A critical review of research into mental health consumers' perspectives on their physical health: Is there an absence of consumers in the design, conduct, analysis and reporting of this research?

Abstract

We conducted a critical review, using systematic methods, of the literature examining mental health consumer perspectives on their physical and mental health in academic research published between 2005 and 2021. This review examined the inclusion, extent, type and centrality of consumer perspectives regarding their mental and physical health. The search produced 1,865 papers from which 116 met the inclusion criteria. Studies predominantly focused on consumers' individual experiences of their physical and mental health, including but not limited to their understandings and experiences of medication and associated risk factors. They also captured some social aspects of mental health consumers' physical health, including factors that impacted individual agency, stigma, and social and interpersonal factors. Structural factors affecting physical and mental health, such as accessibility of services and financial constraints, were also identified. The review revealed that in comparison to clinician perspectives, the direct representation of consumer perspectives was lacking. Similarly, while clinician and carer perspectives on structural factors were investigated, the consumer perspective in this area was missing. The review also found few genuine codesigned or coproduced research studies. To better identify and respond to the health needs as prioritized by consumers, this paper argues it is imperative that future studies prioritize codesigned and coproduced research. It is argued that a focus on “services as provided” rather than “services as received” has contributed to a lack of progress in addressing the life expectancy gap for consumers. It is recommended that journals, ethics committees and research policy organizations develop guidelines and standards to inform best practice in research on consumer perspectives and experience and to support the implementation of codesigned and/or coproduced approaches in future research. Respecting and including consumers as equal partners in the research process will lead to more meaningful insights to inform policy and practice and reduce the life expectancy gap for people living with mental health concerns.

Accelerating gender and sexuality inclusion in organisations: Introduction to the special issue and academic agenda

“…women in male-dominated environments, intersex workers) to make sure the objectives and approaches of our interventions match the expressed needs of the relevant workers. Co-design can be espoused, yet is unfortunately sometimes neglected, as an approach to ensure relevant groups are included in the definition of objectives, approaches, delivery and evaluation of interventions (Green et al, 2023; Lam and Pitsaki, 2018; Salmi and Mattelmäki, 2021). Such research methods require that organisational scholars engage in the development of long-term and substantive partnerships with research participants and the organisations they are part of.…”

“I have to fight for them to investigate things”: a qualitative exploration of physical and mental healthcare for women diagnosed with mental illness

“…In one study by Nash ( 6 ), people diagnosed with mental illness reported being told by their doctors that they were imagining physical health symptoms for which they were seeking treatment [see also ( 7 , 8 )]. In a review of the literature on the experiences of people diagnosed with mental illness seeing physical healthcare, our team identified that healthcare is a human right, and yet, health systems and professionals fail to ensure this right is actualised ( 9 ).…”

“…The physical health experiences of women who access mental health services are under researched and under-valued ( 9 ). Women are statistically more likely to experience mental and physical health disablement because their needs as they understand them are misconstrued by practitioners and experiences often psychopathologised ( 10–12 ).…”