Health outcomes for people with serious mental illness: a case study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe outcomes of clients with serious mental illnesses who used regional public mental health services; and what the public mental health system did well or needed to change to better satisfy clients' needs.


METHODS
A modal case study analysis method was used with 15 clients. Participants were interviewed three times.


RESULTS
Participants reported dissatisfaction with their social functioning and general health, and unmet needs for case management services, social/recreational activities, and vocational rehabilitation.


CONCLUSIONS
The case study method is an effective way for nurses to evaluate public mental health systems and to determine areas for system intervention.
College of Nursing, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. Tbadger@nursing.arizona.edu
Terry A
TA
Badger
Cheryl
C
McNiece
Elizabeth
E
Bonham
Jennifer
J
Jacobson
Alan J
AJ
Gelenberg
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D019090:Case Management; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D016352:Group Homes; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000451:nursing*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology