title: Evaluation of a patient activation and empowerment intervention in mental health care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence suggests that minority populations have lower levels of attendance and retention in mental health care than non-Latino whites. Patient activation and empowerment interventions may be effective in increasing minority patients' attendance and retention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study developed and evaluated a patient self-reported activation and empowerment strategy in mental health care.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Right Question Project-Mental Health (RQP-MH) trainings consisted of 3 individual sessions using a pre/post test comparison group design with patients from 2 community mental health clinics. The RQP-MH intervention taught participants to identify questions that would help them consider their role, process and reasons behind a decision; and empowerment strategies to better manage their care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 231 participated, completing at least the pretest interview (n = 141 intervention site, 90 comparison site).
  
  
  METHODS
  Four main outcomes were linked to the intervention: changes in self-reported patient activation; changes in self-reported patient empowerment; treatment attendance; and retention in treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings show that intervention participants were over twice as likely to be retained in treatment and over 3 times more likely than comparison participants to have scheduled at least 1 visit during the 6-month follow-up period. Similarly, intervention participants demonstrated 29% more attendance to scheduled visits than comparison patients. There was no evidence of an effect on self-reported patient empowerment, only on self-reported patient activation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results demonstrate the intervention's potential to increase self-reported patient activation, retention, and attendance in mental health care for minority populations. By facilitating patient-provider communication, the RQP-MH intervention may help minorities effectively participate in mental health care.
authors.affiliation: Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, Cambridge Health Alliance, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. malegria@charesearch.org
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alegría
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polo
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Luz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rothstein
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.forename: Mary Lyons
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mendieta
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oddo
authors.forename: Sharon-Lise
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Normand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011209:Power, Psychological