What's in a service? Consumers' views of Australian mental health services.

Abstract

This paper reports on a series of interviews with consumers of mental health services, conducted as part of the Consumer Evaluation of Mental Health Services project (CEO-MHS). With one of our overarching aims being to develop a consumer oriented and consumer directed method of evaluating mental health services, we considered seeking consumers' views of mental health services, using qualitative interviews, to be essential. Consumer Researchers from the team conducted 33 interviews in NSW, Australia. Eleven themes emerged from analysis of the interview data and these themes are described in detail.

“An Ongoing Struggle With the Self and Illness”: Α Meta-Synthesis of the Studies of the Lived Experience of Severe Mental Illness

“…Overall, prior literature, theoretical explanations and historical perspectives present a variety of data regarding the lived experience of mental disorders, depending on the diverse study objectives, culture and backgrounds and structures of the health care systems (Andersen & Larsen, 2012;Borg & Davidson, 2008;De Maynard, 2007;Hirschfeld et al, 2005;Jönsson et al, 2008;Lee et al, 2007;Liu et al, 2012;McCann & Clark, 2004;Moreira & Coelho, 2003;Nyström & Nyström, 2007;Nyström et al, 2002;Pollack & Aponte, 2001;Sanseeha et al, 2009;Schön, 2009;Thompson et al, 2008;Wang, 2011;Ward, 2011). Moreover, it is through metasynthesis that we can achieve greater understanding of the core of these experiences and shed some light on the phenomenon of SMI and suffering in its fundamental nature (Allen, Carpenter, Sheets, Miccio, & Ross, 2003;Barker & Buchanan-Barker, 2011;Barkham, 2002;Davies, 2014;Day et al, 2005;Deegan & Drake, 2006;Happell, Manias, & Roper, 2004;Hewitt & Coffey, 2005;Kieft, de Brouwer, Francke, & Delnoij, 2014;Kopelowicz & Liberman, 2003;Määttä, 2006;Malins, Oades, Viney, & Aspden, 2006;McCabe, 2004;Mueser et al, 2002;Yu & Kirk, 2008).…”

Mental health care user participation in mental health policy development and implementation in South Africa

“…User involvement has received attention at service and strategic levels in developed countries (Baggott & Forster, 2008;Boardman, 2005;HASCAS, 2005;Linhorst, Eckert, Hamilton, & Young, 2001;Malins, Oaders, Viney, & Aspden, 2006;McClean, 1995;Peck, Gulliver, & Towel, 2002), but less so in developing countries (Katontoka, 2007;Ntulo, 2006;Underhill, 2005), including South Africa.…”

The Importance of Medication in Consumer Definitions of Recovery from Serious Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study

“…Research has found that consumer relationships with providers have a bearing on medication adherence. Consumers want providers to listen to, and respect, their views around medication (Allen, Carpenter, Sheets, Miccio, & Ross, 2003;Day et al, 2005;Happell, Manias, & Roper, 2004;Malins, Oades, Viney, & Aspden, 2006). Other studies underline the need for collaboration between consumers and providers, and for consumer training, so that they will be able to participate more fully in treatment decisions (Deegan & Drake, 2006;Kopelowicz & Liberman, 2003;Mueser et al, 2002).…”