The Influence of Health Literacy and Social Support on Loneliness Among Patients With Severe Mental Illness in Rural Southwest China.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Liu Y
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8455823 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Increasingly, people with diverse health conditions turn to social media to share their illness experiences or seek advice from others with similar health concerns. This unstructured medium may represent a platform on which individuals with severe mental illness naturally provide and receive peer support. Peer support includes a system of mutual giving and receiving where individuals with severe mental illness can offer hope, companionship, and encouragement to others facing similar challenges. In this study we explore the phenomenon of individuals with severe mental illness uploading videos to YouTube, and posting and responding to comments as a form of naturally occurring peer support. We also consider the potential risks and benefits of self-disclosure and interacting with others on YouTube. To address these questions, we used qualitative inquiry informed by emerging techniques in online ethnography. We analyzed n = 3,044 comments posted to 19 videos uploaded by individuals who self-identified as having schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder. We found peer support across four themes: minimizing a sense of isolation and providing hope; finding support through peer exchange and reciprocity; sharing strategies for coping with day-to-day challenges of severe mental illness; and learning from shared experiences of medication use and seeking mental health care. These broad themes are consistent with accepted notions of peer support in severe mental illness as a voluntary process aimed at inclusion and mutual advancement through shared experience and developing a sense of community. Our data suggest that the lack of anonymity and associated risks of being identified as an individual with severe mental illness on YouTube seem to be overlooked by those who posted comments or uploaded videos. Whether or not this platform can provide benefits for a wider community of individuals with severe mental illness remains uncertain.
| S-EPMC4198188 | biostudies-other
Project description:BACKGROUND:People with severe mental illness (SMI) must receive early interventions to prevent mental health deterioration or relapse. Telecommunications and other technologies are increasingly being used to assist in health care delivery using "telehealth," which includes telephones and mobile phones, computers, remote sensors, the internet, and other devices, to provide immediate real-time information to service users to improve the management of chronic health conditions. Some initial findings have suggested that technology could improve the quality of life of people with SMI. OBJECTIVE:In this systematic review, we aimed to identify the various uses and efficacy of telehealth technology for SMI. METHODS:We systematically searched electronic databases from inception to March 2016 (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Health Technology Assessment, CINAHL Plus, and NHS Economic Evaluations Database) to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating telehealth for adults with SMI published in English. Additional literature was identified through searching reference lists of key articles. The articles meeting the inclusion criteria were systematically reviewed and assessed for quality and risk of bias. RESULTS:Our search identified 31 articles describing 29 trials as eligible for the review. The included studies evaluated the use of computers to deliver cognitive rehabilitation (15 trials), patient education (3 trials), and Web-based self-management interventions (2 trials) and to support consultations (1 trial). Virtual reality was used to simulate work and social situations (2 trials) and to deliver cognitive training (1 trial). Telephones were used to prompt service users to take medications (3 trials) and to report symptoms to their health care team (1 trial). Remote sensors were used to monitor medication use (1 trial). Telephone support was found effective in improving medication adherence and reducing the severity of symptoms and inpatient days. Computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation was effective in improving cognitive function. The impact of telehealth on other outcomes was inconsistent. The results of this review should be taken in the context of varied quality in study design, with only 5 studies demonstrating a low risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS:A growing variety of telehealth technologies are being used to support the management of SMI. Specific technology types have been found to be effective for some outcomes (eg, telephone and remote medication monitoring for adherence to treatment), while other types of telehealth technologies (eg, delivery of patient education using computers) had no benefit over traditional nurse-based methods and were less acceptable to patients. Further research is warranted to establish the full potential benefits of telehealth for improving the quality of life in people with SMI, acceptability from the service user perspective, and cost-effectiveness. The findings of this review are limited by the poor quality of many of the studies reviewed.
| S-EPMC6314801 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundLittle is known about poverty trends in people with severe mental illness (SMI) over a long time span, especially under conditions of fast socioeconomic development.AimsThis study aims to unravel changes in household poverty levels among people with SMI in a fast-changing rural community in China.MethodTwo mental health surveys, using ICD-10, were conducted in the same six townships of Xinjin county, Chengdu, China. A total of 711 and 1042 people with SMI identified in 1994 and 2015, respectively, participated in the study. The Foster-Greer-Thorbecke poverty index was adopted to measure the changes in household poverty. These changes were decomposed into effects of growth and equity using a static decomposition method. Factors associated with household poverty in 1994 and 2015 were examined and compared by regression analyses.ResultsThe proportion of poor households, as measured by the headcount ratio, increased significantly from 29.8% in 1994 to 39.5% in 2015. Decomposition showed that poverty in households containing people with SMI had worsened because of a redistribution effect. Factors associated with household poverty had also changed during the study period. The patient's age, ability to work and family size were of paramount significance in 2015.ConclusionsThis study shows that the levels of poverty faced by households containing people with SMI has become more pressing with China's fast socioeconomic development. It calls for further integration of mental health recovery and targeted antipoverty interventions for people with SMI as a development priority.
| S-EPMC7576660 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Sleep's relevance for long-term social functioning in psychiatric disorders has been widely overlooked so far. Here, we investigate social functioning in a transdiagnostic sample of 31 patients with severe mental illness, namely schizophrenia (n = 15) or major depression (n = 16), in relation to their polysomnographic sleep characteristics 6 (± 2.4) years earlier. In addition, cognitive performance at follow-up and clinical characteristics (i.e., severity of disorder-related symptoms and number of hospitalizations between baseline and follow-up) are assessed. Multiple regression analysis results in a model with slow-wave sleep (SWS) and number of hospitalizations as significant predictors accounting for 50% (R2 = 0.507; p <0.001) of the variance in social functioning. SWS remains a significant predictor of long-term social functioning throughout a series of refining analyses which also identify baseline functioning as an additional significant predictor, whereas diagnosis is non-significant. Also, the effect of SWS on social functioning is not mediated by number of hospitalizations as assessed by a bootstrapped mediation analysis. We thus conclude that duration of slow-wave sleep is a powerful predictor of long-term social outcome in psychiatric disorders. Also, we discuss the relevance of verbal memory, symptom severity, and diagnostic category for social functioning. Future studies should test this finding by using a prospective design, a bigger sample, optimized predictor variables, and a more diverse set of diagnoses. Moreover, it should be explored whether or not treating sleep disturbances in psychiatric illnesses independently improves long-term social functioning.
| S-EPMC6114721 | biostudies-literature
Project description:It is still unclear what the optimal structure of mental health care networks should be. We examine whether certain types of network structure have been associated with improved continuity of care and greater social integration. A social network survey was carried out, covering 954 patients across 19 mental health networks in Belgium in 2014. We found continuity of care to be associated with large, centralized, and homophilous networks, whereas social integration was associated with smaller, centralized, and heterophilous networks. Two important goals of mental health service provision, continuity of care and social integration, are associated with different types of network. Further research is needed to ascertain the direction of this association.
| S-EPMC5640746 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Peer-delivered services potentially provide broad, multifaceted benefits for persons suffering severe mental illness. Most studies to date have been conducted in countries with well-developed outpatient mental health systems. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility for developing a community-based peer service in China. METHODS:Thirteen peer service providers and 54 consumers were recruited from four communities in Beijing. We initiated the program in two communities, followed by another two in order to verify and add to our understanding of potential scalable feasibility. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted 12?month after initiation at each site to measure satisfaction and perceived benefits from perspectives of peer service providers, and consumers and their caregivers. RESULTS:Key stakeholders reported that peer support services were satisfying and beneficial. Eleven of 13 peer service providers were willing to continue in their roles. Ten, 8, and 7 of them perceived improvements in working skills, social communication skills, and mood, respectively. Among consumers, 39 of 54 were satisfied with peer services. Improvements in mood, social communication skills, illness knowledge, and illness stability were detected among 23, 18, 13, and 13 consumers, respectively. For caregivers, 31 of 32 expressed a positive view regarding peer services. Caregivers reported improvement in their own mood, confidence in recovery of their family members, and reduction in caretaker burdens. CONCLUSIONS:The findings highlight that peer-delivered services have promise in China for benefiting persons with severe mental illness and their family caregivers, as well as the peer service providers themselves.
| S-EPMC6854628 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe adverse effects of loneliness and of poor perceived social support on physical health and mortality are established, but no systematic synthesis is available of their relationship with the outcomes of mental health problems over time. In this systematic review, we aim to examine the evidence on whether loneliness and closely related concepts predict poor outcomes among adults with mental health problems.MethodsWe searched six databases and reference lists for longitudinal quantitative studies that examined the relationship between baseline measures of loneliness and poor perceived social support and outcomes at follow up. Thirty-four eligible papers were retrieved. Due to heterogeneity among included studies in clinical populations, predictor measures and outcomes, a narrative synthesis was conducted.ResultsWe found substantial evidence from prospective studies that people with depression who perceive their social support as poorer have worse outcomes in terms of symptoms, recovery and social functioning. Loneliness has been investigated much less than perceived social support, but there is some evidence that greater loneliness predicts poorer depression outcome. There is also some preliminary evidence of associations between perceived social support and outcomes in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders.ConclusionsLoneliness and quality of social support in depression are potential targets for development and testing of interventions, while for other conditions further evidence is needed regarding relationships with outcomes.
| S-EPMC5975705 | biostudies-literature
Project description:AimThere is limited evidence of the safety and impact of task-shared care for people with severe mental illnesses (SMI; psychotic disorders and bipolar disorder) in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and impact of a district-level plan for task-shared mental health care on 6 and 12-month clinical and social outcomes of people with SMI in rural southern Ethiopia.MethodsIn the Programme for Improving Mental health carE, we conducted an intervention cohort study. Trained primary healthcare (PHC) workers assessed community referrals, diagnosed SMI and initiated treatment, with independent research diagnostic assessments by psychiatric nurses. Primary outcomes were symptom severity and disability. Secondary outcomes included discrimination and restraint.ResultsAlmost all (94.5%) PHC worker diagnoses of SMI were verified by psychiatric nurses. All prescribing was within recommended dose limits. A total of 245 (81.7%) people with SMI were re-assessed at 12 months. Minimally adequate treatment was received by 29.8%. All clinical and social outcomes improved significantly. The impact on disability (standardised mean difference 0.50; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35-0.65) was greater than impact on symptom severity (standardised mean difference 0.28; 95% CI 0.13-0.44). Being restrained in the previous 12 months reduced from 25.3 to 10.6%, and discrimination scores reduced significantly.ConclusionsAn integrated district level mental health care plan employing task-sharing safely addressed the large treatment gap for people with SMI in a rural, low-income country setting. Randomised controlled trials of differing models of task-shared care for people with SMI are warranted.
| S-EPMC8061260 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundFamily planning is a crucial issue for all women of reproductive age, but in women with severe mental illness (SMI), there may be particular challenges and concerns. As primary care-based mental health services are expanding in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), there is an opportunity to improve family planning services for women with SMI. However, research exploring unmet family planning needs of women with SMI in such settings is scarce. Therefore, the present study explored the family planning experiences and preferences of women with SMI who reside in a predominantly rural area of Ethiopia.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted. Women with SMI who were participating in the ongoing population-based cohort study in Butajira were selected purposively based on their responses to a quantitative survey of current family planning utilisation. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 women with SMI who were of reproductive age. Audio files were transcribed in Amharic, translated into English and analysed thematically.ResultsParticipants reported pervasive effects of SMI upon the intimate relationships and sexual lives of women. Although women with SMI felt that family planning was important, they had limited knowledge of family planning generally, and a lack of understanding of the specific family planning needs relevant to having SMI. None of the women with SMI in the present study had received any recommendations to use family planning services while accessing mental health care services. The participants identified ways in which primary care-based mental health services could better meet their family planning needs.ConclusionsThis study provided in-depth perspectives from women with SMI about the broader context of their family planning experience, needs, barriers and how integrated primary care services could better meet their needs. Empowerment of women with SMI to access information and services needs to be an important focus of future efforts to improve the reproductive experiences of this vulnerable group.
| S-EPMC8480012 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPerinatal depression is the most common complication of gestation and childbearing affecting women and their families, and good social support and family function are considered protective and modifiable factors. This study aimed to investigate depression status and explore inter-relationships between social support and perinatal depression considering the influence of family function in rural areas of Southwest China.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study. The following instruments were used: the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, the APGAR Family Care Index Scale, and the Social Support Rate Scale. A structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesis relationships among the variables.ResultsA total of 490 rural antenatal (N = 249) and postpartum (N = 241) women (mean age (standard deviation), 28.17 ± 5.12) participated. We found that the prevalence of depression symptoms was 10.4%. Path analysis showed that family function had a direct negative correlation with depression (β = - 0.251, 95%CI: - 0.382 to - 0.118). Social support had a direct positive correlation with family function (β =0.293, 95%CI: 0.147 to 0.434) and had an indirect negative correlation with depression (β = - 0.074, 95%CI: - 0.139 to - 0.032), family function fully mediated the relationship between social support and depression.ConclusionsFindings of this study highlight that family function should be considered as the key target for interventions aiming to lower the prevalence of perinatal depression. Family members interventions are critical to reduce depression among antenatal and postpartum women.
| S-EPMC7953569 | biostudies-literature