Spatial inequities of mental health nurses in rural and remote Australia

Sutarsa, I Nyoman; Banfield, Michelle; Passioura, Jason; Konings, Paul; Moore, Malcolm A

doi:10.1111/inm.12769

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…1 The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health disparities, with increased emergency retrieval from remote areas for mental and behavioural conditions. 2 Lower mental health service provision 3 appears to be a factor, with rural mental health clients required to travel long distances, wait for travelling clinics, or forgo care altogether. 2…”

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confidence: 99%

Remote mental health clients prefer face-to-face consultations to telehealth during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Amos

Middleton²,

Gardiner³

2021

Australas Psychiatry

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Objective: To guide the efficient and effective provision of mental health services to clients in Central West and Far North Queensland, we surveyed preferences for face-to-face or in-person contact. Methods: A clinician-designed survey of contact preferences was offered to 248 clients of mental health services in Far North and Central West Queensland in mid-2020. With the onset of COVID-19, the survey was modified to measure the impact of the pandemic. Results: Just over half of the services’ clients participated in the survey (50.4%), of whom more were female (63.2%). Of the participants, 46.3% in Far North and 8.6% in Central West Queensland identified as Indigenous. Strong resistance to telehealth before the pandemic across groups (76%) was moderated during COVID-19 (42.4%), an effect that appeared likely to continue past the pandemic for Central West clients (34.5%). Far North clients indicated their telehealth reluctance would return after the pandemic (77.6%). Conclusions: Our results suggest that remote Australians strongly prefer in-person mental health care to telehealth. Although the COVID-19 pandemic increased acceptance of telehealth across regions while social distancing continued, there was evidence that Indigenous Australians were more likely to prefer in-person contact after the pandemic.

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confidence: 99%

Remote mental health clients prefer face-to-face consultations to telehealth during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Amos

Middleton²,

Gardiner³

2021

Australas Psychiatry

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“…Nurses sometimes withdrew from full engagement with their community. Such withdrawal from community engagement may impact retention (Kulig et al 2018), exacerbate long-term nursing shortages, and perpetuate the inequitable provision of care for those with mental health concerns in rural and remote communities (Perkins et al 2019;Sutarsa et al 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 2019, in Canada, 6.6% of regulated nurses (2.6% of NPs, 5.5% of RNs, 4.8% of LPNs, 100% of RPNs) specialized in mental health or worked in mental health facilities (CIHI 2020). In both Australia and Canada, countries with highly dispersed populations, a lower proportion of nurses work in mental health in more rural and remote areas (AIHW 2021;CIHI 2019;Sutarsa et al 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mental health nursing practice in rural and remote Canada: Insights from a national survey

MacLeod

Penz

Banner

et al. 2021

Int J Mental Health Nurs

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Access to and delivery of quality mental health services remains challenging in rural and remote Canada. To improve access, services, and support providers, improved understanding is needed about nurses who identify mental health as an area of practice. The aim of this study is to explore the characteristics and context of practice of registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) in rural and remote Canada, who provide care to those experiencing mental health concerns. Data were from a pan‐Canadian cross‐sectional survey of 3822 regulated nurses in rural and remote areas. Individual and work community characteristics, practice responsibilities, and workplace factors were analysed, along with responses to open‐ended questions. Few nurses identified mental health as their sole area of practice, with the majority of those being RPNs employed in mental health or crisis centres, and general or psychiatric hospitals. Nurses who indicated that mental health was only one area of their practice were predominantly employed as generalists, often working in both hospital and primary care settings. Both groups experienced moderate levels of job resources and demands. Over half of the nurses, particularly LPNs, had recently experienced and/or witnessed violence. Persons with mental health concerns in rural and remote Canada often receive care from those for whom mental health nursing is only part of their everyday practice. Practice and education supports tailored for generalist nurses are, therefore, essential, especially to support nurses in smaller communities, those at risk of violence, and those distant from advanced referral centres.

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“…3 This could be a reflection of multiple factors including but not exclusive to the significantly lower access to mental health services in rural and remote areas. 4 , 5 Many people without access to mental health services are required to travel into metropolitan areas, wait for visiting services, or forgo care altogehter. 6 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cohort study comparison of Mental Health and Wellbeing Services delivered by The Royal Flying Doctor Service, across Far North and Central West Queensland

Gardiner

Middleton²,

Perera³

et al. 2022

The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific

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Spatial inequities of mental health nurses in rural and remote Australia

Cited by 9 publications

References 23 publications

Remote mental health clients prefer face-to-face consultations to telehealth during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Remote mental health clients prefer face-to-face consultations to telehealth during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Mental health nursing practice in rural and remote Canada: Insights from a national survey

Cohort study comparison of Mental Health and Wellbeing Services delivered by The Royal Flying Doctor Service, across Far North and Central West Queensland

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