IngentaConnect A qualitative study of primary health care access, barriers and s...

Authors: McCabe, Marita¹; Leas, Loranie¹

Source: Psychology, Health and Medicine, Volume 13, Number 3, May 2008 , pp. 303-312(10)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

Abstract:

Research has found that a substantial proportion of individuals with mental illness have high morbidity and mortality rates, and high under-diagnosis of major physical illnesses. Furthermore, people with a mental illness tend not to seek out or utilise health care services. The reasons for the negative attitudes and behaviour towards health care services among this population have not been investigated. This paper presents findings from a study that investigated the health care service needs of people with mental illness (n = 20), and views from health care providers (n = 16) regarding access to these services by people with a mental illness. Results indicated that psychiatric patients identified a range of barriers to their health care usage and low levels of health care satisfaction. These views were shared with health care professionals. Reasons for these findings and strategies to address these problems so that there is better access to health care services for people with mental illness are discussed.

Keywords: Health care needs; health care services; mental illness; satisfaction with services

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/13548500701473952

Affiliations: 1: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia

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A qualitative study of primary health care access, barriers and satisfaction among people with mental illness