Family Involvement in Psychiatric Hospitalizations: Associations With Discharge Planning and Prompt Follow-Up Care

Tilting at Windmills - A Qualitative Study about Family Caregiver Interactions and Perceptions in Forensic Mental Health Care

In forensic mental health care (FMHC), family caregivers perceive themselves as burdened in their relationships with the service user (the family member with mental illness) and by difficult collaboration with healthcare professionals (HCPs). There is a political objective to involve this group in the care and treatment of the service user in mental health care. To improve family caregiver involvement in care and treatment in FMHC, research about their perceptions is needed. This study aims to explore family caregivers' perceptions of their interactions with the service user and HCPs. The method used was qualitative. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 12 family caregiver participants were carried out and analyzed thematically. The analysis resulted in three interrelated main themes: Strategies to normalize everyday living; Distrust of the quality of care; and Loss and grief. Family caregiver feelings of loss and grief may be suppressed, which additionally could prevent them from supporting the service user.

Factors Associated with the Receipt of Follow-Up Care Among Medicare Beneficiaries Discharged from Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities

This study examined the extent to which facility characteristics, discharge practices, and the availability of outpatient mental health care are associated with receiving follow-up care within 7 days of discharge from an inpatient psychiatric facility among Medicare beneficiaries. The study merged 2018 National Mental Health Services Survey data with 2018 Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Reporting program data representing 1147 inpatient psychiatric facilities. Results from logistic regression analyses indicated that inpatient facilities operated by private for-profit organizations and public agencies had lower odds of achieving high performance on a measure that assessed if Medicare beneficiaries received follow-up care within 7 days of discharge relative to private nonprofit facilities; follow-up rates were inversely associated with the proportion of involuntarily committed patients at the facility. Follow-up rates were not associated with other facility characteristics, discharge practices, the availability of outpatient care at the location of the inpatient facility, or the density of outpatient mental health providers in the community. Improving follow-up care for Medicare beneficiaries could target for-profit and public hospitals and those that serve a high proportion of individuals involuntarily committed to inpatient care.

Experiences of family caregivers in forensic mental health care-A qualitative evidence synthesis

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT

Internationally, research and policy agendas recommend that family caregivers of service users in mental health care be involved in care and treatment, to support the service user's recovery process. Family caregivers of service users in mental health care are often highly burdened. There is a lack of research-based knowledge about the experiences of family caregivers of service users in forensic mental health care (FMHC) and their involvement in care and treatment.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE

This study indicates a persistent caregiver presence and/or caregiver advocacy in regard to care and treatment of the service user in FMHC. This study indicates that health care professionals (HCPs) might play a role in eliciting a persistent caregiver presence and/or caregiver advocacy.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

HCPs need to develop their collaborative skills and be more willing to listen to and understand caregivers' persistent presence and/or advocacy. HCPs need to be more skilled to understand caregivers' and families' living with the complexities of mental illness and offence. HCPs are encouraged to adjust the involvement of family caregivers in care and treatment to FMHC.

ABSTRACT

Introduction There is a lack of research about experiences of family caregivers of service users in forensic mental health care (FMHC) and their involvement in care and treatment. Research shows that caregivers are burdened. Further knowledge is required, to provide a foundation for improving clinical practice. Aim To review research literature, to investigate existing knowledge about caregiver experiences and, secondly, caregivers' experiences of facilitators and barriers related to their involvement in care and treatment. Method Qualitative evidence synthesis undertaken in a thematic synthesis of thirteen peer-reviewed studies. Results The analysis identified three descriptive themes: violence against family; a great burden of responsibility; and difficult collaboration, together with an additional three analytical themes: bearing witness; persistent presence; and advocacy becomes necessary. Discussion Persistent caregiver presence and/or caregiver advocacy may be elicited by health care professionals' (HCPs') exclusion of caregivers from care and treatment. Caregivers' feelings of guilt in relation to the service user's offence may play an additional role in persistent presence and advocacy and, therefore, in HCPs' exclusion of them. Implications for Practice HCPs need to develop their collaboration with caregivers by their willingness to listen to caregivers to understand emotional complexities within families experiencing mental illness and offence.

Relapse among MHCUs after a Short-Term Admission in an Acute Psychiatric Unit: Primary Caregivers' Perspective

South Africa has taken initiative to strengthen its mental health system, by improving the Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002 which proclaims that mental healthcare users (MHCUs) can be treated in communities and homes. Due to short-term hospitalisations for acute MHCUs and advocacy for community-based care, families play a significant role in providing care to severe mental healthcare users. The objective of the study was to explore primary caregivers' perspective regarding the relapse of MHCUs following a short-term admission in acute psychiatric units. A qualitative explorative design was used. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 18 primary caregivers whose family members were readmitted to four hospitals with units designated for acute MHCUs in Limpopo. NVivo computer software version 11 was used to analyse data. The findings are that MHCUs deny the mental health condition. Mental illness is considered a short illness that can be cured, which shows misconceptions about self-mental health conditions. Refusal of direct observed treatment support also emerged; hence, it is difficult for caregivers to identify if the patient is taking the correct doses or not taking the medication at all. Perceived wrong beliefs about mental illness can affect the patient's desire to seek proper management and it can be damaging in many ways. Drugs and alcohol abuse makes MHCUs display disruptive behaviours and contribute to treatment non-adherence resulting in caregivers becoming reluctant to be around them. In conclusion, mixing traditional and faith-based mental healthcare practices as reported by primary caregivers can mean that tailor-fabricated culture-specific mental healthcare is required.

Factors Associated With 7-Day Follow-Up Outpatient Mental Healthcare in Older Adults Hospitalized for Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempt, and Self-Harm

OBJECTIVE

Older adults are one of the fastest growing age groups seeking emergency care for suicidal ideation and self-harm. Timely follow-up outpatient mental healthcare is important to suicide prevention, yet little is known about predictors of care continuity following hospital discharge. This study identified patient-, hospital-, and regional-level factors associated with 7-day follow-up outpatient mental healthcare in suicidal older adults.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort analysis using 2015 Medicare data for adults aged ≥65 years hospitalized for suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, or deliberate self-harm (n = 27,257) linked with the American Hospital Association survey and Area Health Resource File. Rates and adjusted risk ratios stratified by patient, hospital, and regional variables were assessed for 7-day follow-up outpatient mental healthcare.

RESULTS

Overall, 30.3% of patients received follow-up mental healthcare within 7 days of discharge. However, follow-up rates were higher for patients with any mental healthcare within 30 days prehospitalization (43.7%) compared to patients with no recent mental healthcare (15.7%). Longer length of stay and care in psychiatric hospitals were associated with higher odds of follow-up. For patients with no mental healthcare in the 30 days prehospitalization, discharge from hospitals that were large, system-affiliated, academic medical centers, or provided hospitalist-based care were associated with lower odds of follow-up. Females were more likely to receive 7-day follow-up, whereas non-white patients were less likely to receive follow-up care.

CONCLUSION

Timely follow-up is influenced by multiple patient, hospital, and community characteristics. Findings highlight the need for quality improvement to promote successful transitions from inpatient to outpatient care.

Minimum and optimal numbers of psychiatric beds: expert consensus using a Delphi process

The required minimum number of psychiatric inpatient beds is highly debated and has substantial resource implications. The present study used the Delphi method to try to reach a global consensus on the minimum and optimal psychiatric bed numbers. An international board of scientific advisors nominated the Delphi panel members. In the first round, the expert panel provided responses exploring estimate ranges for a minimum to optimal numbers of psychiatric beds and three levels of shortage. In a second round, the panel reconsidered their responses using the input from the total group to achieve consensus. The Delphi panel comprised 65 experts (42% women, 54% based in low- and middle-income countries) from 40 countries in the six regions of the World Health Organization. Sixty psychiatric beds per 100 000 population were considered optimal and 30 the minimum, whilst 25-30 was regarded as mild, 15-25 as moderate, and less than 15 as severe shortage. This is the first expert consensus on minimum and optimal bed numbers involving experts from HICs and LMICs. Many high-income countries have psychiatric bed numbers that fall within the recommended range. In contrast, the number of beds in many LMIC is below the minimum recommended rate.

Evaluating and Improving Engagement in Care After High-Intensity Stays for Mental or Substance Use Disorders

OBJECTIVE

This interrupted time-series analysis examined whether activating a quality measure, supported by education and a population management tool, was associated with higher postdischarge engagement (PDE) in outpatient care after inpatient and residential stays for mental or substance use disorder care.

METHODS

Discharges from October 2016 to May 2019 were identified from national Veterans Health Administration (VHA) records representing all 140 VHA health care systems. Engagement was defined as multiple mental or substance use disorder outpatient visits in the 30 days postdischarge. The number of such visits required to meet the engagement definition depended on a patient's suicide risk and acuity level of inpatient or residential treatment. Health care system-level performance was calculated as the percentage of qualifying discharges with 30-day PDE. A segmented mixed-effects linear regression model tested whether monthly health care system performance changed significantly after activation of the PDE measure (activation rollout period, October-December 2017).

RESULTS

A total of 322,344 discharges qualified for the measure. In the regression model, average health care system performance was 65.6% at the beginning of the preactivation period (October 2016) and did not change significantly in the following 12 months. Average health care system performance increased by 5.7% (SE=0.8%, p<0.001) after PDE measure activation and did not change significantly thereafter-a difference representing 11,464 more patients engaging in care than would have without activation of the measure.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support use of this measure, along with education, technical assistance, and population management tools, to improve engagement after discharge from residential and inpatient mental and substance use disorder treatment.

Involvement of informal carers in discharge planning and transition between hospital and community mental health care: A systematic review

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT

Family members and friends (informal carers) are very important for providing support to people with mental health difficulties. When these carers are included to care planning patients seem to benefit, as they are less likely to relapse.

WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE

There are three types of interventions including carers in the patients'transition 1) programmes that offer education in hospital; 2) programmes that involve carers in planning the patients discharge; and 3) programmes that involve carers in hospital care, discharge planning and also follow-up in the community. Interventions including carers that take place both in the hospital and the community have the clearest evidence for benefit on relapse reduction.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Comprehensive interventions have the best evidence for effectiveness but challenges in their implementation and resourcing should be considered. It might worth trying to identify and test simpler interventions focusing on discharge planning that can be used in busy services and require more limited resources whilst providing opportunities for the participation of carers.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Involving informal carers (family and friends of patients) in mental health interventions can lead to positive clinical and psychosocial outcomes such as relapse prevention or treatment adherence.

AIM/QUESTION

To explore the evidence on the effectiveness of different models that involve carers in the transition between hospital and community mental health care.

METHODS

Five electronic databases (PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus) and Grey literature (Open Grey and Grey Literature report) were systematically searched. The results were analysed using a narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

Fourteen papers were identified. They described twelve interventions that were categorized into three groups: 1) purely educational programmes in preparation of discharge; 2) programmes that involved carers in planning the transition from the mental health inpatient treatment to community mental health services; and 3) programmes that bridged into the aftercare involving carers in community follow-up. The most comprehensive interventions, i.e. those including psychoeducation, care planning and aftercare follow-up were better evaluated and showed a clearer benefit in improving long-term outcomes and, in particular, reduce re-hospitalization.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Comprehensive interventions showed the clearest benefit in improving long-term clinical outcomes of patients. Future research should explore implementation, costs and cost-effectiveness, as comprehensive interventions delivered across different settings are likely to require wide-ranging organizational changes and significant resources.

Factors Associated With Discharge Planning Practices for Patients Receiving Inpatient Psychiatric Care

OBJECTIVE

This study examined associations of patient, hospital, and service system factors with provision of discharge planning to individuals treated in hospital psychiatric units.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort analysis used 2012-2013 New York State Medicaid claims data of 18,185 patients ages <65 years who were treated in hospital psychiatric units and discharged to the community. The claims data were linked to data from managed behavioral health care organizations indicating whether inpatient staff scheduled a follow-up outpatient appointment with a mental health provider. Additional data regarding hospital and service system characteristics were obtained from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey, the Area Health Resource File, and other state administrative databases. Rates and adjusted odds ratios were assessed for the likelihood of inpatient staff scheduling a follow-up appointment.

RESULTS

Inpatient staff scheduled outpatient appointments for 79.8% of discharges. The adjusted odds of not having an outpatient appointment scheduled as part of the patient's discharge plan were significantly associated with several factors, including being homeless on admission, having a diagnosis of a co-occurring substance use disorder, having high levels of medical comorbid conditions, and not being engaged in psychiatric outpatient services in the month prior to admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient characteristics were more strongly associated with failure to receive discharge planning than were hospital and service system characteristics.

Clients' Preferences for Family Involvement and Subsequent Family Contact Patterns Within OnTrackNY Early Psychosis Services

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about clients' preferences for family involvement and subsequent family contact in naturalistic, community-based coordinated specialty care (CSC) settings. The study's primary goal was to characterize clients' preferences and longitudinal patterns of family contact with providers across the OnTrackNY network in New York.

METHODS

Clinical administrative data collected at 3-month intervals and spanning 21 OnTrackNY CSC sites were used to analyze the preferences of 761 clients at baseline (unconditional involvement, conditional involvement, or no involvement) and patterns of family contact with program staff (always, sometimes, never, or early discharge) and their correlates during the initial 12-month service period. Data from clients discharged before 12 months were included for comparison.

RESULTS

At baseline, most clients requested some form of family involvement (unconditional, 59%; conditional, 35%; and none, 6%). Within each 3-month assessment period, rates of family contact ranged from 73% to 84%. Variables associated with both client preferences and contact patterns included baseline insurance status, housing status, race, frequency of family contact, and employment. Clients' preferences for no or conditional family involvement were associated with higher rates of early discharge (i.e., before 1 year).

CONCLUSIONS

Structuring family involvement around clients' preferences did not appear to negatively affect family contact, and for some clients, it seemed to bolster such contact. Additional mixed-methods research is needed to deepen the understanding of the contexts and reasoning underlying both client preferences for family involvement and subsequent levels of family contact.

Violence by Persons with Serious Mental Illness Toward Family Caregivers and Other Relatives: A Review

Persons living with serious mental illness (SMI) are at a modestly increased risk of committing violence and are disproportionately likely to target family members when they do commit violence. In this article, we review available evidence regarding violence by persons with SMI toward family members, many of whom are caregivers. Evidence suggests that a sizable minority of family members with high levels of contact with persons with SMI have experienced violence, with most studies finding rates of past year victimization to be 20% or higher. Notable risk factors for family violence pertaining specifically to persons with SMI include substance use, nonadherence to medications and mental health treatment, history of violent behavior, and recent victimization. Notable risk factors pertaining specifically to the relationships between persons with SMI and family members include persons with SMI relying on family members for tangible and instrumental support, family members setting limits, and the presence of criticism, hostility, and verbal aggression. As described in qualitative studies, family members often perceive violence to be connected to psychiatric symptoms and inadequate treatment experiences. We argue that promising strategies for preventing violence by persons with SMI toward family members include (1) better engaging persons with SMI in treatment, through offering more recovery-oriented care, (2) strengthening support services for persons with SMI that could reduce reliance on family members, and (3) supporting the capabilities of family members to prevent and manage family conflict. The available interventions that may be effective in this context include McFarlane's Multifamily Group intervention and the Family-to-Family educational program.

The Importance of "Being There": a Qualitative Study of What Veterans with Depression Want in Social Support

BACKGROUND

Social connectedness exerts strong influences on health, including major depression and suicide. A major component of social connectedness is having individual relationships with close supports, romantic partners, and other trusted members of one's social network.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to understand how individuals' relationships with close supports might be leveraged to improve outcomes for primary care patients with depression and at risk for suicide.

DESIGN

In this qualitative study, we used a semi-structured interview guide to probe patient experiences, views, and preferences related to social support.

PARTICIPANTS

We conducted interviews with 30 primary care patients at a Veterans Health Administration (VA) medical center who had symptoms of major depression and a close support.

APPROACH

Thematic analysis of qualitative interview data examined close supports' impact on patients. We iteratively developed a codebook, used output from codes to sort data into themes, and selected quotations that exemplified themes for inclusion in this manuscript.

KEY RESULTS

"Being there" as an important quality of close supports emerged as a key concept. "Being there" was defined in three ways: physical proximity, frequent or responsive contact, or perceived availability. Close supports who were effective at "being there" possessed skills in intuitively sensing the patient's emotional state and communicating indirectly about depression. Three major barriers to involving close supports in depression care were concerns of overburdening the close support, a perception that awareness of the patient's depression would make the close support unnecessarily worried, and a desire and preference among patients to handle depression on their own.

CONCLUSIONS

"Being there" represents a novel, patient-generated way to conceptualize and talk about social support. Suicide prevention initiatives such as population-level communication campaigns might be improved by incorporating language used by patients and addressing attitudinal barriers to allowing help and involvement of close supports.

Medical comorbid diagnoses among adult psychiatric inpatients

OBJECTIVE

Shortened life expectancy of people with mental disorders has been attributed to medical comorbidities, yet these conditions remain under-recognized and under-treated. This study characterizes the medical demands placed on inpatient psychiatric units to help guide medical assessment and management practices in these settings.

METHODS

Medicaid claims records and clinician data were linked with hospital and regional data for individuals with a principal diagnosis of any mental disorder admitted to psychiatric inpatient units in New York State from 2012 to 2013. A modified Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI) score was calculated for each unique individual (n = 14,458). Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of having a medical comorbidity were calculated using logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

74.9% of psychiatric inpatients had at least one medical comorbidity, including 57.5% of people ages 18-24. Higher rates of medical comorbidity were associated with older age, female gender, non-schizophrenia diagnoses, and engagement in care prior to hospitalization. Patients with medical comorbidities had lower odds (AOR 0.54; 99% CI 0.35-0.83) of being treated in hospitals with 100 or more total beds compared to smaller hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

A high prevalence of common medical diagnoses among psychiatric inpatients underscores the importance of adequate detection and medical treatment of medical comorbidities in psychiatric inpatient settings.