Searching for reintegration: life experiences of people with schizophrenia

Ko, Chen Ju; Smith, Pam; Liao, Hui Yen; Chiang, Hsien Hsien

doi:10.1111/jocn.12169

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…With regard to the meaning of mental illness, a painful, suffering and multifaceted experience was described herein by the participants, congruent to previous studies [ 54 , 103 – 107 ]. Participants clearly described two distinguished sources of suffering; firstly the distressing experiences stemming from the pathophysiology of the disease and side effects of pharmacotherapy and secondly social stigma associated with mental illness and psychotropic medication.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The significance of empathic and supportive relationships between consumers of mental health services and health professionals lies on evidence which shows that these qualities enhance understanding of healthcare professionals and reassurance towards people living with SMI. This in turn seems to make patients feel accepted, facilitating their social integration [ 54 , 124 , 139 – 143 ]. Overall, empathy, respect and availability provided by health professionals have been described in international literature as basic elements of the therapeutic relationship [ 47 , 67 , 104 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Scientific literature suggests that the way an experience is interpreted by individuals with SMI with regard to ill health, is formed by the particular context in which each person lives [ 54 – 58 ]. Although prior studies address and describe the entire living experience of SMI, these arise from different cultures and health systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The experience of Greek-Cypriot individuals living with mental illness: preliminary results of a phenomenological study

et al. 2016

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BackgroundResearch evidence shows that healthcare professionals do not fully comprehend the difficulty involved in problems faced by people living with severe mental illness (SMI). As a result, mental health service consumers do not show confidence in the healthcare system and healthcare professionals, a problem related to the phenomenon of adherence to therapy. Moreover, the issue of unmet needs in treating individuals living with SMI is relared to their quality of life in a negative way.MethodsA qualitative methodological approach based on the methodology of van Manen phenomenology was employed through a purposive sampling of ten people living with SMI. The aim was to explore their perceptions and interpretations regarding: a) their illness, b) their self-image throughout the illness, c) the social implications following their illness, and d) the quality of the therapeutic relationship with mental health nurses. Participants were recruited from a community mental health service in a Greek-Cypriot urban city. Data were collected through personal, semi-structured interviews.ResultsSeveral main themes were identified through the narratives of all ten participants. Main themes included: a) The meaning of mental illness, b) The different phases of the illness in time, c) The perception of the self during the illness, d) Perceptions about the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy, e) Social and personal consequences for participants following the diagnosis of mental illness, f) Participants’ perceptions regarding mental health professionals and services and g) The therapeutic effect of the research interview on the participants.ConclusionsThe present study provides data for the enhancement of the empathic understanding of healthcare professionals regarding the concerns and particular needs of individuals living with SMI, as well as the formation of targeted psychosocial interventions based on these needs. Overall, the present data illuminate the necessity for the reconstruction of the provided mental healthcare in Cyprus into a more recovery- oriented approach in order to address personal identity and self-determination issues and the way these are related to management of pharmacotherapy. Qualitative studies aiming to further explore issues of self-identity during ill health and its association with adherence to therapy, resilience and self-determination, are also proposed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The experience of Greek-Cypriot individuals living with mental illness: preliminary results of a phenomenological study

et al. 2016

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“…The care needs of elderly patients with schizophrenia are different from those of younger adult patients with the disease. Professionals need to know that the positive symptoms tend to be less severe in elderly patients than in younger adult patients, and that physical comorbidity is common in elderly patients (Ko, Smith, Liao, & Chiang, 2014). Moreover, older age is a risk factor for the side effects of antipsychotics (Jeste & Maglione, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Struggling With Aging and Illness: Life Experiences of Elderly Schizophrenia Patients in the Community of Taiwan

Liao

Rong

2020

IJSN

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Aims: The number of elderly patients with schizophrenia in Taiwan has increased significantly. Most Taiwanese patients with schizophrenia are community-dwelling and, if elderly, are at increased risk of mental illness and mental health problems. The life experiences of community-dwelling elderly patients dealing with schizophrenia in Taiwan have not been well studied. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of such patients through in-depth interviews.Methods: This qualitative study was carried out in psychiatric hospital day-care centers in Taiwan. We interviewed 16 patients (9 men and 7 women, mean age=60.43 years, SD=5.53 years). Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method of analysis.Results: The five major themes pertaining to the life experiences of community-dwelling elderly schizophrenia patients were identified as: 1) living alone, feeling lonely, and caring for myself; 2) anxiety and pessimism about the future; 3) internal conflict and aging; 4) seeking help; 5) delaying needs and engaging in healthy activities.Conclusions: The community-dwelling elderly schizophrenia patients were worried about the deterioration of their health, loss of self-care ability with aging, and decreasing access to community support and resources while striving to maintain their lives in the community. Mental health care professionals should understand the needs and abilities of patients, and help them to continue to live in the community. In addition to accepting continuous treatment, the patients should be encouraged to maintain healthy behaviors as well as enhance functioning and quality of life.

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“…Recent studies (Avieli et al, 2016;Moonen et al, 2016) pointed out that interpretations of a person's suffering could likely provide deeper insights into the meaning of the lived experience. Supporting this assumption, Ko et al (2014) found that reflections on the suffering and of the spiritual beliefs in the patient's own cultural context could work as a means of finding ways of reintegration through regaining control and finding inner peace. In a meta-ethnography of 17 qualitative studies, Kaite et al (2015) presented the profound loss of identity, pain of having had one's life stolen, and an ongoing struggle for reconciliation with the self and the illness as core themes of living with severe mental illness.…”

Section: Accumulated Suffering In Living With Schizophreniamentioning

confidence: 90%

Suffering as a Lifelong Companion: A Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Study of Men Living With Severe Psychiatric Illness

Kasén

Bondas

2022

Global Qualitative Nursing Research

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Accumulation of suffering in later life due to severe psychiatric illness has received surprisingly little interest in nursing research. Suffering in daily living seems to be more demanding for men, a phenomenon still debated in the literature. This phenomenological-hermeneutic study aims at describing and interpreting the perspectives of adult men and their experiences of suffering in daily living with severe psychiatric illness, diagnosed as schizophrenia. Data were collected in dialogical conversations with four men aged between 20 and 40 years, living alone in northern Norway. The themes created from the structural understanding illuminate the participants’ suffering as simultaneously struggling against the grasp of the illness and for reshaping the future. The theoretical interpretation unfolds the multidimensionality of their suffering and the need for confirmation of the suffering and reconciliation with the losses from illness, thus making reorientation to the future possible.

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Searching for reintegration: life experiences of people with schizophrenia

Abstract: This research focused on reintegrating process of people with schizophrenia and developing culturally sensitive nursing care.

Cited by 10 publications

References 18 publications

The experience of Greek-Cypriot individuals living with mental illness: preliminary results of a phenomenological study

The experience of Greek-Cypriot individuals living with mental illness: preliminary results of a phenomenological study

Struggling With Aging and Illness: Life Experiences of Elderly Schizophrenia Patients in the Community of Taiwan

Suffering as a Lifelong Companion: A Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Study of Men Living With Severe Psychiatric Illness

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