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Description
In Poland, the number of people suffering from mental disorders is rising systematically: currently it is approximately 23% of the population. There are only 6 psychiatrists and 18 nurses per 100 000 inhabitants in Poland, which is half the psychiatric staff in neighbouring countries (Germany, the Czech Republic). There is a lack of research into the needs of people experiencing mental disorders. There are many scientific studies on the disorders themselves, but they do not take into account the perspective of patients. Another problem is the asymmetry in the patient – psychiatric care relationship. There is a lack of developed standards for cooperation, e.g. communication with patients nad their families with empathy and in open dialogue. Professionals in psychiatric care adopt a dominant attitude and often overlook patients and their families in the treatment process. We recognise the need for changes in the health care system to increase the effectiveness of treatment. Low public awareness related to mental disorders is also a challenge. 73% of people surveyed believe that people suffering from mental disorders usually hide their illness, only 37% declared that attitudes towards people with mental disorders are friendly, 45% feel sufficiently informed about mental health problems, but as many as 83% have experienced discrimination. In our project we want to develop a model relationship between patients and mental health care and encourage the implementation of innovative solutions in the health care system. We will conduct survey on experiences and needs of patients and their families, inspired by the idea of participatory action research (i.e. research with and for people, not on people). We will carry out workshops and a seminar, and implement a promotional campaign disseminating the effects of the project in the medical community. Our activities will increase social awareness and change attitudes of a part of the society towards people with mental disorders.
Summary of project results
The need to implement the project results from the growing percentage of people with mental disorders in the EU, where 38.2% of the population suffers from them every year. The problem is particularly noticeable in Poland, where the number of hospitalizations and patients with mental disorders is systematically increasing, reaching the level of 729 people per 100,000 in 2016. inhabitants. Additionally, staffing shortages in the mental health sector are alarming, with only 6 psychiatrists per 100,000. inhabitants in Poland, compared to much higher rates in other EU countries.
The project aims to respond to gaps in research regarding the needs of people experiencing mental disorders. Participatory research has been planned to enable patients and their families to actively participate in creating research and solutions. This will allow you to better understand their expectations and needs.
There is also a problem of asymmetry in the patient-mental health care relationship, which is manifested by a lack of appropriate communication and cooperation. The project aims to counteract these dysfunctions through workshops, seminars and campaigns promoting better standards of cooperation and empathy in health care.
Another area that the project intends to influence is low social awareness of mental disorders. Research shows that the majority of society tends to stigmatize people with disorders, which the project plans to change through educational activities aimed at raising awareness and changing social attitudes.
These activities aim not only to improve the quality of health care and support for people with mental disorders, but also to increase their autonomy and influence on decisions regarding their mental health and well-being.
As part of the "Healing Power of the Right Relationship" project, which aims to improve relationships between patients and mental health services, a number of activities were carried out:
1. **Self-research on the experiences and needs of patients and their families**:
- Three research groups consisting of patients, their parents and specialists were established and trained.
- 30 informal interviews were conducted with patients and their families, the results of which are transcripts available for further analysis.
2. **Study of specialists'' perception of relationships with patients**:
- 15 informal interviews with specialists were conducted and transcribed.
3. **Workshops and seminars**:
- Two 3-hour discussion workshops were conducted with the participation of 11 people and a summarizing seminar, which gathered 59 stationary and 30 online participants. The seminar reached 272 accounts during the second part of the meeting.
4. **Promotion and dissemination activities**:
- A project website and Facebook fanpage were created, which allowed us to reach approximately 9,000 recipients and followers.
- A starting brochure and a summary leaflet with conclusions and postulates were developed, which are available on the project website and distributed among interested parties. The brochure was distributed to 411 people in paper and electronic form.
The "Healing Power of the Right Relationship" project focuses on developing a model of positive cooperation and communication between patients and psychiatric specialists, striving to implement friendly solutions supporting both parties in the treatment and care process.
To summarize the results of the "Healing Power of the Right Relationship" project, its implementation has brought significant benefits for both psychiatric patients, their families and mental health specialists:
1. **Researcher involvement**:
- 2 patient researchers, 2 parent researchers and 3 specialist researchers were included in the project, which allowed for a deeper understanding of the needs and expectations of all parties.
2. **Effects of workshops and research**:
- Self-research on the experiences of patients and their families was carried out, as well as a study on the perception of relationships with patients by specialists. These activities resulted in a list of conclusions and postulates that help understand and address challenges in patient-specialist relationships.
3. **Seminars and publications**:
- A summary seminar was organized and a brochure was published with the standards of the new approach in patients'' relations with psychiatric care. 89 people took part in the seminar, both stationary and online.
4. **Impact on recipients**:
- Thanks to promotional and educational activities, information about the project reached approximately 9,000 recipients, which contributed to increasing awareness of new treatment methods and the importance of building positive relationships in psychiatry.
5. **Long-lasting impact**:
- The standards developed and conclusions from the workshops constitute the basis for further activities aimed at improving the quality of psychiatric care. Leaflets and training materials have been made publicly available, which allows free and unlimited access to the developed solutions. The "Pomost" Association implemented these standards, which had a positive impact on everyday work with patients.
These results indicate that although it is still too early to talk about significant changes in the effectiveness of treatment, the actions taken significantly contribute to improving the relationship between patients and psychiatric care, which is crucial for a better understanding and more effective addressing of mental health problems.