King Olivia, Ingwersen Kate, Bufton Brooke, Hitch Danielle, Dupre Brodie, Harding Melita, Mayhew Catherine, van de Ven Sarah
University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, Australia.
South West Healthcare, Warrnambool, Australia.
Health Soc Care Community. 2022 Sep;30(5):e2638-e2647. doi: 10.1111/hsc.13707. Epub 2022 Jan 5.
General community occupational therapists (OTs) work with clients experiencing chronic and complex conditions, some living with one or more comorbid common mental health issues (such as anxiety, depression or distress). This study aimed to describe the perspectives of general community OTs of their engagement with clients experiencing mental health issues; their perceptions of the implementation of routine screening in their practice, and the knowledge, skills and support they need to identify and support their clients' mental health needs. Six focus groups were undertaken with general community OTs (n = 21) from three Australian health services in rural, regional and metropolitan settings, between December 2020 and January 2021. Data were analysed using a team-based framework approach. Three key themes were identified: (1) OTs' experiences working with people with mental health issues; (2) impacts of engaging with clients experiencing mental health issues on OTs; and (3) implementing routine mental health screening in general community OT practice. The latter had two sub-themes: (i) identified considerations and (ii) education and system-level support needs. General community OTs frequently work with clients with mental health issues. These experiences impact their practice in multiple ways. This study highlights opportunities for integrating routine mental health screening into general community OT practice and identifies the system and educational development required to support this enhancement to practice. Supporting general community OTs to routinely screen for mental health issues will enhance collaborative client-centred care. Our findings may also have implications for other community-based health professionals and services, particularly those delivered in clients' homes.
普通社区职业治疗师（OTs）与患有慢性和复杂疾病的客户合作，其中一些人还患有一种或多种共病的常见心理健康问题（如焦虑、抑郁或痛苦）。本研究旨在描述普通社区职业治疗师对与有心理健康问题的客户接触的看法；他们对在实践中实施常规筛查的认知，以及识别和支持客户心理健康需求所需的知识、技能和支持。2020年12月至2021年1月期间，对来自澳大利亚农村、地区和大都市地区三个医疗服务机构的普通社区职业治疗师（n = 21）进行了六个焦点小组访谈。采用基于团队的框架方法对数据进行分析。确定了三个关键主题：（1）职业治疗师与有心理健康问题的人合作的经历；（2）与有心理健康问题的客户接触对职业治疗师的影响；（3）在普通社区职业治疗实践中实施常规心理健康筛查。后者有两个子主题：（i）确定的考虑因素和（ii）教育及系统层面的支持需求。普通社区职业治疗师经常与有心理健康问题的客户合作。这些经历在多个方面影响他们的实践。本研究强调了将常规心理健康筛查纳入普通社区职业治疗实践的机会，并确定了支持这种实践改进所需的系统和教育发展。支持普通社区职业治疗师常规筛查心理健康问题将加强以客户为中心的协作护理。我们的研究结果也可能对其他社区卫生专业人员和服务产生影响，特别是那些在客户家中提供的服务。
