Do outcomes of psychiatric hospital treatment differ for migrants and non-migrants?

Purpose: Providing effective treatment for immigrants is an increasing challenge for mental health services across Europe. Yet, little is known as to whether current practice is associated with different outcomes in migrant and non-migrant patients. We compared outcomes of inpatient psychiatric treatment for migrants and non-migrants in a sample from five European countries.

Comparing discrimination among people with schizophrenia, affective and anxiety disorders. A multilevel study in five European countries.

Background: Most research on mental illness stigma has involved people with psychosis; less information is available for people with affective and anxiety disorders. We aimed to compare experienced and anticipated discrimination among people with schizophrenia, and affective and anxiety disorders.

Methods: People with schizophrenia (n=773), affective (n=1010) and anxiety disorders (n=372) were recruited during psychiatric admission across 5 EU countries.

Use of psychiatric hospitals and social integration of patients with psychiatric disorders: a prospective cohort study in five European countries.

Purpose: Long lengths of stay (LoS) in psychiatric hospitals or repeated admission may affect the social integration of patients with psychiatric disorders. So far, however, studies have been inconclusive. This study aimed to analyse whether long LoS or repeated admissions in psychiatric wards were associated in different ways with changes in the social integration of patients.

Healthcare system performance in continuity of care for patients with severe mental illness: A comparison of five European countries.

Most healthcare systems struggle to provide continuity of care for people with chronic conditions, such as patients with severe mental illness. In this study, we reviewed how system features in two national health systems (NHS) - England and Veneto (Italy) - and three regulated-market systems (RMS) - Germany, Belgium, and Poland -, were likely to affect continuing care delivery and we empirically assessed system performance. 6418 patients recruited from psychiatric hospitals were followed up one year after admission.

Personal continuity versus specialisation of care approaches in mental healthcare: experiences of patients and clinicians-results of the qualitative study in five European countries.

Background: The current debate on organisation of the mental health care raises a question whether to prioritise specialisation of clinical teams or personal continuity of care. The article explores the experiences of patients and clinicians regarding specialisation (SC) and personal continuity (PCC) of care in five European countries.

Methods: Data were obtained via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with patients (N = 188) suffering from mental disorders (F20-49) and with clinicians (N = 63).

Assessment and Treatment of Patients with Comorbidity of Mental Health Problems and Alcohol Use Disorders: Experiences of Clinicians and Patients in the UK and Poland.

Aims: Treatment of patients with comorbidity of mental health problems and alcohol use disorder (AUD) constitutes a challenge in many countries. The article aimed at exploration of personal experiences of clinicians and patients with the comorbidity regarding its assessment, treatment and organization of care in Poland and the UK.

Methods: Data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with clinicians (N = 28) and patients (N = 81) in both countries, according to a unified study protocol.

Factors associated with satisfaction of inpatient psychiatric care: a cross country comparison.

Background: Patient satisfaction is a key indicator of inpatient care quality and is associated with clinical outcomes following admission. Different patient characteristics have been inconsistently linked with satisfaction. This study aims to overcome previous limitations by assessing which patient characteristics are associated with satisfaction within a large study of psychiatric inpatients conducted across five European countries.

Predictors of personal continuity of care of patients with severe mental illness: A comparison across five European countries.

Background: In Europe, at discharge from a psychiatric hospital, patients with severe mental illness may be exposed to one of two main care approaches: personal continuity, where one clinician is responsible for in- and outpatient care, and specialisation, where various clinicians are. Such exposure is decided through patient-clinician agreement or at the organisational level, depending on the country's health system. Since personal continuity would be more suitable for patients with complex psychosocial needs, the aim of this study was to identify predictors of patients' exposure to care approaches in different European countries.

Predictors of length of stay in psychiatric inpatient units: Does their effect vary across countries?

Background: Previous studies in individual countries have identified inconsistent predictors of length of stay (LoS) in psychiatric inpatient units. This may reflect methodological inconsistencies across studies or true differences of predictors. In this study we assessed predictors of LoS in five European countries and explored whether their effect varies across countries.

Specialised teams or personal continuity across inpatient and outpatient mental healthcare? Study protocol for a natural experiment.

Introduction: Mental healthcare organisation can either pursue specialisation, that is, distinct clinicians and teams for inpatient and outpatient care or personal continuity of care, that is, the same primary clinician for a patient across the two settings. Little systematic research has compared these approaches. Existing studies subject have serious methodological shortcomings.

Walking through mud; history of the Polish methadone maintenance treatment from its stakeholders' perspective.

This paper presents Polish methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) against the background of the dominant therapeutic community approach. The perspectives of various stakeholders-supporters and opponents-are examined as well as the barriers, facilitators, ideological conflicts, and financial interests influencing MMT policy and practice. In-depths interviews were carried out with 18 major stakeholders around 2012, almost two decades after the first MMT was launched.

Changes in the provision of institutionalized mental health care in post-communist countries.

Background: General psychiatric and forensic psychiatric beds, supported housing and the prison population have been suggested as indicators of institutionalized mental health care. According to the Penrose hypothesis, decreasing psychiatric bed numbers may lead to increasing prison populations. The study aimed to assess indicators of institutionalized mental health care in post-communist countries during the two decades following the political change, and to explore whether the data are consistent with the Penrose hypothesis in that historical context.

Experiences with treating immigrants: a qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries.

Purpose: While there has been systematic research on the experiences of immigrant patients in mental health services within certain European countries, little research has explored the experiences of mental health professionals in the delivery of services to immigrants across Europe. This study sought to explore professionals' experiences of delivering care to immigrants in districts densely populated with immigrants across Europe.

Methods: Forty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with mental health care professionals working in 16 European countries.

Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: barriers and how they are overcome.

Background: Irregular migrants (IMs) are exposed to a wide range of risk factors for developing mental health problems. However, little is known about whether and how they receive mental health care across European countries. The aims of this study were (1) to identify barriers to mental health care for IMs, and (2) to explore ways by which these barriers are overcome in practice.

Health care for irregular migrants: pragmatism across Europe: a qualitative study.

Background: Health services in Europe face the challenge of delivering care to a heterogeneous group of irregular migrants (IM). There is little empirical evidence on how health professionals cope with this challenge. This study explores the experiences of health professionals providing care to IM in three types of health care service across 16 European countries.

Health care for immigrants in Europe: is there still consensus among country experts about principles of good practice? A Delphi study.

Background: European Member States are facing a challenge to provide accessible and effective health care services for immigrants. It remains unclear how best to achieve this and what characterises good practice in increasingly multicultural societies across Europe. This study assessed the views and values of professionals working in different health care contexts and in different European countries as to what constitutes good practice in health care for immigrants.

Good practice in health care for migrants: views and experiences of care professionals in 16 European countries.

Background: Health services across Europe provide health care for migrant patients every day. However, little systematic research has explored the views and experiences of health care professionals in different European countries. The aim of this study was to assess the difficulties professionals experience in their service when providing such care and what they consider constitutes good practice to overcome these problems or limit their negative impact on the quality of care.