Parker Stephen, Chapman Maddison, Wyder Marianne, Pommeranz Matthew, Walgers Rebecca, Dark Frances, Meurk Carla
Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Service, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2025 Jan;60(1):95-111. doi: 10.1007/s00127-024-02716-z. Epub 2024 Jul 16.
Community-based residential mental health rehabilitation units for people experiencing severe and persistent mental illness are increasingly available in Australia. Research completed 20 years ago suggested that people leaving these services often experienced impoverished social lives and other challenges in the community. It is unclear whether contemporary consumers experience similar difficulties. This qualitative study explored contemporary consumers' experiences after leaving community-based residential services.
An inductive qualitative content analysis of individual interviews was completed with consumers 12-18 months following discharge from three community care units (CCUs) in Queensland, Australia. The interview schedule explored three questions: (1) What does life look like after leaving the CCU, (2) Has the CCU impacted their life, and (3) How could the CCU experience be improved? A convenience sample was used, with sampling continuing until thematic saturation was achieved. A member of the research team who had relevant lived experience actively supported the analysis and interpretation.
Seventeen interviews were completed. Three themes were identified: 'life is better but not without challenges', 'the CCU helps you get ready to go out into the world', and 'strict rules are important but rigid expectations can be hard; things could be better'.
Consumers reflected positively on their lives post-discharge from a community-based residential rehabilitation unit and viewed the service as having supported improvements in their lives. The findings suggest the appropriateness of optimism about the possibility of sustained improvements in quality of life after leaving community-based transitional residential rehabilitation support.
在澳大利亚，为患有严重和持续性精神疾病的人提供的社区寄宿式心理健康康复机构越来越多。20年前完成的研究表明，离开这些服务机构的人在社区中往往经历着贫困的社交生活和其他挑战。目前尚不清楚当代的服务对象是否也会遇到类似的困难。这项定性研究探讨了当代服务对象离开社区寄宿式服务后的经历。
对澳大利亚昆士兰州三个社区护理单元（CCU）出院12至18个月后的服务对象进行了个人访谈，并完成了归纳性定性内容分析。访谈提纲探讨了三个问题：（1）离开CCU后的生活是怎样的，（2）CCU是否对他们的生活产生了影响，以及（3）如何改善在CCU的体验？采用了便利抽样法，抽样持续进行直至达到主题饱和。一名具有相关生活经历的研究团队成员积极支持分析和解读工作。
完成了17次访谈。确定了三个主题：“生活有所改善但并非没有挑战”、“CCU帮助你为融入社会做好准备”以及“严格的规定很重要，但刻板的期望可能难以承受；情况可以变得更好”。
服务对象对从社区寄宿式康复机构出院后的生活给予了积极评价，并认为该服务有助于改善他们的生活。研究结果表明，对于离开社区过渡性寄宿康复支持后生活质量持续改善的可能性持乐观态度是合理的。
