title: Australian case managers' perceptions of mental health consumers use of antipsychotic medications and associated side-effects.
abstract: The present study explores Australian case managers' perceptions of mental health consumers' use of antipsychotic medications and the side-effects resulting from these medications. Semistructured interviews were used to elicit material from nine case managers in a community care setting in South-East Queensland, Australia. Content analysis was used to examine the transcripts, and the audio-recordings were replayed to identify important contextual cues. The analysis identified several main themes, including perceptions of the use of antipsychotic medications and associated side-effects, the provision of information about antipsychotic medication side-effects; the assessment of antipsychotic medication side-effects; and the promotion of effective management of antipsychotic medication side-effects. The participants believed that antipsychotic medication provided clear benefits to mental health consumers. Most participants believed that consumers adapted to side-effects and came to accept them. The case managers themselves often felt poorly informed about antipsychotic medication side-effects, leading them to request more succinct types of information. It was notable to find that there was a lack of systematic approach to the assessment of side-effects. This finding highlighted the need to incorporate the routine structured assessment of antipsychotic medication side-effects in providing care to mental health consumers in the community.
authors: School of Health Professions, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Morrison
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Meehan
authors: Norman Jay
authors: NJ
authors: Stomski
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019090:Case Management; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000451:nursing*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education; D011793:Queensland
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: adverse effect; antipsychotic medication; case manager; qualitative research; side-effects