Comparing satisfaction of trauma patients 55 years or older to their caregivers during palliative care: Who faces the burden?

BACKGROUND: Many studies report on the patient-caregiver relationship during palliative care (PC); however, this relationship has yet to be examined following traumatic injury. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included trauma patients (≥55 years) and their primary caregivers admitted at two level I trauma centers for 2 years (November 2016 to November 2018), who received PC and who completed satisfaction surveys before discharge; surveys were analyzed by four domains: information giving, availability of care, physical care, and psychosocial care, and by PC assessments: consultations, prognostications, formal family meetings (FFMs), and advanced goals of care discussions. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients and caregivers who were satisfied (defined as ≥80%) and was analyzed using McNemar's test. Adjusted mixed models identified PC assessments that were associated with satisfaction scores ≥80% for patients and caregivers. RESULTS: Of the 441-patient and 441-caregiver pairs, caregivers were significantly less satisfied than patients during prognostications (information giving, physical care), FFMs (information giving, physical care), and consultations (physical care), while caregivers were significantly more satisfied than patients during advanced goals of care discussions (availability of care, psychosocial care). After adjustment, significant predictors of caregiver satisfaction (≥80%) included longer patient hospital length of stay (>4 days), caring for a male patient (physical care, availability of care), higher caregiver age (≥55 years; availability of care), and higher patient age (≥65 years; psychosocial care). Conversely, all PC assessments decreased odds of satisfaction for caregivers in every domain except physical care. Significant predictors of higher patient satisfaction included FFMs (for every domain) and PC consultations (psychosocial care), and decreased odds included advanced goals of care discussions and prognostication assessments (information giving, psychosocial care). CONCLUSIONS: Palliative care increased satisfaction of patients, especially family meetings and consultations, while assessments were predictive of lower caregiver satisfaction, suggesting that caregivers may be experiencing some of the patient burden. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic/Care Management, level IV.

Meeting psychosocial needs to improve health: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer impacts on patients and their families across a range of different domains. For that reason, optimal cancer care has moved away from a disease-centric focus to a more holistic approach in order to proactively support people with their individual needs and concerns. While international policy clearly advocates this agenda, implementation into routine care is limited. Therefore, relevant interventions that measurably improve patient outcomes are essential to understand if this ideal is to become routine multidisciplinary practice. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of a proactive, holistic, community-based intervention on health-related quality of life in a cohort of people diagnosed with cancer. Secondary aim was to explore the relationship between changes in health status and: cancer type, cancer stage, number of concerns expressed and change in severity of concerns pre and post intervention. METHOD: Prospective observational cohort study. A convenience sample of 437 individuals were referred to the service 'Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) in the UK. Each completed the Euroqol EQ-5D-3 L and visual analogue scale (VAS) and a Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA) during initial visit to the service and again at follow-up review, median 84 days later. Change between scores was tested with paired t-tests and relationships between variables with multiple regression models with heteroscedasticity-consistent standard errors. RESULTS: Participants were White British with median age between 50 and 64 years. Cancer type and stage were varied. EQ-5D utility scores improved at follow-up by 0.121 [0.0891-0.153], p < .001, and VAS scores improved by 7.81 [5.88-9.74], p < .001. The strongest predictor of change was a decrease in severity of concerns. Cancer stage 'palliative care' contributed to a reduction in health status. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to show that a holistic community intervention dedicated to supporting the individual concerns of participants had both a statistically significant and clinically meaningful impact on participants' health-related quality of life. The mean change in EQ-5D scores was more than the 'minimally important clinical difference' described in the literature. This is important because while quality of life has multiple determinants, this study has shown for the first time that it is possible to capture a clinically meaningful improvement as a function of reducing someone's personally identified concerns.

Culture clash? Recovery in mental health under Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme - a case study.

OBJECTIVE: Using a case study, we aim to report on the compatibility of funding and policy settings under Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) with the delivery of evidence based, recovery-oriented psychosocial services. Type of program or service: We reflect on the impact of the NDIS on a psychosocial rehabilitation service run by Woden Community Service (WCS), one of the major service providers in the Australian Capital Territory, and specifically its Transition to Recovery (TRec) program. METHODS: We examine NDIS funding and policy settings and consider the recovery-oriented practices underpinning psychosocial programs like TRec. The construct of the program, its staffing and related issues are considered. The article draws on a formal evaluation of TRec conducted in 2015. RESULTS: The NDIS is having a seismic impact on Australia's psychosocial sector. Despite its positive evaluation, the future of the TRec program is problematic. Practically, service exit points have disappeared, reducing the program's capacity to properly transition clients between services and effectively increasing the likelihood of relapse. More generally, current NDIS policies are threatening the fidelity of WCS's approach to recovery practice. LESSONS LEARNT: This case study highlights tension between a new public insurance scheme primarily aimed at better managing consistent conditions and circumstances, and the recovery philosophy which has emerged in relation to episodic mental illness. This has implications for psychosocial services nationwide. The psychosocial rehabilitation sector has always been a peripheral element of Australia's mental health service mix. The advent of the NDIS offers hope that this may change. However, WCS's experience suggests that the NDIS must reconsider how best to foster recovery-oriented practice in mental health. This should be part of a more fundamental reconceptualisation of the role of psychosocial rehabilitation services in contemporary mental health care, not just for NDIS recipients. This work is urgent if Australia is to nurture its already rare psychosocial rehabilitation workforce and not see it dissipate.

A Qualitative Examination of the Physical Activity Needs of People with Severe Mental Illness.

It is recognised that physical activity has a positive impact on quality of life, social well-being and overall health of people with severe mental illness. However, there is a lack of theory informed programmes that support people with mental illness to adopt regular physical activity behaviour. The aim of this case study was to identify determinants of long-term physical activity among people with severe mental illness that may then inform the development of more suitable physical activity programmes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 people (13 men and 2 women) with a mean age of 36.7 [standard deviation (SD)=11.8] who had a diagnosed mental illness and were attending a physical activity programme run by a mental health non-governmental organisation. Interview data was analysed using the documentary method to emphasise the perspective of people with severe mental illness. Three participation types were generated in the context of individuals' physical activity orientation and social background-first 'rehabilitative orientated' (physical activity as a supportive measure to re-enter the labour market and develop a daily routine); second 'social-orientated' (social well-being within the group as the primary motive); finally, 'trust-orientated' (a sense of trust that encourages participation). Based on these type-specific categories, it is suggested that different settings (mental health care centres and sport clubs) might be needed to attract and maintain the physical activity engagement of people with severe mental illness. In the context of sport clubs, it is recommended that coaches undergo training in mental health literacy.

Embedding Recovery to Transform Inpatient Mental Health Care: The 333 Model.

OBJECTIVE: The 333 model is a radical redesign of acute mental health care. Time-limited inpatient pathways for assessment (≤3 days), treatment (≤3 weeks), and recovery (≤3 months) replaced traditional geographical-sector wards. By making beds available, 333 aspired to improve access, deliver early treatment, and shorten hospital stays-generating savings through reductions in beds and out-of-area placements (OAPs). This article compares the model's performance against national benchmarking and internal targets. METHODS: The complement of general adult beds (2011-2016) was mapped out. Patient flow data (April 2015-March 2017) were extracted from the National Health Service data warehouse and compared with 2016 NHS benchmarking and 333 targets. RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2016, beds were reduced by 44% compared with 17% nationally. OAPs due to bed unavailability became extremely rare. More than 74% (N=2,679) of patients who were admitted to the assessment unit between 2015 and 2017 were discharged back to the community, minimizing fragmentation of care. Median length of stay was one-sixth as long as the national rate, but readmission rates were higher than the national mean because of the model's innovative approach to managing treatment of patients with personality disorders. Bed occupancy was below the national average, with beds available every night for 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: With its recovery-focused approach, 333 has reduced length of stay and ensured that a stay on any ward is meaningful and adds value. The article demonstrates that bed and OAP reduction and the delivery of safe care can be achieved simultaneously.

Description and impact of a structured psychoeducational and salutogenetic approach (InteGRO) to support the recovery of people with severe mental disorders / Descrizione e impatto di un approccio psicoeducativo strutturato (InteGRO) di salutogenesi per sostenere il percorso di recovery delle persone con disturbo mentale grave

Aim: In mental health services there is an increasing attention to the recovery of people with severe mental illness. Consequently there is a growing literature on this topic focused above-all on the description of excellence paths that often include variables related to the organizational aspects of the service. Less attention is given to specific interventions to foster all the goals that are essential to improve the living conditions, including defining and planning goal, emotional perception, effective communication for negotiation, practical interpersonal and intrapersonal problem-solving. The aim of this paper is to describe an innovative and salutogenetic approach and to illustrate the results of the impact after a year of "active intervention". Methods: We used a "quasi-experiment" design-study with a pre-post assessment without a control group on 21 subjects with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. We used to evaluate Functioning, the primary outcome, the Personal and Social Performance Scale. For the secondary outcome measures we used the Stress-Scale, the Modified Five-Point Test for cognitive flexibility, the APEN/G e APEP/G Scale for perceived self-efficacy, the Integrative Hope Scale, the items "subjective and objective load" of the "Aid received, Needs and Burden" self-filled questionnaire. The clinical assessment was made by the Brief Psychyatric Rating Scale, while we used the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. Results: Of the 21 subjects included, 18 completed the assessment. Significant improvements were noted for all variables considered, with particular relevance for Personal and Social Functioning (p<0.001). Predictive variables for this dimension were the level of stress and perceived self-efficacy (p<0.05). Conclusions: The observed data confirm the effectiveness of this innovative approach, above all on Personal and Social Functioning where there has been improvement from two or more marked dysfunction areas to one area.

Psychosocial rehabilitation in the west network of the municipality of São Paulo: potentialities and challenges. / A reabilitação psicossocial na rede oeste do município de São Paulo: potencialidades e desafios.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the strategies of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation conducted in the Network of Psychosocial Care of the western region of the municipality of São Paulo. METHODOLOGY: Descriptive qualitative study, carried out with 123 professionals, from September 2015 to July 2016. Data processed by the software Alceste and analyzed in light of the analytical category Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Benedetto Saraceno and complementary literature. RESULTS: Three classes emerged that address the potential and scarcity of therapeutic residential services as a space to resume the daily life; importance of cultural activities for the exchange of identities and care beyond the scope of health; the potential of projects to generate work and income to regain the contractual power. CONCLUSION: The strategies contribute to the construction of subjectivity and the resumption of the citizenship. In order to sustain the Psychosocial Rehabilitation it is necessary to overcome the weaknesses of human, physical and structural resources. Still, there is potential in the collaborative work and accountability of the teams.

An innovative model to coordinate healthcare and social services for people with serious mental illness: A mixed-methods case study of Maryland's Medicaid health home program.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a case study examining implementation of Maryland's Medicaid health home program, a unique model for integration of behavioral, somatic, and social services for people with serious mental illness (SMI) in the psychiatric rehabilitation program setting. METHOD: We conducted interviews and surveys with health home leaders (N=72) and front-line staff (N=627) representing 46 of the 48 total health home programs active during the November 2015-December 2016 study period. We measured the structural and service characteristics of the 46 health home programs and leaders' and staff members' perceptions of program implementation. RESULTS: Health home program structure varied across sites: for example, 15% of programs had co-located primary care providers and 76% had onsite supported employment providers. Most leaders and staff viewed the health home program as having strong organizational fit with psychiatric rehabilitation programs' organizational structures and missions, but noted implementation challenges around health IT, population health management, and coordination with external providers. CONCLUSION: Maryland's psychiatric rehabilitation-based health home is a promising model for integration of behavioral, somatic, and social services for people with SMI but may be strengthened by additional policy and implementation supports, including incentives for external providers to engage in care coordination with health home providers.

A reabilitação psicossocial na rede oeste do município de São Paulo: potencialidades e desafios / La rehabilitación psicosocial en la red oeste del municipio de São Paulo: potencialidades y desafíos / Psychosocial rehabilitation in the west network of the municipality of São Paulo: potentialities and challenges

Resumo OBJETIVO Descrever as estratégias de Reabilitação Psicossocial conduzidas na Rede de Atenção Psicossocial da região Oeste do munícipio de São Paulo. METODOLOGIA estudo qualitativo descritivo, realizado com 123 profissionais, de setembro de 2015 a julho de 2016. Dados processados pelo software Alceste e analisados a luz da categoria analítica Reabilitação Psicossocial de Benedetto Saraceno e literatura complementar. RESULTADOS Emergiram três classes que tratam do potencial e escassez dos serviços residenciais terapêuticos enquanto espaço de retomada da vida cotidiana; importância das atividades culturais para troca de identidades e cuidado para além do âmbito da saúde e; a potencialidade dos projetos de geração de trabalho e renda para retomada do poder contratual. CONCLUSÃO As estratégias contribuem para construção da subjetividade e retomada da cidadania. Para sustentar a Reabilitação Psicossocial é necessário superar as fragilidades de recursos humanos, físicos e estruturais. Ainda assim, há potencialidade no trabalho colaborativo e de responsabilização das equipes.

Resumen OBJETIVO Describir las estrategias de Rehabilitación Psicosocial conducidas en la Red de Atención Psicosocial de la región Oeste del municipio de São Paulo. METODOLOGÍA Estudio cualitativo y descriptivo, realizado con 123 profesionales, de septiembre de 2015 a julio de 2016. Datos procesados ​​por el software Alceste y analizados a la luz de la categoría analítica Rehabilitación Psicosocial de Benedetto Saraceno y literatura complementaria. RESULTADOS Emergieron tres clases que tratan del potencial y de la escasez de los servicios residenciales terapéuticos como espacio de retomada a la vida cotidiana; la importancia de las actividades culturales para el intercambio de identidades y del cuidado más allá del ámbito de la salud; y la potencialidad de los proyectos de generación de trabajo y renta para reanudación del poder contractual. CONCLUSIÓN Las estrategias contribuyen a construir la subjetividad y a reanudar la ciudadanía. Para sostener la Rehabilitación Psicosocial, es necesario superar las debilidades de los recursos humanos, físicos y estructurales. Sin embargo, hay potencialidad en el trabajo colaborativo y de responsabilidad de los equipos.

Abstract OBJECTIVE To describe the strategies of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation conducted in the Network of Psychosocial Care of the western region of the municipality of São Paulo. METHODOLOGY Descriptive qualitative study, carried out with 123 professionals, from September 2015 to July 2016. Data processed by the software Alceste and analyzed in light of the analytical category Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Benedetto Saraceno and complementary literature. RESULTS Three classes emerged that address the potential and scarcity of therapeutic residential services as a space to resume the daily life; importance of cultural activities for the exchange of identities and care beyond the scope of health; the potential of projects to generate work and income to regain the contractual power. CONCLUSION The strategies contribute to the construction of subjectivity and the resumption of the citizenship. In order to sustain the Psychosocial Rehabilitation it is necessary to overcome the weaknesses of human, physical and structural resources. Still, there is potential in the collaborative work and accountability of the teams.

Rehabilitation for Survivors of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda: What Are the Lessons Learned?

Rehabilitation remains a significant concern among survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Rehabilitation falls under tertiary prevention, which is a core function of public health. Despite efforts to introduce various rehabilitation programmes for genocide survivors in Rwanda, these initiatives have often proved inadequate in meeting their long-term needs. The failure of the Rwandan Government, international community, United Nations, and other Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) calls into serious question their commitment to international human rights laws. Rehabilitation should be regarded as a free-standing human right for genocide survivors and a human rights-based approach to the rehabilitative process should incorporate measurable outcomes based on an agreed ethical framework. The author calls upon the international community to reiterate its concerns about genocide survivors and reaffirm its commitments to human rights. The main issues discussed in this article are: the long-term needs of survivors of the 1994 genocide; what is already provided, and the gaps; how Stucki's Rehabilitation Cycle framework (a problem-solving tool) can help improve current provision; the role of the international community, NGOs, and genocide survivors' organisations in advancing rehabilitation; and the need for a human rights-based approach to rehabilitation. A strong recognition of the right to rehabilitation is crucial. An ethical framework related to the human rights-based approach should also assist in setting outcomes that can be measured against agreed standards, ensuring: rights that have been violated are identified; the accountability of each service provider in promoting rehabilitation; rehabilitation which is inclusive and non-discriminatory; participation by encouraging collaboration with survivors rather than doing things for them; and empowerment by enabling survivors to understand their rights and have the confidence to challenge or question when their rights have been violated.

Accessibility of medical and psychosocial services following disasters and other traumatic events: experiences of Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in Denmark.

PURPOSE: This descriptive study sought to explore barriers faced by Deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) individuals in Denmark when accessing medical and psychosocial services following large-scale disasters and individual traumatic experiences. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine D/HH individuals who had experienced at least one disaster or other traumatic event. RESULTS: Difficulties were encountered during interactions with first response and healthcare services, which centered on: (1) lack of Deaf awareness among professionals, (2) problems accessing interpreter services, (3) professionals relying on hearing relatives to disseminate information, and (4) professionals who were unwilling to adjust their speech or try different forms of communication. Barriers reported in relation to accessing psychosocial services included: (1) lack of all-Deaf or hard-of-hearing support groups, and (2) limited availability of crisis psychologists who are trained to service the needs of the hearing impaired. Suggestions for improvements to service provision were provided, including a list of practical recommendations for professionals. CONCLUSIONS: This study has identified significant gaps in post-disaster service provision for D/HH individuals. Results can inform policy makers and other authorities in the position to enhance existing services and/or develop new services for this vulnerable target population. Implications for Rehabilitation Being Deaf or hard-of-hearing compromises a person's ability to obtain and share vital information during times of disaster. Medical and psychosocial services are expected to play critical response roles in times of disaster, and, should be properly equipped to assist Deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) individuals. In a relatively small sample, this study highlights barriers faced by D/HH individuals in Denmark when accessing first response, healthcare, and psychosocial services following large-scale disasters and individual traumatic events, all of which centered on communication problems and resulted in suboptimal care. Regarding rehabilitation after disasters, evidence-based information about how to service the heterogeneous communication needs of D/HH populations should be disseminated to professionals, and preferably incorporated into training programs.

Community health workers: Potential allies for the field of psychiatric rehabilitation?

The focus of community health workers on health disparities in vulnerable communities means that they address issues of poverty, while many recipients of psychiatric rehabilitation services live at or below the poverty line. Their focus on improving health in low-income populations of color is in line with some of our field's biggest challenges at this point in history, including poverty, cultural competence, and health comorbidities. By allying with community health workers we have the opportunity to extend our reach into new neighborhoods as well as to better serve our current clientele. By reaching out to local community health worker programs, conducting cross-training, and exploring new funding opportunities presented by health care reform, we may be able to enrich the multidisciplinary, collaborative ethos that makes psychiatric rehabilitation so relevant and effective.

Assessing the needs of siblings of persons with schizophrenia: A qualitative study from India.

There is a lack of studies on siblings of persons with schizophrenia (SOPS) in Asia. This study aims to explore the needs of SOPS in India. 15 SOPS participated in this qualitative explorative study. All the interviews were audio recorded and later transcribed. Data analysis was carried out using General Inductive Approach. Five themes emerged from the data: managing illness or socio-occupational functioning; follow up services; informational needs; personal needs; and miscellaneous needs. SOPS in India have some distinctive needs. Identifying these needs might help in developing and designing specific psychosocial interventions for better management.

Validation of the brief version of the Recovery Self-Assessment (RSA-B) using Rasch measurement theory.

OBJECTIVE: In psychiatry, the recovery paradigm is increasingly identified as the overarching framework for service provision. Currently, the Recovery Self-Assessment (RSA), a 36-item rating scale, is commonly used to assess the uptake of a recovery orientation in clinical services. However, the consumer version of the RSA has been found challenging to complete because of length and the reading level required. In response to this feedback, a brief 12-item version of the RSA was developed (RSA-B). This article describes the development of the modified instrument and the application of traditional psychometric analysis and Rasch Measurement Theory to test the psychometrics properties of the RSA-B. METHODS: Data from a multisite study of adults with serious mental illnesses (n = 1256) who were followed by assertive community treatment teams were examined for reliability, clinical meaning, targeting, response categories, model fit, reliability, dependency, and raw interval-level measurement. Analyses were performed using the Rasch Unidimensional Measurement Model (RUMM 2030). RESULTS: Adequate fit to the Rasch model was observed (χ2 = 112.46, df = 90, p = .06) and internal consistency was good (r = .86). However, Rasch analysis revealed limitations of the 12-item version, with items covering only 39% of the targeted theoretical continuum, 2 misfitting items, and strong evidence for the 5 option response categories not working as intended. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed areas for improvement in the shortened version of the 12-item RSA-B. A revisit of the conceptual model and original 36-item rating scale is encouraged to select items that will help practitioners and researchers measure the full range of recovery orientation.

Establishing a recovery orientation in mental health services: Evaluating the Recovery Self-Assessment (RSA) in a Swedish context.

OBJECTIVE: Although there has been an emphasis on developing knowledge regarding recovery in Sweden, it is unclear to what extent this has been translated into a recovery orientation in the provision of mental health services. Instruments, which present the components of recovery as measurable dimensions of change, may provide a framework for program development. Involving users is an essential factor in the utilization of such tools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Recovery Self-Assessment (RSA) measure and its potential for being utilized in a Swedish context. METHODS: The sample consisted of 78 participants from 6 community mental health services targeting people with serious mental illnesses in a municipality in Sweden. They completed the RSA at the study baseline and two weeks later. User panels participated in the translation and administration of the RSA and the reporting of results. RESULTS: The Swedish version of the RSA had good face and content validity, satisfactory internal consistency, and a moderate to good level of stability in test-retest reliability. The user panels contributed to establishing validity and as collaborators in the study. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Establishing the RSA as a valid and reliable instrument with which to focus on the recovery orientation of services is a first step in beginning to study the types of interventions that may effect and contribute to recovery oriented practice in Sweden.