title: Mental health consumer participation in education: a structured literature review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Consumer participation in design, delivery and evaluation of occupational therapy educational programs is a recently introduced requirement for accreditation. It aligns with the principle of recovery, which underpins Australian mental health policy. Graduates' capabilities for recovery-oriented practice are thought to be enhanced through learning from consumers' lived experience. This structured literature review evaluates the current evidence for mental health consumer participation in health professional education to inform occupational therapy educators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Searches were completed in five online databases, one journal and published reading lists on the topic. Studies were included if they addressed mental health consumer participation in health professional education programs, were published in peer reviewed journals between 2000 and 2014 and were in English. Articles were critically reviewed, and analysed for key findings related to stages of the educational process and recovery-oriented practice capabilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An emerging body of evidence for consumer participation in mental health education was identified. Studies are characterised by a lack of quality and a low to medium level of evidence. Findings relate to design, planning, delivery and evaluation of education as well as to most aspects of recovery-oriented practice. Emphases on exploratory research and proximal outcomes, and a reliance on published outcome measurement instruments designed for other purposes are key limitations in this body of evidence.
  This study identifies a weak evidence base for the requirement for consumer participation in occupational therapy programs, specifically related to mental health curricula. A research agenda is proposed in response.
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arblaster
authors.affiliation: University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Lynette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.affiliation: Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Willis
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education*; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations
keywords: consumer participation; education; mental health; occupational therapy; public health professional