Impact of shared mental health care in the general population on subjects’ perceptions of mental health care and on mental health status

Abstract

A community survey evaluated whether the development of a shared mental health care intervention had an impact on health care perceptions and mental health status of subjects with common mental health problems (MHP). Adults <70 years old with common MHP (DSM-IV/CIDI-SF major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety or MHI-SF 36 psychic distress diagnoses), were randomly drawn from the general population in the intervention area (IA, n = 349) and in a control area (CA, n = 360), and evaluated twice at an interval of 18 months (percentage of follow-up: IA = 69.3%, CA = 71.9%, P = .44). CA and IA groups did not differ for the criteria of interest at baseline. At 18 months, compared to CA, IA reported significantly different help-seeking attitudes or behaviours (P = .02 for all subjects and .006 for subjects with current MHP) and greater general satisfaction with care (P = .03 for both). Remission rates and daily life functioning did not differ. After 4 years of development of a mental health network based on a consultation-liaison model, Shared Mental Health Care was associated with greater satisfaction and access with care among subjects with common MHP. The association was not found with mental health status, but the study lacked power to adequately address the issues.