioning, specifically social support networks and sleep. These components, particularly psychological distress, were found to be associated with health outcomes associated with frailty.
An occupational perspective of the recovery journey in mental health
- Authors:
- KELLY Mary, LAMONT Scott, BRUNERO Scott
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(3), March 2010, pp.129-135.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The philosophy of occupational therapy and that of recovery are markedly similar; however, there is limited research linking occupation to recovery in mental health. This study aimed to explore the relationship between recovery and occupation in consumers with mental health problems. A qualitative method in the form of narratives was chosen in exploring the uniquely subjective experiences of mental health, occupation and recovery. Five members of a mental health support group (GROW) were engaged in semi-structured interviews, whereby individual narratives were analysed through comparative methods to identify categories and themes. Five categories emerged: (1) The recovery map, (2) GROW has just given me the platform, (3) You have to become active, (4) The great barriers and (5) Where am I now ... I couldn't bear it if I was any better. The participants' experiences of recovery highlighted the necessity for occupational engagement in a supported environment. The benefits of occupation included feelings of social cohesion, meaning, purpose, normalisation, routine, competence, productivity, skill acquisition, routine and pleasure. These factors enabled the participants to re-establish self-concepts and subsequently promoted mental health. The findings may have implications for occupational therapy practice, whereby occupational therapy could facilitate a leadership role in recovery-orientated mental health services.
Geographical barriers to mental health service care among individuals with an intellectual disability in the Republic of Ireland
- Authors:
- RAMSAY Hugh, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 13(4), 2016, pp.261-268.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
People with an intellectual disability (ID) are more likely to experience mental health difficulties than others. The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) states that health services should be provided close to people's own communities. This article examines differences in access to psychiatry services for those with an ID according to geography, in the context of a small European country (Republic of Ireland). The sample consisted of 753 individuals aged 40 and over with ID in the Republic of Ireland, with data collected from the Intellectual Disability Supplement of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging (IDS-TILDA). The primary outcome of interest was attendance with any psychiatrist and the primary independent variables were area of residence (health service region and degree of county urbanicity). Logistic regression was used to analyse associations, unadjusted and then controlling for age group, gender and level of ID. Secondary analysis examined factors associated with anti-psychotic prescription without psychiatrist supervision. Treatment by a psychiatrist was associated with both health region (p = 0.029) and degree of urbanicity (p = 0.015) before controlling for group differences but only the health region was significantly associated after controlling for age, gender and level of ID. Antipsychotic use without a psychiatrist was associated with degree of urbanicity (p = 0.036) but not with health service region (p = 0.989). Geographic factors are associated with access to mental health services among those with ID in the Republic of Ireland. This may be partly due to movement of people with ID away from their area of origin, highlighting the need for locally tailored specialist ID mental health teams and for further research into barriers to treatment. Additional work in other countries will further understanding of similar roles of geographic factors in mediating mental health services access. (Edited publisher abstract)
The relationship between mental health literacy regarding schizophrenia and psychiatric stigma in the Republic of Ireland
- Authors:
- O'KEEFFE Donal, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 25(2), 2016, pp.100-108.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Background: There is an unclear relationship between mental health literacy (MHL) and psychiatric stigma. MHL is associated with both positive and negative attitudes to mental illness. Aims: This study was conducted to assess MHL regarding schizophrenia and the degree of psychiatric stigma displayed by the general public in the Republic of Ireland. Method: A face-to-face in-home omnibus survey was conducted with a representative sample of residents of the Republic of Ireland. Participants (N = 1001) were presented with a vignette depicting schizophrenia and were asked questions to determine their ability to recognise the condition and to ascertain their attitudes towards schizophrenia and mental illness. Results: Among the participants, 34.1% correctly identified schizophrenia. Higher age, higher socioeconomic status, and an urban geographic location predicted identification. Those who did not correctly identify schizophrenia were significantly more optimistic about recovery and perceived people with schizophrenia as less dangerous. However, only the relationship with perceived dangerousness was considered robust. Conclusions: Participants with higher MHL displayed more negative attitudes to mental illness. Findings have implications internationally for MHL and anti-stigma campaigns. (Edited publisher abstract)
Severity of hospital-treated self-cutting and risk of future self-harm: a national registry study
- Authors:
- LARKIN Celine, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 23(3), 2014, pp.115-119.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Background: Risk assessment forms a key component in self-harm management. Among self-harm presentations generally, lethality of an index act is a poor predictor of future non-fatal repetition. However, no study has examined whether severity of an index self-cutting episode is associated with prospective repetition. Aims: To examine factors associated with severity of self-cutting and in particular the association between severity of self-cutting and prospective repetition of self-harm. Methods: All index self-cutting presentations to emergency departments in Ireland over 5 years were grouped by treatment received and compared on the basis of demographic and clinical characteristics. Results: Receiving more extensive medical treatment was associated with male gender, being aged more than 15 years, and not combining self-harm methods. Receiving less extensive treatment conferred a higher risk of prospective 12-month repetition, even after controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics. Repeat self-harm presentations by those with more severe self-cutting in an index act were less prevalent but were more likely to involve high-lethality methods of self-harm. Discussion: The results indicate that the already-elevated repetition risk among self-cutting patients is further increased for those receiving less extensive wound closure treatment. Severity of self-cutting might also affect suicide risk but such an association has yet to be examined. (Publisher abstract)
Librarian or counsellor?: a pilot study of the experiences of library staff in one healthy reading scheme in Ireland
- Author:
- NEVILLE Patricia
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 23(1), 2014, pp.15-19.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Background: Book prescription schemes and healthy reading schemes place self-help books in public libraries to assist in the treatment of mild to moderate mental illness. Research has highlighted that library staff play an active role in the success of this initiative. Aims: To conduct a pilot study of the professional experiences of the library staff of Clare County Healthy Reading scheme as they deal with the therapeutic demands of the reading public. Method: A preliminary questionnaire was developed and distributed among the staff members. In total, 12 completed questionnaires were returned and analysed. Result: Despite their lack of training and support from statutory mental health services, library staff affirmed their belief in the benefits of healthy reading schemes. Library staff also maintained a clear understanding of their role as gatekeepers but not as therapeutic advisors to the reading public. Conclusion: Despite the serious restrictions to mental health services in Clare, library staff did not believe that their role was to ‘fill in the gap’ in terms of providing mental health assistance to the reading public. (Publisher abstract)
Adult adjustment of survivors of institutional child abuse in Ireland
- Authors:
- CARR Alan, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 34(7), July 2010, pp.477-489.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Institutional child abuse is perpetrated by adults working in, or peers within, institutions serving children in the community, such as residential care centres, schools, reformatories, churches, and recreational facilities. This study focused on the adjustment of adults who suffered institutional abuse in childhood within the context of Irish religiously-affiliated residential reformatories and industrial schools, aiming to document the rate of psychological disorders and difficulties. 247 adult survivors of institutional abuse were recruited from those who had attended the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (a statutory body established by the Irish Government in 2000), and were interviewed and completed versions of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The study found that the prevalence of psychological disorders among participants was over 80%, with anxiety, mood and substance use disorders being the most prevalent diagnoses. The researchers concluded that there was an association between the experience of institutional abuse in childhood and the prevalence of adult mental health problems.
Exploring the health concerns of people taking methadone
- Authors:
- JAMES Philip, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Nursing Times, 2.9.08, 2008, pp.26-27.
- Publisher:
- Nursing Times
This article reports on a study to uncover the health concerns of clients attending a methadone maintenance programme provided by an addiction service in Ireland. The Health Concerns Questionnaire 3 was completed by 261 clients. The most endorsed items tended to be psychosocial health concerns, particularly mood-related items. Additional comments highlighted various health issues such as hepatitis C, diet, and sexual and mental health. The research also highlighted the importance if eliciting client feedback within health services.
Responding to student mental health concerns in social work education: reflective questions for social work educators
- Authors:
- TODD Sarah, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Education (The International Journal), 38(6), 2019, pp.779-796.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This paper explores ways in which social work educators might respond to students who report that mental health issues underlie their difficulty in meeting core competencies, or otherwise use the language of mental health to describe their struggles to succeed in social work programs. This paper discusses various trends in policy responses in Canada, the US, the UK, and Ireland. While there are general policy trends, it is clear that responding to these kinds of issues requires the development of highly flexible and situated policy processes that can respond to student realities, concern for students’ rights and privacy, and an awareness of potential discrimination against students. These processes also need to meet the specificities of practicums, particular institutional policies, the mandates of relevant professional bodies, and the precise local legislative framework that shapes these situations. Given these varying contexts, in this conceptual paper, a framework on disability that is informed by critical theory to engage existing school policies and propose a set of reflective questions that can guide schools of social work to create an overall responsive environment is used. These reflective questions are designed to help social work educators balance the rights and needs of students with the professional and institutional demands that students meet core competencies in their education. (Edited publisher abstract)