Video-based Rehabilitation of Citizens with Mental Illness

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of citizens with mental incapacities who used a video communication system with their social workers in order to avoid readmission and prevent worsening of symptoms. Context: 57 adult citizens, female n=30, mean age=35,3 (22;67), male n=27, mean age = 39,7 (19;67) primary diagnoses with depression (n=2), schizophrenia (n=29), paranoia (n=3), manicdepression (n=2), mentally challenged (n=15) and brain damage (n=6) have had a video-based communication system installed in their homes in order to communicate more effectively with their social worker. Each citizen has used the system for a period of 6-18 months. The aims of the research project were twofold: first, to avoid readmission of the citizens to a psychiatric hospital, and second, to prevent worsening of symptoms by giving the citizens the possibility to communicate virtually with a team of social workers on a 24/7 basis. The project was conducted in Esbjerg Municipality in Denmark, beginning in 2013, and is ongoing. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were been conducted with 15 of the 57 adult citizens with mental incapacities who received video-based communication equipment. The respondents represent the largest diagnosis group in the trial. They used the video equipment for an average of 7.3 months (6;8.5). The 15 citizens were diagnosed with schizophrenia (n=13) or paranoia (n=2). Interviews were carried out with 7 males , mean age = 33,0 (24;45) and 8 females, mean age = 37,8 (22;61). The interviews lasted from 30-60 minutes each. The purpose of the interviews was to learn how citizens experienced the use of video communications as part of their rehabilitation from a mental illness Participant-observation was also performed, focusing on how the citizens used the videocommunication system in their everyday life. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using NVivo 10.