Sikkerheitsnettet som tek imot om eg fell – men som også kan fange meg. Korleis erfarer menneske med psykiske lidingar ei innlegging i psykisk helsevern? Eit samarbeidsbasert forskingsprosjekt mellom forskarar og brukarar.

This thesis explores inpatient treatment within mental health care. Some people, suffering from a mental health problem, may occasionally need an admission. This thesis’ objective is to take a closer look at what mental health hospitalization is. What helps and supports, and what hinders, recovery for people who are admitted? We carried out in-depth interviews with patients admitted to DPS (district psychiatric centers) to develop knowledge about how they experienced the inpatient treatment. The project and this thesis represents a collaborative approach to mental health research. It comprises contributions from persons with personal experiences with mental illness and contributions from researchers. People with first person experiences have had a central role in deciding the focus of the study, have been involved in data analysis and dissemination of results. Recruitment to the project was carried out at three different DPS-departments. 14 people agreed to participate in the study. We conducted two interviews with each participant: the first when the patient was hospitalized, and the second three months after the patients had been discharged. Results from the project are disseminated through three scientific articles and this thesis. The first article presents findings from the interviews completed when the participants were in inpatient care. The second article presents findings from the full body of interviews. The third article disseminates findings resulting from analyses of the interviews conducted after discharge. Results show that when receiving inpatient treatment in a psychiatric institution, it is crucial for the patients to be recognized as whole person. Hospitalization is an ambivalent experience: it provides safety for the patients, and it spurs feelings of shame. Several participants were troubled by loneliness, and some found it difficult to create meaning in their lives outside of the institution. The thesis contributes knowledge about- and descriptions of experiences of inpatient treatment in psychiatric institutions, which may inform professional understandings and discussions about how best to organize care and treatment.Temaet for avhandlinga er innlegging i psykisk helsevern. Nokre av dei som har ei psykisk liding, treng av og til ei innlegging i psykisk helsevern. Føremålet med denne studien var å sjå nærmare på kva ei innlegging er. Kva er det som er til hjelp, og kva er det som er til hinder for betring hos pasientar ved døgnpostar? Dette prøvde vi å finne svar på ved å gjere djupneintervju med pasientar som var innlagde på DPS (distriktspsykiatriske senter). Intervjua handla om korleis pasientar opplevde kvardagen på ei avdeling. Avhandlinga er eit samarbeidsprosjekt mellom forskarar og menneske som har eigenerfaring med psykiske lidingar. Menneske med eigenerfaring har vore med som medforskarar for å bestemme kva vi skulle forske på. Dei har i tillegg vore med på å utforme studien samt på å analysere og formidle funn. Rekrutteringa skjedde i samarbeid med tre ulike DPS. 14 personar sa ja til å delta i studien. Vi gjennomførte to intervju med alle deltakarane: første intervju medan pasienten var innlagd ved ein døgnpost, og andre intervju om lag tre månader etter at pasienten var utskriven. Funna er presenterte i tre artiklar. Den første artikkelen presenterer funn frå intervjua vi gjorde medan deltakarane var innlagde på sengepost. Den andre artikkelen presenterer funn frå intervju både under innlegging og etter tre månader. Den tredje artikkelen presenterer funn frå intervjua vi gjorde etter utskrivinga. Hovudfunna er at ved ei innlegging i psykisk helsevern treng ein å bli sett som eit heilt menneske. Ei innlegging er trygg, men på same tid forbunden med ulike kjensler av skam. For fleire bar kvardagen heime preg av at dei var einsame, og nokre hadde vanskar med å skape meiningsfulle kvardagar utanfor institusjonen. Avhandlinga bidreg med kunnskap om korleis innlegging i psykisk helsevern kan erfarast

Being recognised as a whole person: A qualitative study of inpatient experience in mental health

Few studies address the many challenges that are faced by staff and patients in the inpatient mental health context. In particular, there is a lack of research that explores first-hand patient experiences in order to establish what treatment practices best assist patient recovery and what are the barriers to these practices. This qualitative study, which utilises a user-involved research framework, collaborates with a co-researcher patient group throughout the study. Fourteen patients, all of whom had been in inpatient treatment for at least three weeks, were recruited to the study. Study participants were interviewed in-depth in the period September 2016 to March 2017. Data underwent a thematic analysis that was inspired by interpretative phenomenological analysis. A core theme of the findings was the importance of being recognised as a whole person, and the patient–professional relationship was regarded as a fundamental factor in fostering recovery, with two underlying themes: (i) a need to have one‘s self-identity recognised and supported, and (ii) an experience of ambivalence between needing closeness and distance. This study suggests ways nurses can give priority to interpersonal interactions and relationships with hospitalised patients over task-oriented duties, highlighting the need for nurses to balance patient competing needs for both closeness and distance.publishedVersio

Sikkerheitsnettet som tek imot om eg fell – men som også kan fange meg. Korleis erfarer menneske med psykiske lidingar ei innlegging i psykisk helsevern? Eit samarbeidsbasert forskingsprosjekt mellom forskarar og brukarar.

This thesis explores inpatient treatment within mental health care. Some people, suffering from a mental health problem, may occasionally need an admission. This thesis’ objective is to take a closer look at what mental health hospitalization is. What helps and supports, and what hinders, recovery for people who are admitted? We carried out in-depth interviews with patients admitted to DPS (district psychiatric centers) to develop knowledge about how they experienced the inpatient treatment. The project and this thesis represents a collaborative approach to mental health research. It comprises contributions from persons with personal experiences with mental illness and contributions from researchers. People with first person experiences have had a central role in deciding the focus of the study, have been involved in data analysis and dissemination of results. Recruitment to the project was carried out at three different DPS-departments. 14 people agreed to participate in the study. We conducted two interviews with each participant: the first when the patient was hospitalized, and the second three months after the patients had been discharged. Results from the project are disseminated through three scientific articles and this thesis. The first article presents findings from the interviews completed when the participants were in inpatient care. The second article presents findings from the full body of interviews. The third article disseminates findings resulting from analyses of the interviews conducted after discharge. Results show that when receiving inpatient treatment in a psychiatric institution, it is crucial for the patients to be recognized as whole person. Hospitalization is an ambivalent experience: it provides safety for the patients, and it spurs feelings of shame. Several participants were troubled by loneliness, and some found it difficult to create meaning in their lives outside of the institution. The thesis contributes knowledge about- and descriptions of experiences of inpatient treatment in psychiatric institutions, which may inform professional understandings and discussions about how best to organize care and treatment

Adolescents’ perspectives on everyday life with obesity: a qualitative study

Purpose: This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the perspectives and life experiences of adolescents living with obesity. Methods: Five adolescents living with obesity were involved in repeated interviews, and qualitative content analysis was performed. Results: Three themes emerged: obesity as a multi-faceted and difficult to solve condition; obesity as a shameful and vulnerable subject; and bullying and fragile social relationships. Adolescents living with obesity described everyday life challenges as difficult to interpret and solve. Adolescents living with obesity perceived causes for obesity differently, and those who emphasised familial determinants seemed to face greater challenges. Lack of support from parents, trusted friends and health-care providers and bullying, shame, guilt and self-blame represented threats that decreased motivation for help seeking and successful life-style changes. The adolescents were ambivalent regarding disclosing their concerns and seeking help. The adolescents feared that health care providers would demand too much from them, and peers were perceived as a possible source of support. Conclusion: Care providers need to be skilled in assessing each individual’s resources and interpretations of their condition, to be able to communicate in a respectful, patient-centred manner and to assist adolescents to explore their ambivalence and set their own realistic goals. More research is needed

Being recognised as a whole person: A qualitative study of inpatient experience in mental health

Few studies address the many challenges that are faced by staff and patients in the inpatient mental health context. In particular, there is a lack of research that explores first-hand patient experiences in order to establish what treatment practices best assist patient recovery and what are the barriers to these practices. This qualitative study, which utilises a user-involved research framework, collaborates with a co-researcher patient group throughout the study. Fourteen patients, all of whom had been in inpatient treatment for at least three weeks, were recruited to the study. Study participants were interviewed in-depth in the period September 2016 to March 2017. Data underwent a thematic analysis that was inspired by interpretative phenomenological analysis. A core theme of the findings was the importance of being recognised as a whole person, and the patient–professional relationship was regarded as a fundamental factor in fostering recovery, with two underlying themes: (i) a need to have one‘s self-identity recognised and supported, and (ii) an experience of ambivalence between needing closeness and distance. This study suggests ways nurses can give priority to interpersonal interactions and relationships with hospitalised patients over task-oriented duties, highlighting the need for nurses to balance patient competing needs for both closeness and distance