Client-centered Services Research Articles

Differentiated Service Delivery Models for Maintaining HIV Treatment and Prevention Services During Crisis and Disease Outbreaks: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This review summarizes differentiated service delivery (DSD) models for HIV treatment and prevention that have been adapted for maintaining continuity of services during the COVID-19 pandemic and proposes strategies for sustaining their benefits now and during future disruptions. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an overburdened and disrupted health system, forcing countries to adopt and/or scale up DSD models for HIV services. While initially implemented as emergency measures, these models evolved and were refined over time to fit recipient needs ensuring continued HIV treatment and prevention services with minimal health system impact. Successful models employed task shifting, community-based delivery models, multimonth scripting and dispensing, and telehealth for remote consultation. DSD models enabled HIV services globally to be maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though these models and adaptations were critical in addressing health gaps and disruptions caused by the pandemic, they were beneficial in improving efficiency and access to client-centered services and should be sustained.

Perspectives of Canadian health leaders on the relationship between medical assistance in dying and palliative and end-of-life care services: a qualitative study.

Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) was legalized in Canada in 2016, but coordination of MAiD and palliative and end-of-life care (PEOLC) services remains underdeveloped. We sought to understand the perspectives of health leaders across Canada on the relationship between MAiD and PEOLC services and to identify opportunities for improved coordination. In this quantitative study, we purposively sampled health leaders across Canada with expertise in MAiD, PEOLC, or both. We conducted semi-structured interviews between April 2021 and January 2022. Interview transcripts were coded independently by 2 researchers and reconciled to identify key themes using content analysis. We applied the PATH framework for Integrated Health Services to guide data collection and analysis. We conducted 36 interviews. Participants expressed diverse views about the optimal relationship between MAiD and PEOLC, and the desirability of integration, separation, or coordination of these services. We identified 11 themes to improve the relationship between the services across 4 PATH levels: client-centred services (e.g., educate public); health operations (e.g., cultivate compassionate and proactive leadership); health systems (e.g., conduct broad and inclusive consultation and planning); and intersectoral initiatives (e.g., provide standard practice guidelines across health care systems). Health leaders recognized that cooperation between MAiD and PEOLC services is required for appropriate referrals, care coordination, and patient care. They identified the need for public and provider education, standardized practice guidelines, relationship-building, and leadership. Our findings have implications for MAiD and PEOLC policy development and clinical practice in Canada and other jurisdictions.

Trauma-Informed Cultural Humility Mental Health Practice: Centering History among African American Women.

Social work has made significant strides in providing mental health services. However, advancement in mental health practices grounded in social work values, such as trauma-informed care and cultural humility mental health practice (CHMHP), is still lacking. One possible reason is that many strategies overlook clients' historical contexts, particularly the collective history held by the community to which the client belongs. By centering "history" in social work practices, clinical social workers can be more equipped to provide high-quality, client-centered services. This article advocates for adopting trauma-informed CHMHP as a critical strategy to elevate history in clinical social work practice and proposes that trauma-informed CHMHP can improve mental health service quality among clients of color who are profoundly disrupted by historical trauma. Specifically, this article proposes that using trauma-informed CHMHP to address historical trauma can enhance mental health treatment outcomes and experiences for African American women. Clinical social workers trained to address these interconnected issues can help reduce disparities in quality treatment access.

Promising practices for providing effective tenancy support services: a qualitative case study situated in the southeastern United States

Tenancy support services (TSS) allow homeless or institutionalized people with disabilities to obtain and maintain housing in community settings. In the United States, Medicaid is expanding to include coverage for these services. We conducted a comparison case study of two high performing North Carolina (NC) TSS provider agencies, augmented with the voices of key stakeholders in NC and experienced leaders in Louisiana, to explore promising practices for providing effective TSS. Through employing a Housing First philosophy, client centered service delivery, teams with specialized positions, a supportive environment for staff, and staff training TSS outcomes of increased housing, housing retention, improved health, social connection, and enhanced quality of life for residents were achieved. Study findings are intended to inform TSS agencies, state officials, and other stakeholders interested in effective TSS provision.

Comparison of Priority Occupational Performance of Children with Cerebral Palsy from the Perspective of Children, Parents, and Occupational Therapists in Isfahan in 2021

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-progressive complication of the developing brain that leads to movement problems and occupational performance limitations in the activities of daily living of children with CP. Therefore, getting a sense conception of the children, parents, and occupational therapists’ occupational performance priority to providing client-centered services in performing the activities of daily living of children with CP is extremely important. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the priorities of occupational performance from the perspective of children with CP, parents, and occupational therapists and compare their priorities with each other. Methods: This descriptive-analytical comparative study was conducted in Isfahan in 2021. The research population included 115 CP children aged 6 - 12 years, their parents, and occupational therapists in the occupational therapy department of rehabilitation clinics, rehabilitation centers, and occupational therapy department of hospitals in Isfahan city. Occupational performance priorities of children with CP, their parents, and occupational therapists were assessed through the valid and reliable Canadian occupational performance measurement (COPM). Results: In this research, 115 children with CP, their parents, and occupational therapists participated. Comparison of occupational performance priorities of children with CP from the perspective of children, parents, and occupational therapists showed that the most important occupational performance priority of children with CP from the perspective of these three groups is the same and related to self-care activities and includes activities, such as walking, going up and down the stairs, toileting, and going to the bathroom (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Children with CP, their parents, and occupational therapists reported occupational performance priorities in similar performance dimensions in the age groups of 6 to 12 years for children with CP, which are mainly focused on self-care activities. The attention of occupational therapists to the priorities of children and parents can increase their participation in the rehabilitation process of these children.

Choosing Discourse Types That Align With Person-Centered Goals in Aphasia Rehabilitation: A Clinical Tutorial

Purpose: People with aphasia and their families want rehabilitation services that improve real-world communication. Thus, clinicians and researchers have increased focus on discourse-level interventions and outcome measures, most often using monologue tasks to assess discourse production and guide treatment planning. However, communication in everyday life usually involves participating in conversational discourse. This mismatch raises concern because the literature indicates that different types of discourse possess different linguistic and interactional characteristics and that the communication skills of people with aphasia vary across different types of discourse. In order to provide appropriate, client-centered services, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) need resources that outline the linguistic and interactional characteristics of each type of discourse. Few user-friendly materials of this sort exist. This tutorial aims to equip clinicians with essential foundational knowledge regarding features of narrative, procedural, and expository monologue, as well as conversation, to aid in the design of discourse-level interventions specific to each individual's discourse needs. Method: This tutorial provides an overview of the research regarding the structure and function of commonly assessed and treated forms of discourse, along with findings regarding the varied and unpredictable communicative performance of people with aphasia across the different types of discourse. We then provide practical applied clinical examples to illustrate the literature findings. Conclusion: Given the differences between types of discourse, when SLPs include discourse in a client's treatment program, the types of discourse activities the client wants to address should align very closely with the types of discourse assessed and treated in the clinic room.

Izazovi digitalizacije finansijskih transakcija

The accelerated development of information technologies has fundamentally changed and improved the functioning of the global financial system, financial markets and economic exchange. Digitization of the financial sector has generated new financial opportunities, improved the quality of financial services, enabled faster and cheaper financial transactions. The challenges accompanying the digital transformation of finances are related to the regulation and security of using new digital products, the possible abuse of digital money transfers, as well as the emergence of technology-based decentralized finances, which may be a factor of factor of financial instability in direct copmpetition with the traditional financial sectors. This paper discusses the current digital transformation in traditional financial systems and decentralized digital finance (DeFi) as an emerging technology enabling decentralized exchange of new forms of digital money and payment instruments. The products and services of different DeFi platforms are constantly evolving and may become part of open decentralized finance, i.e. they can function as a single financial platform. Open Finance would enable the standardization of data exchange and interoperability of different DeFi systems, but there is still a fact that DeFi systems emerged as independent systems that are not part of a common conceptual framework. The term Open Finance refers to the future open financial system, as a continuation of the development initiated by open banking, with the aim of making financial resources of clients more accessible in a wider range of services and platforms. The Open Finance concept is also being developed within the traditional financial sector. The key condition for the development of open finance is user trust and "the creation of a wider single data market" (European Union, 2022: 5). The planned concept of open finance includes: a wider choice for customers through access to a more customized and personalized range of services and products; improving access to and use of financial services in all business segments; in line with data protection rules, providing consumers and businesses with greater transparency about how their data is used; facilitating data interoperability in open finance; embedding an open finance approach to client-centred services in a general cross-sectoral framework (European Union, 2022: 6). Adequate regulation of traditional finance and decentralized digital finance is the basis of financial and economic stability. Central banks and regulatory authorities should integrate digital innovations in complex and dynamic decentralized financial sectors in order to monitor transactions, preserve financial stability and prevent money laundering. One part this paper focuses on virtual currencies. From the viewpoint of central banks, virtual currencies are not money in the true sense of the word, for a number of reasons: they are not regulated by laws (as they have their own rules and payment systems); they do not fully perform all the functions of money; they are not a generally accepted means of exchange and payment; they currently have a limited number of users; etc. Yet, we cannot ignore their likely expansion in the future, nor the fact that a significant amount of money is invested in virtual currencies.

Knowledge creation for the future of integrated health and social services: Vague visions or an expansion of activity?

This article analyses multi-professional knowledge creation in relation to the future of health and social services in Finland. The empirical data were collected from a workshop and it was carried out in cooperation between the representatives of higher education and working life. Workshop gave to its participants the possibility for multi-professional knowledge creation exercise to expand on future integrated health and social services. Participants saw digitalisation as enabling clients to use services and as offering more holistic help in incorporating clients' service histories and needs. The analytical framework is based on the cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) and the knowledge creation approach, which directs attention to creation of the future object of client-centred services and knowledge artefacts by means of which future visions are collectively imagined and concretised. The activity-theoretical analysis of the elements of the envisioned service activity brought into daylight contradictions between the present and the future in terms of overcoming the siloed services and acknowledging the diversity of the clients' situations. These challenges may be difficult to grasp by means of a knowledge creation exercise alone. However, the realization of future activity requires solving the contradictions of the present service and care.

Adherence to anti-seizure medications and associated factors among children with epilepsy at tertiary Hospital in Southwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundChildhood epilepsy causes a tremendous burden for the child, the family, society as well as the healthcare system. Adherence to anti-seizure medications (ASMs) is a key to treatment success. Poor adherence has been considered as one of the main causes of unsuccessful treatment for epilepsy and presents a potential ongoing challenge for achieving a key therapeutic goal of seizure control.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among children with epilepsy attending the Pediatrics neurology follow up clinic of Jimma Medical Center from June- 21 to September- 20, 2021. Data were collected by using a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire. Epidata version 3.1 and SPSS version 26.0 were used for data entry and analysis respectively. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis were employed. Adjusted odds ratios were used to ascertain effect sizes for any association between the dependent and associated variables while significance level at p-value of < 0.05 was determined using 95% confidence intervals.ResultA total of 170 children with epilepsy were included in this study. About 54.7% were male and 44.7% were in age range of 10–17 years. The overall adherence to anti-seizure medications was 54.1%. Those caregivers who were married [AOR = 7.46 (95% CI = 1.46, 38.20)], those children with controlled seizure status [AOR = 3.64 (95% CI = 1.51, 8.78)], those who got appropriate health care [AOR = 7.08(95% CI = 2.91, 17.24)], those caregivers who had good knowledge [AOR = 5.20(95% CI = 2.60,14.83)]; and positive attitude [AOR = 2.57 (95% CI = 1.06, 6.28)] towards epilepsy were significantly associated with adherence to anti-seizure medications.ConclusionsMore than half of the children/adolescents having epilepsy were adherent to their anti-seizure medication(s). Children’s adherence to anti- seizure medications was influenced by current marital status of the parents/caregivers, controlled seizure status, getting appropriate healthcare in the hospital, caregiver’s knowledge; and attitude towards epilepsy. More efforts are required to scale up the provision of client-centered service (provision of appropriate health care delivery, focus on quality of treatment and providing health education/counseling to improve caregivers’ knowledge and attitude towards epilepsy) to improve children’s adherence status to their medication(s) and seizure control status.

Predictors of treatment interruption among patients on antiretroviral therapy in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria: outcomes after 12 months

ABSTRACT Understanding the characteristics of people living with HIV who interrupt antiretroviral therapy (ART) is critical for designing client-centered services to ensure optimal outcomes. We assessed predictors of treatment interruption in 22 HIV clinics in Nigeria. We reviewed records of HIV-positive patients aged ≥15 years who started ART 1 January and 31 March 2019. We determined treatment status over 12 months as either active, or interrupted treatment (defined as interruption in treatment up to 28 days or longer). Potential predictors were assessed using Cox hazard regression models. Overall, 1185 patients were enrolled on ART, 829 (70%) were female, and median age was 32 years. Retention at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months was 85%, 80%, 76%, 72%, and 68%, respectively. Predictors of treatment interruption were post-secondary education (p = 0.04), diagnosis through voluntary counseling and testing (p < 0.001), receiving care at low-volume facilities (p < 0.001), lack of access to a peer counselor (p < 0.001), and residing outside the clinic catchment area (p = 0.03). Treatment interruption was common but can be improved by focusing on lower volume health facilities, providing peer support especially to those with higher education, and client-centered HIV services for those who live further from clinics..

Differences in Home-Care Services in Finland for Older Adults between 2012 and 2019 - A Developmental Evaluation Study

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate differences in client-centered approaches to home-care services for older adults from the perspectives of nurses and service managers in Finland. The research method used developmental evaluation. Developmental activities for client-centered services were implemented in three home-care organizations between 2012 and 2019. Home care nurses and service managers were interviewed individually and in groups at the beginning and end of the development process. Then, four categories of differences enabling operating models in client-centered care were identified: modernized client-centered service patterns, comprehensive service coordination, digital service environments technology utilization, and changing human resources. This study found a positive trend in adopting a client-centered approach and technology in home care services. In the implementation of home care practices, innovations for client-centered implementation of homecare should consider the renewal of service models, development of case management, and development and utilization of technology in homecare operating environments.

Forward: Measuring Progress Toward Epidemic Control.

Eighteen years ago, in the January 2003 State of the Union Address, PEPFAR was born as a clear expression of the compassion of the American people to end the human suffering of the AIDS epidemic and bring hope and life to communities around the globe. Over the next decade, with ambitious goals, programmatic evolution, and a keen focus on measuring outcomes and impact, PEPFAR demonstrated that anything is possible. Outcomes, such as viral load suppression, need to be measured specifically and directly at both the individual and community level and linked to the demographics of the population to ensure everyone in need of prevention or treatment receives services. Impact needs to be measured to demonstrate the value of policies, programs, and investments. Since 2014, PEPFAR has measured outcomes and impact in many ways, including through the pioneering national, population-based, HIV-focused PHIA surveys to estimate HIV prevalence, incidence, and, critically, individual-level and community-level viral load suppression. Beginning in 2016, results from the first 3 of these HIV surveys showed that once people started HIV treatment, regardless of age, sex, or location, most stayed on treatment and were virally suppressed. These survey results demonstrated that countries were moving toward epidemic control and were closer than expected to a time when the financial resources needed to address the epidemic would be sustainable. The surveys also provided a way to validate and improve HIV estimates derived from the excellent work of UNAIDS, in partnership with countries, on the Spectrum model. Although the survey results showed clear progress toward the sustainable development goals for HIV, they also identified critical programmatic gaps, such as the unacceptably high HIV incidence among young women and high HIV prevalence among 20- to 30-year-old persons. Both these findings underscored the urgency of reaching young people with prevention and treatment programming. In addition, few young men and women younger than 25 years were aware that they were infected with HIV; they were unknowingly able to infect others, and critically, they were not on life-saving treatment to protect their own health. PEPFAR responded quickly to these critical gaps by substantially increasing the investments in prevention and treatment for all young people and key populations. The surveys also called attention to the need to work with communities and governments to address structural barriers by changing policies to improve access to HIV treatment and highlighting the need for client-centered services. Survey results from Nigeria, Cameroon, and Cote d'Ivoire were instructive to partners and governments who came together to address the barriers posed to accessing health services by both formal and informal client fees. PEPFAR and the Global Fund supported governments in making policy changes, significantly increasing access and increasing equity of access to both prevention and treatment services. These surveys were complex in design and execution, returning test results in the household to individuals who consented to participate in the surveys; collecting, storing, and testing specimens from the remotest places; and collecting and analyzing data to rapidly inform the programming of PEPFAR resources. These surveys were historic for the improved outcomes and impact on HIV and TB/HIV programming, and they provide important lessons to benefit future global health programming. When PEPFAR began, HIV was a death sentence in many parts of the world, and the global community did not think that a public health approach to infectious disease at scale was plausible. Since 2016, 13 additional surveys have been completed across the PEPFAR-supported countries. Taken together, these surveys are demonstrating that when programmatic gaps are accurately measured, the global health community can respond with novel and scalable solutions to address population and geographic gaps and bring us closer to reaching epidemic control.

Factors Contributing to the Late Commencement of Antenatal Care at a Rural District Hospital in Lesotho

Antenatal care (ANC) is a key approach aimed at improving maternal and infant health. Numerous factors are associated with late commencement of antenatal care. Sub-Saharan Africa countries are exception to the problem of late commencement of antenatal care. The qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual approach was followed. The pregnant women meeting the inclusion criteria, were above 16 weeks and attended antenatal care at the time of the study. Different authorities granted permission to conduct face-to-face, unstructured in-depth interviews. Tesch approach enabled the qualitative researchers to immerse themselves through systematic organization and synthesis of data to create manageable units. an independent co-coder also analyzed data independently. Afterwards, they met and agreed on specific themes and sub-categories. The following five themes emerged; personal and family factors, cultural beliefs and practices, health systems and poor infrastructure. Measures aimed at improving accessibility to the health centers include; road infrastructure, telecommunication and more client centered services. Improvement of early commencement of antenatal services becomes an ideal approach influencing excellent maternal and neonatal outcomes. Therefore, government initiatives aimed at empowering communities on the benefits of commencing antenatal care on time is necessary.

Voice-related Experiences of Nonbinary Individuals (VENI) Development and Content Validity

Transgender individuals may seek a variety of gender-affirming health and educational services, including voice modification from speech-language pathologists. Measuring the client's self-perception of their communication experiences is crucial for providing client-centered services and measuring outcomes. However, there is currently no validated assessment tool for the nonbinary population, a part of the transgender population. This study explores the voice-related concerns and experiences among the nonbinary population to create a valid measure of their self-perception of voice. Ten nonbinary individuals were surveyed about their voice-related concerns and experiences. A thematic analysis of the responses led to the development of the questionnaire, titled the Voice-related Experiences of Nonbinary Individuals. The questionnaire was systematically evaluated for its content validity by a panel of speech-language pathologist experts in transgender voice services. Outcomes of this analysis supported the measure's content validity and motivated further revisions. This is the first assessment tool that measures self-perception of voice and voice-related experiences for nonbinary individuals. Initial psychometric testing supported its content validity and further research is needed for large-scale testing of validity and reliability.

A client-centered approach in home care for older persons – an integrative review

Objective To describe and synthesize client-centered care and service in home care for older persons. Methods The study was an integrative review using the guidelines for literature reviews by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The research process followed the Whittemore and Knafl framework and PRISMA toolkit in the selection of eligible articles. The CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and Social Sciences abstracts were searched for articles published between January 2007 and May 2020 according to previously designed search strategies. In total, 24 articles were deemed relevant for an analysis using a thematic analysis. Results The analysis resulted in four themes with sub-themes which revealed that client-centered care and service in home care consist of: 1) Clients’ involvement in their own care; self-care, decision-making, satisfactory daily life, 2) Family members’ and care partners’ participation in care; family members’ and care partners’ commitment to care, family members’ and care partners’ competence in care, 3) Communication and co-operation; communication models, empowerment, partnership, and 4) Evidence-based service competence; delivery and organization of services, implementation of services, versatile clinical skills, quality outcomes and personnel wellbeing. Conclusions According to the results, achieving client-centered care and service in home care requires the realization of all of the above aspects. The practice of nursing must better identify all dimensions of client-centered care and take these into account in the delivery of home care services. KEY POINTS Client-centeredness is a fundamental value and the basis of nursing and care in home care provided for older persons This paper: deepens and structures the concept of client-centered care in the context of home care. assists professionals to understand the factors behind client-centered care within the home care environment. provides deeper understanding of the roles of the older person, family members, and the service system in developing client-centered services in home care for older persons.

Mediating a Fragmented System: Partnership Experiences of Parents of Children with Neurodevelopmental and Neuromuscular Disabilities

The nature of relationships between service providers and parents of children with disabilities influences the health and wellbeing of parents and ultimately the quality of life of their children. The aim of this study was to explore parents’ perceptions of their partnerships with service providers. We explored what was and was not working within these service relationships and solicited ideas for improved partnerships and services. We employed a qualitative, participatory research approach and adapted the Reflexive Methodology of Analysis in Partnership developed by Boudreault and Kalubi (2006). Thematic analysis and critical interpretation of the statements created in two focus groups by eight parents of nine children with disabilities generated eight themes: system complexity; funding; communication; navigation and advocacy; education; segregation; emotional support; and connecting with parents. Parents described difficulties in mediating partnerships in an ineffective disability service system and proposed practical solutions to these problems. We suggest that the structure of the disability service system is the root of these problems and must be radically changed to realize true partnership and client-centered services. Implications from this study for policy and practice include transforming the structure of the system, streamlining the organization and location of service information and delivery, including parents on decision-making bodies, and creating spaces for mutual peer support for parents of children with disabilities.

Integrating Data To Advance Research, Operations, And Client-Centered Services In California.

The value of using administrative records for operational and evaluation purposes has been well established in health and human services. However, these records typically reflect the reach of a single government agency or program and fail to capture the experiences of individuals as they engage with different agencies or programs over time. Thus, the potential for these data to improve everyday operations, coordinate services, develop targeted interventions, and advance the science behind broader social policies has yet to be fully realized. A first step toward realizing that potential is to transition from an agency-centered to a client- or person-centered organization of data. We systematically linked tens of millions of records across California's largest health and human services programs. Our results underscore how the integration of records can help shift discussions from the programs that administer services to the people who are served.

Investigating the critical elements and psychosocial outcomes of Youth Flexible Assertive Community Treatment: a study protocol for an observational prospective cohort study

IntroductionWhen adolescents experience complex psychiatric and social problems, numerous healthcare services usually become involved. In these cases, fragmentation of care services is a risk that often results in both ineffective...

Virtually caring: a qualitative study of internet-based mental health services for LGBT young adults in rural Australia.

The study explored how lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young adults in rural Australian communities experience online mental health services. Online technologies hold potential to overcome health access barriers, but little is known in practice for this community. Interviews were conducted with nine LGBT young adults living in rural areas and six service providers who were responsible for the provision of internet-based mental health services. The results were analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis of the interviews with LGBT young adults and service providers revealed important insights and discrepancies. Findings revealed difficulties locating the right care and variation in views about how online services should be delivered. A potentially critical role for parents/guardians to play was found in facilitating access to services. The needs of LGBT youth in rural areas are complex and are unlikely to be met by an en masse approach to internet-based mental health care. The authors recommend that internet based mental healthcare providers work closely with LGBT and youth communities in rural areas to develop client-centred services that are customised to meet the unique needs of this community.

The relationship between community integration and mental health recovery in people with mental health issues living in the community: A quantitative study

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Mental health treatments have become patient-centred. Evaluating recovery in people with mental health difficulties living in the community can help to develop better client-centred services. Community integration is critical to recovery in patients with mental health difficulties. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This is the first study to use a single integrated measure of mental health recovery to evaluate the effect of community integration. Physical community integration was the easiest goal for most to reach. Developing independence/self-actualization was harder. In mental health recovery, most people were able to overcome stuckness. Developing abilities for basic functioning was harder. Participating in mental health centre day programmes promoted mental health recovery in people with mental health difficulties living in the community. Independence/self-actualization, psychological integration and social support improved mental health recovery in people with mental health difficulties living in the community. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: There is a need to develop and actively promote programmes that attract people with mental health difficulties living in the community so that they will actively use mental health centre services. Offering systematic social skills training and occupational rehabilitation therapy to people with mental health difficulties living in the community may help them function independently. Mental health service programmes should provide volunteer opportunities for people with mental health difficulties living in the community to facilitate a sense of belonging. Mental health nurses should serve as a social support resource for people with mental health difficulties living in the community by providing education to family and friends on how to support patients' recovery, and invigorating integration projects such as "making healthy friends." Abstract Introduction Although community integration of people with mental health difficulties and a consumer-centred recovery paradigm are of global importance, little research has been conducted on community integration factors that directly affect mental health recovery. Aim This study investigated the relationship between community integration and mental health recovery in people with mental health difficulties living in the community in South Korea. Method Data were collected from 155 people with mental health difficulties living in the community, using the Self-Reporting Scale of Community Integration and the Mental Health Recovery Measure (Korean version), and analysed using hierarchical regression analysis. Results Among the community integration subscales, independence/self-actualization, psychological integration and social support were significant factors in mental health recovery, explaining 47.3% of the variance. Discussion An effective intervention strategy for mental health recovery of people with mental health difficulties living in the community may reinforce community integration by carefully considering independence/self-actualization, psychological integration and social support. Implications for practice Mental health nurses should provide intervention to people with mental health difficulties living in the community to help them develop strategies for functioning independently, experiencing a sense of achievement and developing a sense belonging in the community.