scholarly journals What About Us? Experiences of Relatives Regarding Physician-Assisted Death for Patients Suffering from Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalie Pronk ◽  
D. L. Willems ◽  
S. van de Vathorst
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Professional Support ◽  
Assisted Death ◽  
The Road ◽  
Grieving Process ◽  
Somatic Illness ◽  
Wish To Die

AbstractPhysician-assisted death (PAD) for patients suffering from mental illness is legally permitted in the Netherlands. Although patients’ relatives are not entrusted with a legal role, former research revealed that physicians take into account the patient’s social context and their well-being, in deciding whether or not to grant the request. However, these studies focussed on relatives’ experiences in the context of PAD concerning patients with somatic illness. To date, nothing is known on their experiences in the context of PAD concerning the mentally ill. We studied the experiences of relatives with regard to a PAD request by patients suffering from mental illness. The data for this study were collected through 12 interviews with relatives of patients who have or had a PAD request because of a mental illness. We show that relatives are ambivalent regarding the patient’s request for PAD and the following trajectory. Their ambivalence is characterised by their understanding of the wish to die and at the same time hoping that the patient would make another choice. Respondents’ experiences regarding the process of the PAD request varied, from positive (‘intimate’) to negative (‘extremely hard’). Some indicated that they wished to be more involved as they believe the road towards PAD should be a joint trajectory. To leave them out during such an important event is not only painful, but also harmful to the relative as it could potentially complicate their grieving process. Professional support during or after the PAD process was wanted by some, but not by all.

Families Living with Mental Illness

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditi Rana
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Indian Context ◽  
The Family ◽  
Partner Research

Mental illness is a growing reality of our times. Usually in a typical Indian family, the parents act as the primary caregivers for the child suffering from mental disorder. For adult sufferers, it can also be siblings or offspring, and  at times even spouse or partner. Research on the experiences of families of mentally ill people has been minimal in the Indian context. This study aims to shift the focus from the mentally ill patients to the suffering of the caregivers and families of the patient keeping in mind the interconnected well being of the family in a collectivist culture. Following a qualitative approach, narratives have been taken from the family members of mentally ill (narratives of 8 families with mentally ill person) and also the mental health professionals (two) through semi structured interviews. The findings suggest that the family members suffer from a significant amount of stress accompanied by burden. Also, they feel secluded from the society and experience a lack of assistance to deal with the mentally ill member of the family.

scholarly journals Assess the attitude and perception regarding mental illness among the care givers of mentally ill patients

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 3078-3082
Author(s):  
Angelin Lavanya ◽  
Vishnu Priya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Hospital Data ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Care Givers

Mental health is defined as a state of well being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stress of the life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution towards his or her own community. Mental illness refers to a condition of emotional and mental impairment that disturbs a person’s thinking, mood and ability that relate to others and daily functioning. The aim of the study was to assess the attitude and perception regarding mental illness among the care givers at saveetha medical college and hospital. A quantitative research approach was adopted with convenient sampling technique to select 100 care givers of mentally ill patients at saveetha medical college and hospital. Data was collected by using self - structured questionnaire technique. The data was organized and analyzed in term of descriptive statistics. Association between the level of attitude and the selected demographic variables were analyzed in which there is a significant association between the demographic variables such as education, residence and the type of care givers regarding mental illness. In related to on assessing the association between the level of perception and the selected demographic variables were analyzed in which there is a significant association between the gender, education, occupation, type of family and the type of care givers. This study has demonstrated that the care givers has a decreased level of attitude in relation to education, residence, type of care givers and decreased level of perception in related to gender, occupation, education, type of family and the type of care givers. The study concluded that the care givers have a low level of attitude and perception in related to mental illness.

An Audit of Mental Health: A Comparative Study of Adolescents

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Riti Das Dhankar ◽  
Dr Asha Hingar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
School Children ◽  
Private School ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Government School ◽  
Good Mental Health ◽  
Significant Difference

Mental health is an integral and essential component of health. The WHO constitution states: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Today, it is recognized that good mental health is not just the absence of mental illness. Nor is it absolute – some people are more mentally healthy than others, whether you are mentally ill or not. In order to determine the mental health of adolescent school going children, government and private schools from the domain of Jaipur city were taken. A sample of total of 300 adolescents consisting of 150 government school adolescents and 150 private school adolescents were taken. The test used was Mental Health Battery (MHI) (Verma, J. and Srivastava, A.K. 1996). It was found that in all the dimensions of mental health, no significant difference was found for government and private school children. It is a matter of concern for all the parents, teachers and society as a whole that both the groups are poor on a mental health scale.

Higher case fatality after cardiovascular event for patients with comorbid psychiatric disease

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 385-385
Author(s):  
B. Lindelius ◽  
E. Bjorkenstam ◽  
C. Dahlgren ◽  
R. Ljung
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Acute Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Cardiovascular Event ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Psychiatric Disease ◽  
Adequate Treatment ◽  
Somatic Illness

IntroductionThe National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden has recently published regional comparisons and assessment o the psychiatric care in Sweden. More than 30 health care quality indicators are used that comprises processes and results of the care for the mentally ill. There are indications that psychiatric patients do not receive adequate treatment of their somatic illness. The study exemplifies that.ObjectivesTo investigate whether patients with mental disorders are more likely to die after being hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction or stroke.AimsTo pinpoint possible disparities in physical health outcomes/mortality among patients with mental illness.MethodPatients were identified in the National Patient Register and Cause of Death Register. Mental illness was defined as having a registered psychiatric main diagnose at least once in the past five years.ResultsIn 2007 30% of the patients in total that had an acute myocardial infarction died witin 28 days. Among patients that also had psychiatric diagnose 44% died within 28 days. Case fatality within 28 days after a stroke was 22% and 34% respectively. There are differences in outcome between the regions.ConclusionsOur study indicates that the case fatality after a cardiovascular event is much higher in patients with comorbid psychiatric disease. Many reasons can be plausible, including bad compliance to treatment. But the higher case fatality might also be an indicator of non-optimal processes within the health care system for mentally ill people.

Etat De Sante Et Reseau De Soutien Social De Soignantes Naturelles D'Une Personne Atteinte De Trouble Mental

1991 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-131
Author(s):  
Nicole Ricard
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
General Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Professional Support ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Social

Studies of the health and family situation of natural caregivers of the mentally ill do not indicate the gender of the principal caregiver. Consequently, they do not provide details about the health or the social support networks of women, who, in general, are the ones who assume the caregiving role. The purpose of this study of 61 female natural caregivers living with mentally ill patients was to describe the state of health of these natural caregivers as well as their social support from both neighbours and professionals. Another purpose was to verify the existence of relationships among these variables. Four health variables are studied: emotional distress, well-being, perception of general health, and number of health problems. Support from both neighbours and professionals is examined from the point of view of the caregivers' needs and the satisfaction felt by the caregivers, and according to several functions of social support, Descriptive analyses show that at least half of the natural caregivers suffer from emotional distress, diminished well-being, and various health problems. When support from neighbours is considered, the caregivers express numerous needs; two thirds of the caregivers declare themselves satisfied except in regard to their need to socialize. Regarding professional support, caregivers express fewer needs and seem less satisfied by the support received. Regression analyses demonstrate that two of the four predictors of neighbour support contribute significantly, though modestly, to the variations in emotional distress; one of those predictors also contributes to variations in the perception of general health. No significant relation was found for professional support. Recommendations are made for future research and for preventive interventions with women who are natural caregivers.

scholarly journals Feeling Seen, Being Heard: Perspectives of Patients Suffering from Mental Illness on the Possibility of Physician-Assisted Death in the Netherlands

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalie Pronk ◽  
Dick L. Willems ◽  
Suzanne van de Vathorst
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Assisted Death ◽  
Wish To Die ◽  
Controversial Topic ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
The Voice ◽  
Depth Interviews

AbstractPhysician-assisted death (PAD) for patients suffering from a mental illness is allowed in the Netherlands under certain conditions but is a very controversial topic, mainly discussed by ethicists and physicians. The voice of the patient is rarely included in the debate, so we know little about what their views on the topic are. We aim to understand the views of patients with mental illness and wish to die with regard to the possibility of PAD in the Netherlands. The data for this qualitative study were collected through 21 in-depth interviews with Dutch patients who have a wish for PAD as a result of suffering from a mental illness. We identified four themes in relation to the meaning of PAD for the patients suffering from mental illness and wish to die. These themes are (1) Autonomy and self-determination, (2) ending the suffering, (3) recognition, and (4) a dignified end-of-life. The option of PAD for patients suffering from mental illnesses was considered of great importance to the patients who have a wish to die. We highlight the importance of ‘recognition’ for the situation of the patient, as this could lead to new perspective. We argue that psychiatrists need to reflect on providing this recognition in earlier phases of treatment, taking seriously and discussing a wish for PAD in treatment is beneficial to patients. It provides space for the patient to discuss their wishes and could cause them not wanting to die anymore.

The road less travelled

2018 ◽  
pp. 289-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Shared Decision Making ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Road ◽  
Improve Practice

This chapter follows one person’s journey into psychiatry and a clinical career as a child and adolescent forensic psychiatrist. It covers the importance of taking a developmental understanding of clinical dilemmas set in social context and the often paradoxical attitudes of society throughout history towards those who are mentally ill and whose behaviour they fear, whether via harm to self or to others. It also considers how research can inform and improve practice and how serendipity can take a career along interesting routes of working with and shaping the decisions of policy-makers to improve mental health of populations and individuals. It describes how skills in mental health can improve practice across the whole of medicine and the importance of using emotional intelligence to enable clinical teams to deliver best care with true shared decision-making with patients and their families.

Disentangling Mental Illness Labeling Effects from Treatment Effects on Well-Being

2020 ◽  
pp. 215686932094959
Author(s):  
Peggy A. Thoits
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Clinical Disorder ◽  
National Comorbidity Survey Replication ◽  
Mad Studies ◽  
Social Causes

The emerging field of Mad Studies has returned attention to deficiencies of the medical model, refocusing scholars on social causes of mental health problems and on consumers’/survivors’ experiences of labeling and stigma. These themes echo issues addressed in traditional and modified labeling theories. A fundamental labeling premise is that professional categorization as “mentally ill” is a major determinant of individuals’ poorer psychological well-being. However, this relationship has not been tested appropriately because past studies frequently measured formal labeling by a person’s involvement in treatment. Treatment involvement can indicate the receipt of potentially beneficial services or harmful categorization with a stigmatizing label. Independent measures of these constructs in the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication enable reexamining traditional and modified labeling hypotheses for individuals with (N = 1,255) and without (N = 4,172) a recurrent clinical disorder. Supporting labeling theory’s central proposition, formal labeling was linked to more negative affect and disability days in both groups. These relationships were not spurious products of preexisting serious symptoms, refuting a psychiatric explanation. Treatment involvement effects differed noticeably between the groups, underscoring the need to keep treatment and labeling measures distinct.

scholarly journals Stigma in mental health: perceptions of students who will be future health professionals

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1439-1439 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J. Marques ◽  
T. Barbosa ◽  
C. Queiros
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Attribution Questionnaire ◽  
Regular Contact

IntroductionActually, in society, stigma against mental illness stills strong, making difficult to develop recovery and social integration of people suffering from mental illness, witch affects their well-being and quality of life. Studies indicates that stigma can be elicited by different social groups, which include, in addition to the general population, the relatives, the individuals with mental illness and event health professionals (Schulze, 2007).AimsCompare attitudes and stigma against mental illness from students who will work in mental health teams.MethodsData were collected using a translation of Attribution Questionnaire - AQ 27 (Corrigan, 2003), fulfil in an anonym way from 486 Portuguese students of Medicine, Psychology, Occupational Therapy and Nursing. The sample was composed by 22% male and 78% female; mean age 20.4 years, 65% at begging of the course and 35% finishing.ResultsThe data reveal that the sample has little contact with mentally ill individuals (only 19% have relatives with mental illness). Students from Medicine and Psychology present higher values in stigma dimensions, while Occupational Therapy and Nursing show lower values. Students begging the course shows higher stigma than those finishing. Having regular contact with mentally ill individuals seems to decrease stigma attitudes.ConclusionsSome attitudes related to stigma were found, contradicting the actual knowledge about mental illness and politics of social inclusion. It seems necessary to modify theoretical topics about mental illness learned by students, and also pedagogical methods. Therefore, stigma and social exclusion will be discuss and avoid since the beginning of the courses.

Family Needs, Children and Parenthood in People with Mental Illness

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
T. Becker ◽  
S. Kilian ◽  
R. Kilian ◽  
C. Lahmeyer ◽  
S. Krumm
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Family System ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Family Needs ◽  
Counselling Service ◽  
The Family

Objective:Given that parental mental diseases affect the whole family system, a family centered support and help system seems appropriate for families with a mentally ill mother/father. However, the majority of mental health services do not integrate interventions for the family system into psychiatric treatment programs.Aims:To introduce a counselling and support service for families with a mentally ill parent (FIPS) that has been established at a psychiatric hospital serving a large catchments area. Preliminary results of a qualitative study that focused on the clients’ family background as well as on their reasons for utilising the service and service satisfaction will be presented.Methods:Factors that impact the family system are considered and brought to a concept for counselling and support service for families with a mentally ill parent. Problem-focused interviews with 14 clients (mentally ill parents and relatives) of the counselling service for families were subjected to content analysis.Results:Most clients came to the counselling centre because of worries that the parent's mental illness might negatively affect children's well-being. Mentally ill mothers described their daily lives as utterly burdensome and also reported strong feelings of guilt towards their children. The concept of FIPS includes psychoeducation, social therapy, case management and family therapy. Clients assessed the counselling service as helpful and reported some significant changes.

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