How to facilitate healthy living described by persons with persistent psychiatric disorders in psychiatric out-patient settings – challenging health care professionals

• Background: Over the previous decades, scientific research has demonstrated that people with persistent mental illness like schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders have a reduced life expectancy and have a higher risk of being affected of preventable physical illnesses such as developing metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Additionally it have made evident for lower quality of life as well. These risk factors make health promoting essential in the care providing and therefore it ́s important for the health professionals to have a deeper knowledge about the facilitating factors to healthy living described by persons themselves.Aim: The aim of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences of persons affected by persistent mental illness such as schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders what facilitates healthy living in their everyday life. The presentation has the focus on the facilitative factors applying health professionals when providing care for persons in psychiatric out-patient settings.Method: The study was carried out in three different psychiatric out-patient settings in the southern Sweden. The data was collected through qualitative interviews (N= 16) and analyses by qualitative, inductive approach abased on Granheim and Lundmans ́ conceptualization of content analysis.Results: First, it is essential for persons with persistent and severe mental illness that they get support to bring out their needs to healthier living by having a dialogue about the issues of healthy living in their everyday life. In this dialog they may also need support to reflect and find out their own motivating factors to healthier living. Additionally, in this dialogue it is important to be aware of that they will be regarded as a whole person and include many areas of life like daily structure and social life. The professionals should show a truly involvement and active interest to persons when increasing healthy living.Conclusion: Many persons with persistent mental illness need practical support in their everyday life to maintaining healthier living. This requires the close cooperation between psychiatric out-patient settings, the housing support professionals from municipalities and the social services.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)