scholarly journals Migrant mental health and representation in routine administrative registers

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-95
Author(s):  
Ciara Mary Close ◽  
Tania Bosqui ◽  
Dermot O’Reilly ◽  
Michael Donnelly ◽  
Anne Kouvonen

Purpose There has been an increase in the use of registers and record linkages to study migrant mental health. However, the accuracy of these registers and the degree to which they are representative of the migrant population in Northern Ireland (NI) are unclear. The purpose of this paper is to explore: the coverage of the NI migrant population in general practitioner (GP) data and Census records; the issues faced by migrants in terms of registering and accessing the local health system; and the reporting of racial hate crimes against migrants to police. Design/methodology/approach Two focus groups of professionals (n=17) who worked with migrants were conducted. Group discussions were guided by a research-informed topic guide, and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Three main themes emerged: issues with the use of GP registration, Census and hate crime data for researching migrant mental health; barriers to health service use (e.g. low cultural awareness among health staff and access to interpreters); and risk factor exposure and mental health status in migrant communities (e.g. poverty, isolation and poor working conditions). Originality/value Record linkage and registry studies of migrant health and well-being using Census and health service sources need to be mindful of the likelihood that some migrants may be missed. The possible underrepresentation of migrants in health registers may be explained by reduced use of such services which may be caused my encountering staff with limited cultural competency and the inability to access an interpreter promptly.

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 271-279
Author(s):  
Chris Dayson ◽  
Jo Painter ◽  
Ellen Bennett

Purpose This paper aims to identify the well-being outcomes of a social prescribing model set within a secondary mental health service recovery pathway and understand the key characteristics of a social prescribing referral for producing these outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative case study of one mental health social prescribing service with three nested case studies of social prescribing providers. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with commissioners, providers and patients (n = 20) and analysed thematically. Findings Social prescribing makes a positive contribution to emotional, psychological and social well-being for patients of secondary mental health services. A key enabling mechanism of the social prescribing model was the supportive discharge pathway which provided opportunities for sustained engagement in community activities, including participation in peer-to-peer support networks and volunteering. Research limitations/implications More in-depth research is required to fully understand when, for whom and in what circumstances social prescribing is effective for patients of secondary mental health services. Practical implications A supported social prescribing referral, embedded within a recovery focussed secondary mental health service pathway, offers a valuable accompaniment to traditional approaches. Current social prescribing policy is focussed on increasing the number of link workers in primary care, but this study highlights the importance models embedded within secondary care and of funding VCSE organisations to receive referrals and provide pathways for long-term engagement, enabling positive outcomes to be sustained. Originality/value Social prescribing is widely advocated in policy and practice but there are few examples of social prescribing models having been developed in secondary mental health services, and no published academic studies that everybody are aware of.


Author(s):  
E. Saurman ◽  
D. Perkins ◽  
D. Lyle ◽  
M. Patfield ◽  
R. Roberts

The MHEC-RAP project involves the innovative application of video conferencing to mental health assessment in rural NSW. The preliminary evaluation findings of the project are presented. Mental health emergencies in rural and remote settings cause particular problems and are not amenable to conventional health service solutions. Patients and local health care staff may be isolated from specialist mental health staff and from acute inpatient services. Decisions to transport patients for specialist assessments or treatment may be required at night or at weekends and may involve families, police, ambulance services and local health staff. Such decisions need to be made promptly but carefully and the ability to obtain a specialist assessment may assist in making a decision about how best to care for the patient bearing in mind the need to provide a responsive, high quality and safe service to patients and local clinicians. In this chapter we examine a novel approach which uses audio-visual technology to conduct remote emergency mental health patient assessment interviews and provide consultations to local clinicians in rural communities in western NSW. The Mental Health Emergency Care – Rural Access Project or ‘MHEC-RAP’ was developed in 2007 following a series of consultations held in rural towns and implemented in 2008 within the Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS), New South Wales, Australia. GWAHS is a primary example of a rural and remote health service. It serves 287,481 people (8.3% of whom are Indigenous Australians) in an area that is 445,197sq km or 55% of the state of New South Wales (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001; Greater Western Area Health Service, 2007, 2009). The communities within GWAHS are mostly small, the towns are widely dispersed and local services are “limited by distance, expense, transport, and the difficulty of recruiting health professionals to these areas” (Dunbar, 2007 page 587). The chapter focuses on the design of the service, its implementation and its performance in the first year. We conclude with a discussion about the service, its broader relevance, transferability and its sustainability.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Argyle ◽  
Gary Winship

Purpose – Involvement in creative practice is commonly regarded as “therapeutic” but what is actually meant by this and how does this work promote social inclusion and mental well-being, particularly when performed in a group setting? Drawing on the findings of a research project called Clay Transformations (AHRC), the purpose of this paper is to consider these questions. The project involved running a series of clay workshops aimed at people with experience of mental health service use and those who work with them. Design/methodology/approach – In order to explore the significance of art involvement to people who use mental health services, qualitative research findings are presented. These are then linked to relevant literature in order to consider the way in which workshop participation helped to promote social inclusion and mental well-being. Findings – Many benefits were gained from workshop attendance deriving from involvement in the process and the outcome of art creation. These benefits were enhanced by the group context in which the work took place and the mutual support and interaction arising from this group membership. Originality/value – The recognition of the therapeutic value of creative practice has been accompanied by the emergence of the notion of “mutual recovery” which extends the concept of recovery beyond an individualised focus. The positive findings of this project uphold these developments and suggest that mental health practice should address the wider social contexts that can facilitate the promotion of mental well-being.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Thompson ◽  
Michael Hill ◽  
Lesley Bainbridge ◽  
Daniel Cowie ◽  
Emma Flewers

Purpose This paper aims to provide an evidence assessment and narrative synthesis of literature regarding the key characteristics of older people living in service-integrated housing (SIH) facilities and their “accommodation journey”. Design/methodology/approach A rapid evidence assessment was conducted: 22 research publications met the inclusion criteria and were analysed using narrative synthesis. Findings The quality of studies in this area is low, but consistency across components of the results of studies included in the review is apparent. Results suggest key characteristics of older people that drive moves into SIH are a decline in health, increased dependency, increased health service use and carer burden. Suggested key characteristics of SIH residents are high levels of health problems, dependency and health service use, but high self-reported health and well-being. Results indicate that the key driver for older people leaving SIH is a lack of workforce competency to manage further declines in health and dependency status. Research limitations/implications Current policy may not realise or account for the complex health and care needs of SIH residents. Investment into integrated care, robust community health services and workforce development to facilitate a comprehensive assessment approach may be required to support residents to remain in SIH and live well. Further longitudinal studies are required to map the progression of SIH residents’ health status in detail over time to provide an understanding of preventative and enablement support, development of care pathways and workforce planning and development requirements. Originality/value This evidence assessment is the first to consider the accommodation journey of older people residing in SIH.


2005 ◽  
Vol 50 (10) ◽  
pp. 614-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen-Maria Vasiliadis ◽  
Alain Lesage ◽  
Carol Adair ◽  
Richard Boyer

Objectives: In 2002, Canada undertook its first national survey on mental health and well-being, including detailed questioning on service use. Mental disorders may affect more than 1 person in 5, according to past regional and less comprehensive mental health surveys in Canada, and most do not seek help. Individual determinants play a role in health resource use for mental health (MH) reasons. This study aimed to provide prevalence rates of health care service use for MH reasons by province and according to service type and to examine determinants of MH service use in Canada and across provinces. Methods: We assessed the prevalence rate (95% confidence interval [CI]) of past-year health service use for MH reasons, and we assessed potential determinants cross-sectionally, using data collected from the Statistics Canada Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being (CCHS 1.2). We estimated models of resource use with logistic regression (using odds ratios and 95%CIs). Results: The prevalence of health service use for MH reasons in Canada was 9.5% (95%CI, 9.1% to 10.0%). The highest rates, on average, were observed in Nova Scotia (11.3%; 95%CI, 9.6% to 13.0%) and British Columbia (11.3%; 95%CI, 10.1% to 12.6%). The lowest rates were observed in Newfoundland and Labrador (6.7%; 95%CI, 5.3% to 8.0%) and Prince Edward Island (7.5%; 95%CI, 5.8% to 9.3%). In Canada, the general medical system was the most used for MH reasons (5.4%; 95%CI, 5.1% to 5.8%) and the voluntary network sector was the least used (1.9%; 95%CI, 1.7% to 2.1%). No difference was observed in the rate of service use between specialty MH (3.5%; 95%CI, 3.2% to 3.8%) and other professional providers (4.0%; 95%CI, 3.7% to 4.3%). In multivariate analyses, after adjusting for age and sex, the presence of a mental disorder was a consistent predictor of health service use for MH across the provinces. Conclusions: There is up to a twofold difference in the type of service used for MH reasons across provinces. The primary care general medical system is the most widely used service for MH. Need remains the strongest predictor of use, especially when a mental disorder is present. Barriers to access, such as income, were not identified in all provinces. Different sociodemographic variables played a role in service seeking within each province. This suggests different attitudes toward common mental disorders and toward care seeking among the provinces.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-160
Author(s):  
Salma Ali ◽  
Jessica Phipps

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the current service provision offered by a mental health service in a young offenders institute (YOI) in England. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory approach was adopted. Five prison officers (POs) (four male and one female) with direct experience supporting young people through mental health intervention were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed using thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006), which allowed evaluation of the current mental health provision to evolve. Findings Five overarching themes (process of referrals; intervention and its impact; role and function of the health and well-being team; collaboration and involvement; and feedback, communication and intervention) were found to be highly salient when evaluating service provision. Notably all themes interrelated with one another, demonstrating that changes or improvements made to the service need to consider all factors individually and collectively. Research limitations/implications This study was based on a small sample of POs in only one YOI in England, and therefore cannot be generalised to the entire prison estate. However, it does offer a rich insight into local service provision from the perspective of a group whose opinion is rarely sought. Practical implications POs’ perspectives of service provision are important in informing service developments. Lessons can be learnt from their unique insight into how prison mental health services are run to improve processes and collaborative working in the management of young offenders with mental health difficulties. Originality/value This preliminary and exploratory study is, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the first study evaluating service provision by using the perspectives of POs. The findings suggest that POs make valuable contributions to the service development and should be involved in similar evaluations in future.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 313-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher A. Griffiths ◽  
Ella Hancock-Johnson

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the experience and impact of paid staff who are employed to use their lived experience of mental health issues and service use within a secure mental health provider. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis was employed. Findings Results from this study suggest that employing lived experience workers (LEWs) in secure mental health settings is valuable to clinical staff, service users, the employing organisation and LEWs themselves. Findings emphasised the importance of support for LEWs to enable them to fulfil their role and maintain wellbeing, and the need to consider LEWs career progression within and beyond the role. Research limitations/implications This study had a small sample size. Practical implications There is evidence to support LEWs in secure mental health settings and requirement for further understanding of their work in this environment. Specific recommendations include the need for training for clinical staff about the role of LEWs, specific LEWs role training, and regular supervision and mental health support for LEWs. Originality/value This is the first paper reporting the experience and impact of LEWs in a UK secure mental health service.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Yeo ◽  
Laurie Hare-Duke ◽  
Stefan Rennick-Egglestone ◽  
Simon Bradstreet ◽  
Felicity Callard ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Collections of lived experience narratives are increasingly used in health research and medical practice. However, there is limited research with respect to the decision-making processes involved in curating narrative collections and the work that curators do as they build and publish collections. OBJECTIVE This study aims to develop a typology of curatorial decisions involved in curating narrative collections presenting lived experiences of mental health service use, recovery, or madness and to document approaches selected by curators in relation to identified curatorial decisions. METHODS A preliminary typology was developed by synthesizing the results of a systematic review with insights gained through an iterative consultation with an experienced curator of multiple recovery narrative collections. The preliminary typology informed the topic guide for semistructured interviews with a maximum variation sample of 30 curators from 7 different countries. All participants had the experience of curating narrative collections of the lived experiences of mental health service use, recovery, or madness. A multidisciplinary team conducted thematic analysis through constant comparison. RESULTS The final typology identified 6 themes, collectively referred to as VOICES, which stands for values and motivations, organization, inclusion and exclusion, control and collaboration, ethics and legal, and safety and well-being. A total of 26 subthemes related to curation decisions were identified. CONCLUSIONS The VOICES typology identifies the key decisions to consider when curating narrative collections about the lived experiences of mental health service use, recovery, or madness. It might be used as a theoretical basis for a good practice resource to support curators in their efforts to balance the challenges and sometimes conflicting imperatives involved in collecting, organizing, and sharing narratives. Future research might seek to document the use of such a tool by curators and hence examine how best to use VOICES to support decision making.


10.2196/16290 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e16290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Yeo ◽  
Laurie Hare-Duke ◽  
Stefan Rennick-Egglestone ◽  
Simon Bradstreet ◽  
Felicity Callard ◽  
...  

Background Collections of lived experience narratives are increasingly used in health research and medical practice. However, there is limited research with respect to the decision-making processes involved in curating narrative collections and the work that curators do as they build and publish collections. Objective This study aims to develop a typology of curatorial decisions involved in curating narrative collections presenting lived experiences of mental health service use, recovery, or madness and to document approaches selected by curators in relation to identified curatorial decisions. Methods A preliminary typology was developed by synthesizing the results of a systematic review with insights gained through an iterative consultation with an experienced curator of multiple recovery narrative collections. The preliminary typology informed the topic guide for semistructured interviews with a maximum variation sample of 30 curators from 7 different countries. All participants had the experience of curating narrative collections of the lived experiences of mental health service use, recovery, or madness. A multidisciplinary team conducted thematic analysis through constant comparison. Results The final typology identified 6 themes, collectively referred to as VOICES, which stands for values and motivations, organization, inclusion and exclusion, control and collaboration, ethics and legal, and safety and well-being. A total of 26 subthemes related to curation decisions were identified. Conclusions The VOICES typology identifies the key decisions to consider when curating narrative collections about the lived experiences of mental health service use, recovery, or madness. It might be used as a theoretical basis for a good practice resource to support curators in their efforts to balance the challenges and sometimes conflicting imperatives involved in collecting, organizing, and sharing narratives. Future research might seek to document the use of such a tool by curators and hence examine how best to use VOICES to support decision making.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-111
Author(s):  
Nicholas Dent

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the value of appreciative inquiry (AI) methodology in enabling co-productive work within mental health service development. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of AI is described and observations on its use in mental health service improvement are considered. Findings AI is a really helpful tool in supporting service improvement and is particularly applicable in mental health discussions involving service users and carers. Many service users and carers engaging with service development discussions have had adverse past experiences which can inhibit their successful contribution to planning discussions. AI allows a more positive reflection on how services can be improved which can help achieve positive results. Research limitations/implications AI methodology is a really useful tool in supporting improvement discussions across health, and other public, services, and is particularly valuable in engaging mental health service users and carers in such activity. Practical implications The method is useful across service development needs and could be developed to support mental health service improvement locally, regionally and nationally. Developing the use of this method could make a real contribution to improving relations between service users, carers and health staff and support meaningful and positive change in the delivery of mental health services. Social implications Helping to overcome dissonance between service users and carers, and health staff and commissioners; and developing the use of appreciative enquiry could enhance the value of co-production as a key driver for service improvement. Originality/value The author is aware of little discussion of the value of appreciative enquiry in the growing literature around co-production in mental health.


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