Service users experience of peer support in Swedish mental health care : a "tipping point" in the care-giving culture?

• Service Users Experience of Peer Support in SwedishMental Health Care: A ‘‘Tipping Point’’ in the Care-GivingCulture?David Rosenberg.Elisabeth ArgentzellReceived: 21 November 2017 / Accepted: 27 January 2018The Author(s) 2018AbstractPeer support workers are increasinglyconsidered an essential ingredient in recovery-ori-ented mental health services. While research continuesto point to promising results concerning the ability ofthese workers to positively impact service users’experience of hope, quality of life and even health,peer support workers have only recently been intro-duced in Sweden and the aim of this study was toinvestigate service users’ experience of receiving peersupport in Swedish mental health services. The resultswere described with three main themes correspondingto three levels of focus from the service user perspec-tive; experience-based knowledge, competence andnon-judgmental awareness (individual level), peersupport as impacting the relationship with the caringenvironment (organizational level), and awakeninghope for a life beyond the illness (community level).The results suggest the addition of peer supportworkers as contributing not just to individual out-comes, but to a more trusting relationship to Swedishpsychiatric services, which are often considered towork primarily from a medically oriented treatmentparadigm.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Socialt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Social Work (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Peer support

Recovery

Mental health services

Lived experience

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)