scholarly journals Graphic Communities: Comics as Visual and Virtual Resources for Self- and Collective Care

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Mazowita
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Comic Strips ◽  
Visual Discourse ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Virtual Resources

Note: this commentary is intended for the special issue, "Comics in and of The Moment." Abstract: This essay discusses the ways in which print and web comics are used to represent the lived experiences of mental illness. Beginning with a brief overview of mental health-focused comic strips and graphic memoirs and turning to a discussion of the mental illness comics of Instagram, the article outlines how comics are being used as platforms for self- and collective care. Instead of prioritizing a visual/discourse analysis of each web comic, this piece focuses on the comment threads of each Instagram post and examines the conversations which develop amongst users. By doing so, this essay begins a critical discussion of the ways in which comics may be used as mental health resources. While grounded in a discussion of Covid-19-related increases to mental illness symptoms, this piece is also interested in how comics may be used as therapeutic supports in a post-pandemic world.

scholarly journals Mental Illness Inequalities by Multimorbidity, Use of Health Resources and Socio-Economic Status in an Aging Society

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 458
Author(s):  
Manuel García-Goñi ◽  
Alexandrina P. Stoyanova ◽  
Roberto Nuño-Solinís
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Basque Country ◽  
International Comparisons ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
The Poor

Background: Mental illness, multi-morbidity, and socio-economic inequalities are some of the main challenges for the public health system nowadays, and are further aggravated by the process of population aging. Therefore, it is widely accepted that health systems need to focus their strategies for confronting such concerns. With guaranteed access to health care services under universal coverage in many health systems, it is expected that all services be provided equally to patients with the same level of need. Methods: In this paper, we explore the existence of inequalities in the access to services of patients with mental illness taking into account whether they are multimorbid patients, their socioeconomic status, and their age. We take advantage of a one-year (2010–2011) database on individual healthcare utilization and expenditures for the total population (N = 2,262,698) of the Basque Country. Results: More comorbidity leads to greater inequality in prevalence, being the poor sicker, although with age, this inequality decreases. All health services are more oriented towards greater utilization of the poor and sicker, particularly in the case of visits to specialists and emergency care. Conclusions: Mental health inequalities in prevalence have been identified as being disproportionally concentrated in the least affluent areas of the Basque Country. However, inequalities in the utilization of publicly-provided health services present a pro-poor orientation. As this region has adopted a system-wide transformation towards integrated care, its mental health delivery model offers excellent potential for international comparisons and benchlearning.

Acceptance of Mental Illness Among Men

2016 ◽  
pp. 102-114
Author(s):  
Lauren Mizock ◽  
Zlatka Russinova
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Supportive Relationships ◽  
Clinical Strategies ◽  
Traditional Masculinity ◽  
The Impact

This chapter explores the unique barriers and facilitators to acceptance that men with serious mental illness may experience. The values associated with traditional masculinity are discussed as they pertain to the process of accepting mental illness. Barriers specific to men in our research studies are detailed, including avoidance of help-seeking and self-medication with substance abuse. In addition, the literature on misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of mental health conditions among men is presented. Facilitators to the process of acceptance for men in the present research are discussed, including accessing supportive relationships and other mental health resources. Several participant case narratives are provided in order to demonstrate the impact of various masculinities on the process of acceptance. A clinical strategies list, discussion questions, activities, the “Men’s Acceptance of Mental Health Worksheet,” and an explanatory table are included at the close of the chapter.

An Exploratory Pilot Study Into Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students' Perceptions Of Working With Patients With Mental Illness And Working Within The Mental Health Sector Of Health Care

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 10-10
Author(s):  
Samantha McIver ◽  
Jane Toms
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Physiotherapy Students

Background/Aims Mental illness is widespread throughout the United Kingdom with increasing prevalence. As mental illness affects such a large proportion of the population, it is likely that healthcare professionals, including qualified and student physiotherapists, will work with patients in all areas of healthcare, who have mental illness alongside co-morbidities. Physiotherapy students are placed into a wide range of placements throughout an undergraduate degree to develop skills and autonomy in rehabilitation. Understanding students' perspective appears relatively unexplored and was stimulated by personal experience of the first author where patients' rehabilitation could be impacted by mental illness. The impact varied depending on the severity of their illness, as well as the understanding of that illness by the multidisciplinary team involved in their care. The aim of this phenomenological study was to: explore physiotherapy students' lived experiences and perceptions of working with patients with mental illness, despite no mental health specific placement and understand their views of working in the mental health sector of healthcare Methods Ethical approval was obtained from Coventry University Ethics and a qualitative methodology was applied. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit six participants, who were all Undergraduate physiotherapy students at Coventry University, and data were collected via a focus group. The focus group explored their lived experiences, opinions and perceptions. Results A number of themes were discovered from the data, with associated sub-themes: ‘Lack of clarity’ with sub-themes: ‘Definitions, Terminology and understanding’, ‘Mental illnesses’ and ‘Physiotherapist role’ ‘Emotional Roller-Coaster’ with sub-themes: ‘Negative reactions’ and ‘Positive sentiments’ ‘Transferable skills’ with sub-themes: ‘Core competencies’ and ‘Core skills to elevate’ ‘Everyone has a story to tell’ with sub-themes: ‘Job’, ‘Placement’ and ‘Personal experience’ The themes influenced their ‘curious intrigue’, which related to their views of working in the mental health sector of health care. Conclusions All participants in the study had experiences to discuss and found it challenging to provide effective rehabilitation, appropriate to the patients' needs. Discussing these experiences evoked a complex range of perceptions and emotions.

Predictors in use of mental health resources: The role of behaviour problems in patients with severe mental illness

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 532-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria Bellido-Zanin ◽  
Antonio J Vázquez-Morejón ◽  
Agustín Martín-Rodríguez ◽  
Maria Ángeles Pérez-San-Gregorio
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Behaviour Problems

scholarly journals Impact of Jointly Using an e–Mental Health Resource (Self-Management And Recovery Technology) on Interactions Between Service Users Experiencing Severe Mental Illness and Community Mental Health Workers: Grounded Theory Study

10.2196/25998 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. e25998
Author(s):  
Anne Williams ◽  
Ellie Fossey ◽  
John Farhall ◽  
Fiona Foley ◽  
Neil Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Community Mental Health Services ◽  
Discovery Process ◽  
Mental Health Resource

Background e–Mental health resources are increasingly available for people who experience severe mental illness, including those who are users of community mental health services. However, the potential for service users (SUs) living with severe mental illness to use e–mental health resources together with their community mental health workers (MHWs) has received little attention. Objective This study aims to identify how jointly using an interactive website called Self-Management And Recovery Technology (SMART) in a community mental health context influenced therapeutic processes and interactions between SUs and MHWs from their perspective. Methods We conducted a qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Data were collected through individual semistructured interviews with 37 SUs and 15 MHWs who used the SMART website together for 2 to 6 months. Data analysis involved iterative phases of coding, constant comparison, memo writing, theoretical sampling, and consultation with stakeholders to support the study’s credibility. Results A substantive grounded theory, discovering ways to keep life on track, was developed, which portrays a shared discovery process arising from the SU-worker-SMART website interactions. The discovery process included choosing to use the website, revealing SUs’ experiences, exploring these experiences, and gaining new perspectives on how SUs did and could keep their lives on track. SUs and MHWs perceived that their three-way interactions were enjoyable, beneficial, and recovery focused when using the website together. They experienced the shared discovery process as relationship building—their interactions when using the website together were more engaging and equal. Conclusions Jointly using an e–mental health resource elicited recovery-oriented interactions and processes between SUs and MHWs that strengthened their therapeutic relationship in real-world community mental health services. Further work to develop and integrate this novel use of e–mental health in community mental health practice is warranted.

Expert by Experience Involvement in Mental Health Research: Developing a Wellbeing Brochure for People with Lived Experiences of Mental Illness

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-200
Author(s):  
Amy Tapsell ◽  
Kellie M. Martin ◽  
Lorna Moxham ◽  
Shawn Burns ◽  
Dana Perlman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Mental Health Research

Mental health literacy websites for children of parents with a mental illness

2021 ◽  
pp. 135910452110055
Author(s):  
Daniel L Cavanaugh ◽  
Joanne Riebschleger ◽  
Jennifer M Tanis
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Web Content ◽  
Reading Levels ◽  
Qualitative Thematic Analysis

Objective: This review of online mental health resources was conducted to evaluate and document the availability of mental health resources pertinent to the needs of children of parents with a mental illness (COPMI). This review identified available websites and analyzed the appropriateness of content and readability. Methods: We conducted an extensive 6-month review of websites with available mental health literacy content that may be found by COPMI searching for information. Web content was evaluated and described with qualitative thematic analysis techniques. Web content was also evaluated for reading levels using the Flesch-Kincaid readability analysis tool. Results: The researchers described 7 descriptive themes, 10 content areas, and described what information was available across websites and where gaps existed. They also concluded the average reading level of the websites was 9.7, which was substantially higher than current web development recommendations. Conclusions: Websites can be a valuable tool for COPMI without access to direct services. To improve current web resources, developers should strive to offer content specific to the identified needs of COPMI. Additionally, web content should be developed at a level that is accessible to teens and parents.

scholarly journals Impact of Jointly Using an e–Mental Health Resource (Self-Management And Recovery Technology) on Interactions Between Service Users Experiencing Severe Mental Illness and Community Mental Health Workers: Grounded Theory Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Williams ◽  
Ellie Fossey ◽  
John Farhall ◽  
Fiona Foley ◽  
Neil Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Community Mental Health Services ◽  
Discovery Process ◽  
Mental Health Resource

BACKGROUND e–Mental health resources are increasingly available for people who experience severe mental illness, including those who are users of community mental health services. However, the potential for service users (SUs) living with severe mental illness to use e–mental health resources together with their community mental health workers (MHWs) has received little attention. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify how jointly using an interactive website called <i>Self-Management And Recovery Technology</i> (SMART) in a community mental health context influenced therapeutic processes and interactions between SUs and MHWs from their perspective. METHODS We conducted a qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Data were collected through individual semistructured interviews with 37 SUs and 15 MHWs who used the SMART website together for 2 to 6 months. Data analysis involved iterative phases of coding, constant comparison, memo writing, theoretical sampling, and consultation with stakeholders to support the study’s credibility. RESULTS A substantive grounded theory, <i>discovering ways to keep life on track</i>, was developed, which portrays a shared discovery process arising from the SU-worker-SMART website interactions. The discovery process included choosing to use the website, revealing SUs’ experiences, exploring these experiences, and gaining new perspectives on how SUs did and could keep their lives on track. SUs and MHWs perceived that their three-way interactions were enjoyable, beneficial, and recovery focused when using the website together. They experienced the shared discovery process as relationship building—their interactions when using the website together were more engaging and equal. CONCLUSIONS Jointly using an e–mental health resource elicited recovery-oriented interactions and processes between SUs and MHWs that strengthened their therapeutic relationship in real-world community mental health services. Further work to develop and integrate this novel use of e–mental health in community mental health practice is warranted.

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