People Living In Community Research Articles

The role of BACP in maximising the potential of counselling and psychological therapies research in the UK: Benefitting clients, communities, and societies

AbstractThe British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is the largest professional membership body within the field of counselling and psychological therapies in the UK, but there is a mismatch between its membership of >65,000 and its research impact. This article sets out a potential strategic direction as considered by an informal grouping of researchers and teachers in the field. Actionable research plans are outlined at three levels: client–practitioner, local communities, and societies. At the client–practitioner level, data‐informed practice can be readily implemented as a therapeutic aid akin to supervision, providing the potential for integrating research into everyday practice. At the community level, interdisciplinary collaborations together with a focus on equality, diversity, and inclusiveness are paths to building a community of researchers and citizens that includes marginalised populations. The importance of social justice extends to the societal level, connecting with politics at a micro and macro level, and engaging internationally to respond to actual threats (e.g., climate change). Across these three levels, high value is placed on data with its potential for informing and improving practice, but also enhancing the lives of people in communities and societies. Overall, research strategies need to be collaborative (i.e., collegial) and less singular (i.e., individually project‐based), developing cumulative knowledge around specific topics via a ‘capture and build’ strategy for small projects with strategic oversight by BACP. Clarity of research strategy combined with collaborative and collective action from BACP and leaders in the field can help realise the full potential of BACP's research capacity.

How to Leverage Action Research to Develop Context-specific Capacity Building for Civil Society Organizations

Abstract In recent decades, increased attention has been given to the hierarchical nature and intrinsic power dynamics of CSO capacity building programs. In a global context, international donors tend to design and implement capacity building programs, which then prioritize donors’ objectives and employ Western concepts in the Global South. This research note aims to reframe capacity building around inclusive and equal partnerships centered on civil society leaders who participate in designing and delivering capacity building programs. We propose action research as a process for co-creating contextually appropriate models that enable local ownership for capacity building and thus equip civil society to improve the lives of people in communities. We apply this approach to the Liberian case to develop a process to engage local civil society organizations in developing participatory capacity building programs that address place-based needs in non-Western contexts.

Forms of Community Informatics in Rural Communities (A Case of Kaliro District)

The field of community informatics (CI) is broadly concerned with the study, design and application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in communities. It is about identifying community needs and figuring out how technology can be leveraged to help meet those needs. It recognizes the importance of ICTs in shaping the lives of people in communities and communities shaping the future of ICTs. This study identified the forms of community informatics in Kaliro district using participative case study design with mixed methods research approach. To that end, data from questionnaires issued to 173 CI users across the district and interviews held with 33 district workers were analysed and the results presented in form of tables and themes for interpretation and discussion. Data obtained from the study revealed that Kaliro district had various forms of CI in the education sector, health sector, DLG (District Local Government) administration, and general community of the district. The study recommended; implementation of more forms of CI in the deeper areas of the district to suitably address common concerns of uneven CI distribution and contribute towards closing the information gap between the information “haves” and “have nots”, sensitisation of masses in communities on matters pertaining to CI and formulation of inclusive CI policies to regulate the implementation, management, maintenance and sustainability of CI in communities.

Attitudes of neighbors about the treatment and community life of people with severe mental health disorders in Argentina

A psychiatric reform is underway in Latin America and the Caribbean. Specifically in Argentina, a model of community mental health is being built, and prolonged psychiatric hospitalizations are still taking place, especially in neuropsychiatric hospitals. Therefore, it is necessary to closely monitor the psychiatric reform. One of the possible ways to monitor the reform is by analyzing society's attitudes towards prolonged psychiatric hospitalization as a mean of mental health treatment. Thus, an analytical observational study was conducted at the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, in 2021, to analyze the behavior of neighbors of people who had prolonged psychiatric hospitalizations and who received housing support. Questionnaires were applied to neighbors and non-neighbors, addressing the behaviors toward prolonged psychiatric hospitalization as a mean of treatment, social distance toward people who were hospitalized, as well as specific interviews with key informants from neighborhoods where people with severe mental health disorders and who receive housing support live. Based on the answers of neighbors and non-neighbors, no statistically significant differences were identified in behaviors toward prolonged psychiatric hospitalization as a mean of treatment, nor for social distance in relation to people who were hospitalized. Key informants conditioned their assessment of prolonged hospitalization and valued the role of support teams in making community life viable.

A county extension-delivered, email-mediated walking intervention: A programme evaluation

Objective: The promotion of walking could be a feasible population-level physical activity strategy because it requires little planning, is low cost and can be done year-round across settings. Community, nonprofit organisations offer one means by which to help increase walking through community programmes. The US Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service has a history that spans more than a century and is known for quality in the delivery of educational programmes to help improve the lives of people in communities across the USA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of the Get WalkIN’ intervention – an initiative supported by this programme – from the perspectives of both programme participants and county extension educators. Methods: Participants were recruited from 15 county extension sites in the Midwest region of the USA. Intervention emails targeted self-efficacy, social support, goal-setting and benefits/barriers to walking. To assess the perceptions of feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, participants and extension educators were asked to respond to a series of Likert-type scale and open-ended questions. Self-reported physical activity was assessed using the Godin Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: On average, participants and extension educators agreed that the programme was easy to use and would consider either recommending the programme to a friend or implementing the programme again within the community. Post-intervention, 69.1% of respondents were classified as sufficiently active compared to 60.5% pre-intervention. Conclusion: The use of the county-based US Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service is an effective option for health promotion programming. Furthermore, a theory-based, email-mediated intervention is a valuable strategy as an independent and convenient way to facilitate increase in physical activity.

THE IMPACT OF BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION ON THE PROVISION OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN OPERATIONAL-LEVEL RETAIL BUSINESSES: CASE STUDY

The retail industry is arguably one of the most prosperous sectors in the global economy. It serves as an intermediary between producers and consumers. Given its significance in the everyday lives of people in communities, and its role in national economies, the industry operates under extensive competition driven by growth in Information Technology which has dramatically changed the consumption patterns and buying behavior of consumers today. This study investigates the impact of transformation on the provision of products and services in operational-level retail businesses of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This is a case study and the South African Post Office (SAPO) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) participated in the study. Of the 101 branch managers of SAPO, 72 participated in the study, representing a 71 percent response rate. The sample frame was obtained from both the Human Capital and the Infrastructure Management departments of SAPO in KZN. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyze the two objectives. That is, to establish if the change brought about by business transformation activities improves the provision of products and services in retail businesses and thereby improves the financial performance. It also determines if retail businesses undergoing transformation inspire confidence amongst employees, and thereby achieving their financial goals. The findings revealed that business transformation has the ability to improve the provision of products and services of retail businesses. Continuous communication with regards to transformation inspires confidence among employees, thereby leading to productivity improvements and the achievement of the organizational goals. Productive employees contribute positively to the financial performance of the business. The original value of this study is its approach in uncovering strengths and weaknesses of business transformation in the operational-level retail businesses.

A Controlled Trial of Supported Employment for People With Severe Mental Illness and Justice Involvement.

Employment is a key to participation in community life for people with severe mental illness, especially those who have been involved in the criminal justice system. Although the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment has been established as an evidence-based practice for helping people with severe mental illness attain competitive employment, little is known about whether IPS is effective for people with severe mental illness who have a history of arrest or incarceration. This study examined this question. A randomized controlled trial examined competitive employment outcomes for 85 participants with severe mental illness and justice involvement who were assigned to IPS or to a comparison group that offered a job club approach with peer support. At one-year follow-up, a greater proportion of participants in the IPS group than in the comparison group had obtained competitive employment (31% versus 7%; p<.01). The IPS and comparison groups did not differ significantly during follow-up in rates of hospitalization (51% versus 40%) or justice involvement-either arrests (24% versus 19%) or incarceration (2% for both groups). Although IPS was shown to be an effective model for helping justice-involved clients with severe mental illness achieve employment, the outcomes were modest compared with those in prior IPS studies. The IPS model provided a useful framework for employment services for this population, but augmentations may be needed.

People Living in Community with a Severe Mental Illness: Utilization and Satisfaction with Care and Support

The object of this paper was to investigate the experiences of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) living in a community, including their utilization of care and treatment services. Psychiatric care and social services staff members were asked to make an inventory of those they served in two districts of Malmö, Sweden. Participants had to be over 18years of age and unable to manage their daily lives without help from others. Almost all of the 80 participants (95%) were under psychiatric care. A majority (86%) was receiving dental treatment, and 61% were supported by social services. Fifty-four percent of the participants received somatic care on an ongoing basis. Although the majority reported the care given as sufficient, one-third of this SMI population considered the care and support they received to be insufficient. Satisfying those who are dissatisfied with the care they are being given would be a significant challenge for service providers, since the unsatisfied are shown to have more difficult lives.

An approach to measurement and statistical description of participation in community life for people with psychiatric disabilities

Participation has emerged as a central concept in defining the goals of disability policy in Sweden as well as internationally. Yet it has rarely been operationalized as a foundation for planning services. As part of an attempt to survey the needs of individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities, the authors have developed a scale for measuring participation in five areas of community life. The scale uses four distinct categories as levels, specific for each area of life, and a set of statistical descriptive techniques designed to illustrate and communicate information regarding levels, capacities, and wishes related to a participatory life in the community. Based on a pilot study, the article illustrates how the collective needs of a population of individuals experiencing psychiatric disability can be described and presented to practitioners as a support for system planning.

The Camden Schizophrenia Surveys III: Five-Year Outcome of a Sample of Individuals From a Prevalence Survey and the Importance of Social Relationships

Most studies of outcome in schizophrenia have focused on incidence cohorts or samples identified through specialist mental health services; population-based samples provide a more complete picture of the effectiveness of community services. To examine whether outcome predictors, derived from studies of selected patients with prolonged schizophrenia, would emerge in a largely community-dwelling population sample. A follow-up sample of 114 adults with schizophrenia was identified via two censuses of key informants conducted for two prevalence surveys in North London, five years apart. Symptomatic, clinical and functional outcomes were assessed after five years. A composite score was derived for each individual. Multiple Linear Regression analyses were conducted in two phases to derive a best subset of predictors for global outcome. After five years, 33% were worse and 62% were better overall. The four best predictors (social isolation, living apart from relatives, longer illness and being an inpatient at first census) accounted for 32% of the variance in outcome of those with schizophrenia and related diagnoses. Social relationships during the course of illness are an important predictor of overall outcome and relationships with friends and family each seem to make a positive contribution. Policy and service developments should focus on improving participation in community life for people with schizophrenia, particularly their social connectedness.

Housing for People With Mental Illness: Update of a Report to the President's New Freedom Commission

A significant barrier to participation in community life for people with serious mental illness is the lack of decent, safe, affordable, and integrated housing of their choice linked with supportive services. The nation's affordable housing and mental health systems have historically failed to address consumers' housing needs and choices. The lack of housing has resulted in disproportionately high rates of homelessness and chronic homelessness. The author summarizes these issues, which were examined by the Subcommittee on Housing and Homelessness of the President's New Freedom Commission, and discusses the subcommittee's recommendations to end chronic homelessness among people with mental illness, expand access to affordable housing resources for consumers, and promote evidence-based practices. There has been uneven progress nationwide in ameliorating the widespread and multidimensional housing and homelessness problems that were exposed in the subcommittee's paper. The permanent supportive housing model, including "housing first" approaches, has proven effective in preventing and ending homelessness among consumers, but efforts to expand the supply are hampered by significant reductions in federal funds for housing. State and local mental health systems are also struggling to re-configure service system resources to better address housing and homelessness issues. Apparent reductions in chronic homelessness will be short-lived unless affordable housing policies and mental health services are reoriented to both prevent and end homelessness for people with mental illness.