Patients’, and their caregivers’, engagement in the treatment of mental illness can have drastic effects on health care outcomes. For example, high patient activation has been shown to lower rates of costly hospitalizations and emergency department visits.i The patient / caregiver voice provides essential details that only the individual being treated can define (e.g. life goals), and that may vary in significant ways from treatment goals defined by health care professionals. As behavioral health moves its focus toward measuring value, it’s increasingly important for all stakeholders to consider the unique insights that patients and caregivers can provide. During March, PsychU is encouraging its members to check out its special collection of curated resources revolving around patients and caregivers (below).
iHibbard, J. & Green, J. (2013). What the evidence shows about patient activation: Better health outcomes and care experiences; Fewer data on costs. Health Affairs (32)2: 207-214. Retrieved January 6, 2017 from http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/32/2/207.full.pdf+html
During part three of a four part interview, Carol Kivler, an author and founder of Courageous Recovery, Inc., a nonprofit that advocates for mental illness recovery, will provide her perspective on how nursing professionals, often at the forefront of healthcare, can enrich and enhance the lives of depressed individuals, their families, and friends.
Listen NowStudies have shown patient engagement is associated with lower diagnostic testing and expenditures, referrals, and elective surgeries.
Patient activation – a measure shown to lower rates of hospitalizations and emergency room visits – refers to a patient’s health care knowledge, skills, and ability to manage their own care.
Up to 21% higher medical costs have been demonstrated in individuals with low patient activation scores when compared with their peers with the highest level of patient activation.
Studies have shown patient engagement is associated with higher adherence to prescribed treatments, levels of satisfaction, and health literacy.
Individuals diagnosed with a mental illness have been shown to enter and stay in treatment longer when multiple interventions strategies are used to engage the individual.
Studies on caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia have shown they experience high levels of stress due to feelings of being overwhelmed. Stress for these individuals increases due to communication difficulties, patient symptomatology, and financial distress.
Working outside of the home, generating income, and maintaining activities other than caregiving may protect a caregiver’s mental health.
An estimated 8.4 million Americans provide care to an adults with emotional or mental health issues.
Over half of mental health caregivers (55%) feel they are involved in treatment conversations as often as they feel is needed.
In a 2015 study, 1 in 5 caregivers indicated they were unable to see positive aspects of their own lives due to the emotional burden of caring for an individual with serious mental illness.
Recommendations for engaging patients and caregivers in treatment involve giving them a meaningful role in the treatment planning process and individualizing their care based upon their current activation and knowledge levels.