Gesundheitswesen 2020; 82(05): 447
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1708944
ÖGPH Kompetenzgruppen Symposien

Involving stakeholders in developing and evaluating evidence-informed support practices for children who have a parent with a mental illness: Results from a co-development process in Tyrol

I Zechmeister-Koss
1   Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Health Technology Assessment, Vienna, Österreich
,
M Goodyear
2   School of rural health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
,
A Bauer
3   Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU), London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
,
J Paul
4   Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft Forschungsgruppe Village, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Österreich
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    Symposium der ÖGPH-Kompetenzgruppe ‘Public-Mental-Health‘

    Background Children who grow up with a mentally ill parent often remain invisible and do not receive adequate support. Their prevalence is high (1 out of 4) and they are at increased risk of experiencing long-term difficulties. A research project aims to co-develop (researchers and stakeholders together), implement and evaluate practices to improve identification of and social support for the children and their families in Tyrol. We present the results of the co-development process based on six stakeholder workshops.

    Methods We qualitatively analysed documents produced in the co-development workshops and results from a focus group held after the workshops (audio recorded and transcribed). Furthermore, survey results from workshop participants were analysed (descriptive statistics).

    Results Fifteen persons from 13 organisations attended the workshops. After the workshops, agreement and commitment on implementing evidence-informed concepts on identification of parental status within routine processes in Tyrolean hospital mental health and primary care and on practices to enhance the social support networks of the families was available. Furthermore, participants co-defined key outcome parameters and contributed to the evaluation design. The attitude of practitioners shifted from viewing mental health care as individualised care for a patient to a more family-oriented care philosophy.

    Conclusions Involving stakeholders and people with lived experience in developing practice changes increases acceptance among practitioners and service recipients, raises likelihood for successful implementation of evidence-informed practices and supports evaluators in developing feasible evaluation designs. However, researchers need to fulfil new roles (e.g. knowledge-brokers, facilitators, mediators) and cope with uncertainties.


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    Publication History

    Article published online:
    26 May 2020

    © Georg Thieme Verlag KG
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