Experiences of mental health services for 'black' men with schizophrenia and a history of disengagement:a qualitative study

Abstract

Whilst mental disorders can be disabling they are also treatable, yet engagement with services is often poor and disengagement from treatment is a major concern for mental health nurses. Participants were service users typically perceived as the most disengaged from mental health services, yet they were willing to engage in the research interviews. The seven participants were all male with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, a history of disengagement from mental health services and described their ethnicity as 'black'. Participants were under the care of Assertive Outreach Teams and were recruited after the researcher was introduced to them by clinicians who were working with them. After ethical approval, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were used to elicit the experiences of participants. Through interpretative phenomenological analysis, themes were developed. Interpretative Phenomenological analysis generated four themes: (i) "People just keep hounding me", (ii) Antipathy to Medication, (iii) Choice and the value of services, (iv) Stigmatisation and identity. By rigorously examining how service users with schizophrenia make sense of their experience of their relationship with mental health services, there is potential to give voice to the experiences of the recipients of mental health services. This study uncovered the complex nature of disengagement and in view of this there may never be a straightforward mechanism developed to engage all people with schizophrenia with mental health services. When the participants' experiences are considered in a broader social context it may be possible to reflect on how services can be adapted to facilitate better engagement.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12305
Divisions: College of Health & Life Sciences
Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Wagstaff, C, Graham, H, Farrell, D, Larkin, M & Nettle, M 2016, 'Experiences of mental health services for 'black' men with schizophrenia and a history of disengagement: a qualitative study' International journal of mental health nursing, vol in press, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/inm.12305. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
Publication ISSN: 1447-0349
Last Modified: 08 Mar 2024 08:12
Date Deposited: 03 May 2017 09:30
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2018-02-01
Published Online Date: 2016-12-26
Accepted Date: 2016-10-19
Authors: Wagstaff, Christopher
Graham, Hermine
Farrell, Derek
Larkin, Michael (ORCID Profile 0000-0003-3304-7000)
Nettle, Mary

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