The impact of early intervention psychosis services on hospitalisation experiences: a qualitative study with young people and their carers.

BACKGROUND: While a core aim of early intervention psychosis services (EIPS) is to prevent hospitalisation, many with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) will require inpatient care. We explored young people's (YP) and their carers' hospitalisation experiences prior to and during EIPS engagement and how factors across these services influenced these experiences. METHODS: Using purposive sampling, we recruited twenty-seven YP, all of whom had been involved with the hospital system at some stage, and twelve support persons (parents and partners of YP) from state and federally funded EIPS in Australia with different models of care and integration with secondary mental health care. Audio-recorded interviews were conducted face-to-face or via phone. A diverse research team (including lived experience, clinician, and academic researchers) used an inductive thematic analysis process. RESULTS: Four key themes were identified as influential in shaping participant's hospital experiences and provide ideas for an approach to care that is improved by the effective coordination of that care, and includes this care being delivered in a trauma informed manner: (1) A two-way street: EIPS affected how participants experienced hospitalisation, and vice versa; (2) It's about people: the quality and continuity of relationships participants had with staff, in hospital and at their EIPS, was central to their experience; (3) A gradual feeling of agency: participants viewed EIPS as both reducing involuntary care and supporting their self-management; and (4) Care coordination as navigation for the healthcare system: great when it works; frustrating when it breaks down. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalisation was viewed as a stressful and frequently traumatic event, but a approach to care founded on trust, transparency, and collaboration that is trauma-informed ameliorated this negative experience. Consistent EIPS care coordination was reported as essential in assisting YP and carers navigate the hospital system; conversely, discontinuity in EIPS staff and lack of integration of EIPS with hospital care undermined the positive impact of the EIPS care coordinator during hospitalisation. Care coordinator involvement as a facilitator, information provider, and collaborator in inpatient treatment decisions may improve the usefulness and meaningfulness of hospital interventions.

A qualitative exploration of young people's mental health needs in rural and regional Australia: engagement, empowerment and integration.

BACKGROUND: Australian rural and regional communities are marked by geographic isolation and increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters such as drought, bushfires and floods. These circumstances strain the mental health of their inhabitants and jeopardise the healthy mental and emotional development of their adolescent populations. Professional mental health care in these communities is often inconsistent and un-coordinated. While substantial research has examined the barriers of young people's mental health and help-seeking behaviours in these communities, there is a lack of research exploring what adolescents in rural and regional areas view as facilitators to their mental health and to seeking help when it is needed. This study aims to establish an in-depth understanding of those young people's experiences and needs regarding mental health, what facilitates their help-seeking, and what kind of mental health education and support they want and find useful. METHOD: We conducted a qualitative study in 11 drought-affected rural and regional communities of New South Wales, Australia. Seventeen semi-structured (14 group; 3 individual) interviews were held with 42 year 9 and 10 high school students, 14 high school staff, and 2 parents, exploring participants' experiences of how geographical isolation and natural disasters impacted their mental health. We further examined participants' understandings and needs regarding locally available mental health support resources and their views and experiences regarding mental illness, stigma and help-seeking. RESULTS: Thematic analysis highlighted that, through the lens of participants, young people's mental health and help-seeking needs would best be enabled by a well-coordinated multi-pronged community approach consisting of mental health education and support services that are locally available, free of charge, engaging, and empowering. Participants also highlighted the need to integrate young people's existing mental health supporters such as teachers, parents and school counselling services into such a community approach, recognising their strengths, limitations and own education and support needs. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a three-dimensional Engagement, Empowerment, Integration model to strengthen young people's mental health development which comprises: 1) maximising young people's emotional investment (engagement); 2) developing young people's mental health self-management skills (empowerment); and, 3) integrating mental health education and support programs into existing community and school structures and resources (integration).

Experiences of service transitions in Australian early intervention psychosis services: a qualitative study with young people and their supporters.

BACKGROUND: Different Early Intervention Psychosis Service (EIPS) models of care exist, but many rely upon community-based specialist clinical teams, often with other services providing psychosocial care. Time-limited EIPS care creates numerous service transitions that have potential to interrupt continuity of care. We explored with young people (YP) and their support people (SP) their experiences of these transitions, how they affected care and how they could be better managed. METHODS: Using purposive sampling, we recruited twenty-seven YP, all of whom had been hospitalised at some stage, and twelve SP (parents and partners of YP) from state and federally funded EIPS in Australia with different models of care and integration into secondary mental health care. Audio-recorded interviews were conducted face-to-face or via phone. A diverse research team (including lived experience, clinician and academic researchers) used an inductive thematic analysis process. Two researchers undertook iterative coding using NVivo12 software, themes were developed and refined in ongoing team discussion. RESULTS: The analysis identified four major service-related transitions in a YP's journey with the EIPS that were described as reflecting critical moments of care, including: transitioning into EIPS; within service changes; transitioning in and out of hospital whilst in EIPS care; and, EIPS discharge. These service-related transition affected continuity of care, whilst within service changes, such as staff turnover, affected the consistency of care and could result in information asymmetry. At these transition points, continuity of care, ensuring service accessibility and flexibility, person centredness and undertake bio-psychosocial support and planning were recommended. State and federally funded services both had high levels of service satisfaction, however, there was evidence of higher staff turnover in federally funded services. CONCLUSION: Service transitions were identified as vulnerable times in YP and SP continuity of care. Although these were often well supported by the EIPS, participants provided illustrative examples for service improvement. These included enhancing continuity and consistency of care, through informed and supportive handovers when staff changes occur, and collaborative planning with other services and the YP, particularly during critical change periods such as hospitalisation.