scholarly journals Participatory action research to pilot a model of mental health service user involvement in an Ethiopian rural primary healthcare setting: study protocol

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisay Abayneh ◽  
Heidi Lempp ◽  
Charlotte Hanlon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Service User ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Participatory Approach ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Service User Involvement ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Mental Health Service User

Abstract Background Involvement of service-users at all levels of the mental health system is a policy imperative in many countries internationally. However, putting policy into practice seems complex; little is known about how best to involve service users and efforts are often criticized for being tokenistic. In low-and-middle income countries, less attention has been given to the roles of service users within mental health systems. The proposed study is part of a larger project intended to develop service-user involvement in mental health system strengthening in Ethiopia. A Theory of Change (ToC) model has already been developed through a participatory approach. This study protocol aims to describe the theoretical background and methods to pilot this model using participatory action research (PAR) and explore participants’ experience of involvement. Methods The proposed study will apply a PAR approach situated in critical social theory and conduct a phenomenological case study to find out participants’ experience of involvement. This will be conducted in three stages. The focus of Stage 1 will be to(i) establish a Research Advisory Group (RAG), and Research Participant Group (RPG) at district and primary healthcare facility levels, respectively, and (ii) identify and prioritize potential areas of concern for involvement in the domains of advocacy, service planning and development, monitoring and improving service quality. In Stage 2, we will work with the RPG to develop a plan of action for the selected area. Stage 3 will aim to assist the RPG to implement and evaluate the plan of action. Process indicators and observation will be combined with in-depth interviews with participants to elicit their experiences of involvement. Thematic content analysis will be used. Discussion The participatory approach to mental health service user involvement in health system strengthening employed by this study will support the implementation of solutions through locally relevant and contextualized actions. Findings from this study will contribute to the body of knowledge towards understanding the complexity of implementation of service user involvement and refine the ToC model for transferability to similar settings.

scholarly journals Service user involvement for mental health system strengthening in India: a qualitative study

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandesh Samudre ◽  
Rahul Shidhaye ◽  
Shalini Ahuja ◽  
Sharmishtha Nanda ◽  
Azaz Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health System ◽  
Mental Health System ◽  
Service User ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Service User Involvement

scholarly journals Service user and caregiver involvement in mental health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries: a cross-country qualitative study

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Lempp ◽  
S. Abayneh ◽  
D. Gurung ◽  
L. Kola ◽  
J. Abdulmalik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Mental Health System ◽  
Service User ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
Caregiver Involvement

Aims.The aims of this paper are to: (i) explore the experiences of involvement of mental health service users, their caregivers, mental health centre heads and policy makers in mental health system strengthening in three low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Ethiopia, Nepal and Nigeria); (ii) analyse the potential benefits and barriers of such involvement; and (iii) identify strategies required to achieve greater service user and caregiver participation.Methods.A cross-country qualitative study was conducted, interviewing 83 stakeholders of mental health services.Results.Our analysis showed that service user and caregiver involvement in the health system strengthening process was an alien concept for most participants. They reported very limited access to direct participation. Stigma and poverty were described as the main barriers for involvement. Several strategies were identified by participants to overcome existing hurdles to facilitate service user and caregiver involvement in the mental health system strengthening process, such as support to access treatment, mental health promotion and empowerment of service users. This study suggests that capacity building for service users, and strengthening of user groups would equip them to contribute meaningfully to policy development from informed perspectives.Conclusion.Involvement of service users and their caregivers in mental health decision-making is still in its infancy in LMICs. Effective strategies are required to overcome existing barriers, for example making funding more widely available for Ph.D. studies in participatory research with service users and caregivers to develop, implement and evaluate approaches to involvement that are locally and culturally acceptable in LMICs.

Service User Involvement in Research

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Wallcraft
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Service User ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Staff Attitudes ◽  
Service User Involvement ◽  
Treatment Staff ◽  
The Impact

This chapter traces the development of service user involvement in research and user-controlled research, from its origins in the early 1990s to the present day where mental health researchers are expected to involve service users. It looks at why service users wanted to be involved in research and their issues of concern, including the effects of treatment, staff attitudes, and human rights. Values in research are linked to the epistemological underpinnings of research, and it is argued that service users’ ways of knowing based on experience are in conflict with mainstream research based on claims of objectivity and neutrality. Service user involvement at all levels from consultation to control is explored with examples. The benefits and problems of working in partnership are explored, and the chapter ends with an assessment of the impact of involvement in research and how it can lead to change.

scholarly journals Involvement in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Work: Conceptions of Service Users

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minna Laitila ◽  
Merja Nikkonen ◽  
Anna-Maija Pietilä
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Service User ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Service User Involvement

Service user involvement (SUI) is a principal and a guideline in social and health care and also in mental health and substance abuse work. In practice, however, there are indicators of SUI remaining rhetoric rather than reality. The purpose of this study was to analyse and describe service users' conceptions of SUI in mental health and substance abuse work. The following study question was addressed: what are service users' conceptions of service user involvement in mental health and substance abuse work? In total, 27 users of services participated in the study, and the data was gathered by means of interviews. A phenomenographic approach was applied in order to explore the qualitative variations in participants' conceptions of SUI. As a result of the data analysis, four main categories of description representing service users' conceptions of service user involvement were formed: service users have the best expertise, opinions are not heard, systems make the rules, and courage and readiness to participate. In mental health and substance abuse work, SUI is still insufficiently achieved and there are obstacles to be taken into consideration. Nurses are in a key position to promote and encourage service user involvement.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document