Experiences of housing support in everyday life for persons with schizophrenia and the role of the media from a societal perspective

Abstract

BackgroundThe mental health-care system in Sweden, as in many other counties, has its main focus on the reduction of psychiatric symptoms and the prevention of relapses. People diagnosed with schizophrenia often have significant health issues and experience reduced well-being in everyday life. The social imaginary of mental illness as an imbalance of the brain has implications concerning general attitudes in society. The news media are an important source of information on psychiatric disorders and have an important role in cultivating public perceptions and stigma. News media can contribute to the mental illness stigma and place individuals with mental illnesses at risk of not receiving adequate care and support. The aim of this preliminary study was to describe users’ experiences of housing support in everyday life.ResultsThe results revealed three themes of housing support, which were needed, but frequently insufficiently fulfilled in the municipality. The three themes were: “Support to Practice Healthy Routines in Daily Life,” “Support to Shape Meaningful Contents in Everyday Life,” and “Support to Meet Needs of Integrity and Respect.”ConclusionsThe findings support previous studies arguing that current health care and housing support fails to meet basic needs and may lead to significant and unnecessary health risks. Further investigation is needed regarding the links between attitudes to mental illness in society and political and financial principles for health care and housing support for persons with schizophrenia. Further research is needed regarding the role of the media in policymaking concerning health promotion interventions for people diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Swedish Mental Health Nurses’ Experiences of Portrayals of Mental Illness in Public Media

“…Similar results have also been found in studies about how reporting of mental illness in the public media affects societal attitudes towards mental illness (Read, 2007). A theoretical explanation of this increase in stigmatization is that medical models primarily explain mental illness as abnormities in human brain and function, which creates fear and uncertainty among the public (Jormfeldt & Hall en, 2016). Studies have thus indicated that the medical model of explanation of mental illness increases stigmatization of mental illness (Jormfeldt & Hall en, 2016;Read, 2007).…”

“…People diagnosed with schizophrenia often experience fear of abandonment or exclusion due to their diagnosis and studies have shown that even healthcare staff in the mental health services discriminate against patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (Mestdagh & Hansen, 2014). People diagnosed with schizophrenia also run a greater risk of having their integrity and autonomy violated by healthcare staff (Jormfeldt & Hall en, 2016;Mestdagh & Hansen, 2014). Earlier studies have shown that a biological model for the explanation of the illness increases the public's fear of mental illness (Angermeyer et al, 2013).…”

“…Analyses of news have shown that the reporting of mental illness is often inaccurate, misleading and filled with exaggerations (Jormfeldt & Hall en, 2016;Klin & Lemish, 2008;Stuart, 2006;Wahl, 2003). The reporting about mental illness in the news often lacks the perspective of the mentally ill themselves and when healthcare staff are consulted it is almost exclusively psychiatrists who are accessed (Wahl, 2003).…”

“…This leads to an unbalanced reporting with a focus on biological explanations and pharmaceutical treatments of mental illness (Wahl, 2003) thus increasing the stigmatization of mental illness (Read, 2007;Read & Harr e, 2001). This inaccurate and unbalanced reporting may also maintain stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness in healthcare systems, which thus may not distribute public resources in a way that can provide the most effective help for people with mental health issues (Jormfeldt & Hall en, 2016;Wahl, 2003).…”

Master’s level mental health nursing competencies, a prerequisite for equal health among service users in mental health care

“…Responsibilities regarding health-promotion interventions in mental health services remain vague and the stigma associated with mental illness is widespread, even among mental health professionals (Ehrlich et al, 2014; Jormfeldt & Hallén, 2016). Studies show that insufficient priority is currently being given to meet the physical health-care needs of people experiencing mental illness (Happell et al, 2014d; Heald et al, 2010; Laursen & Nodentoft, 2006).…”