TY - JOUR
T1 - Barriers and Possible Solutions to Providing Physical Health Care in Mental Health Care
T2 - A Qualitative Study of Danish Key Informants’ Perspectives
AU - Lerbæk, Birgitte
AU - McCloughen, Andrea
AU - Lauritsen, Marlene Briciet
AU - Aagaard, Jørgen
AU - Nordgaard, Julie
AU - Jørgensen, Rikke
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - Provision of physical health care to people diagnosed with severe mental illness is widely reported as inadequate. This interview study explored perspectives of a group of key informants on current practices of providing physical health care within two mental health care settings in Denmark. Thematic analysis of their accounts provided insights into 1) barriers to the provision of physical health care in mental health settings, and 2) possible solutions to overcome existing barriers. Negative attitudes and limited specialist health care knowledge among mental health care professionals constituted serious barriers. To effectively address these barriers, mental health services need to be reoriented towards the prioritisation of physical health alongside mental health. This will require equipping mental health professionals with relevant knowledge and skills and organisational resources, to effectively work with people experiencing or at risk of physical comorbidities.
AB - Provision of physical health care to people diagnosed with severe mental illness is widely reported as inadequate. This interview study explored perspectives of a group of key informants on current practices of providing physical health care within two mental health care settings in Denmark. Thematic analysis of their accounts provided insights into 1) barriers to the provision of physical health care in mental health settings, and 2) possible solutions to overcome existing barriers. Negative attitudes and limited specialist health care knowledge among mental health care professionals constituted serious barriers. To effectively address these barriers, mental health services need to be reoriented towards the prioritisation of physical health alongside mental health. This will require equipping mental health professionals with relevant knowledge and skills and organisational resources, to effectively work with people experiencing or at risk of physical comorbidities.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85091684506&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01612840.2020.1823537
DO - 10.1080/01612840.2020.1823537
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85091684506
SN - 0161-2840
VL - 42
SP - 463
EP - 472
JO - Issues in Mental Health Nursing
JF - Issues in Mental Health Nursing
IS - 5
ER -