Community knowledge and attitudes toward recovering citizenship and mental illness: A focus group approach

Community knowledge and attitudes toward recovering citizenship and mental illness: A focus group approach

Introduction

A telephone questionnaire survey on the knowledge and attitude toward recovering citizenship (RC) and mental illness was conducted in January 2021 [1-2]. Some of the survey participants who showed interest in joining focus group discussions were invited to study their views on community integration and recovering citizenship more in depth. 

Research period: April 2021

Target population: People aged 18 years or above living in Hong Kong, able to communicate in Cantonese, and had completed the telephone survey.

 

Objectives

  • To study views and perspectives of RC, 5 Rs, and community integration using focus group interviews.
  • To identify obstacles and explore ways to promote RC in the community.

 

Methods

Respondents of the telephone survey who indicated that they were interested in joining the focus group discussion were invited. The discussions were audio-recorded for thematic analysis.

 

A semi-structured discussion guide was prepared to discuss the followings: 

(1) Experience with people in recovery of mental illness; 

(2) Views on community integration of people in recovery; 

(3) Knowledge and views on RC and people in recovery possessing rights, responsibilities, roles, resources and relationship (benefits and concerns); 

(4) Promoting the concept of RC 

 

Results

  • A total of 21 participants joined the focus group discussion in three groups.
  • Most participants stated that the PIR should be treated as other people in the community while some were concerned about the unpredictable behaviors and responses of PIR, and did not know how to communicate and interact with them, especially those who had never contacted with PIR before. 
  • Participants generally believed that social integration could facilitate recovery, but their mental illness should be stable. 
  • Resources were required to promote acceptance of social integration and the possessing of the 5 Rs, such as developing more vocational rehabilitation training centres, and creating more appropriate jobs and medical and social recovery plans for PIR. Nevertheless, the safety of other people had to be considered as well.  
  • The majority of the participants did not know, yet they were generally supportive of the fundamental concept of RC.  A few considered RC supports PIR own the same rights as other people.
  • Insufficient resources and follow-up, discontinuity of medical care, lack of knowledge of mental illness of the general public, and difficulties in building a network with others were the primary obstacles that hindered recovery and possession of the 5 Rs.
  • Provision of adequate and appropriate resources, education and promotion, continuous support to follow up the mental conditions of PIR, and regular review of mental health policies to meet the needs of PIR and their caregivers were suggested to promote RC.

 

Conclusion

Participants were generally supportive of RC and the 5 Rs, whereas some obstacles were identified. Increased community mental health education and healthcare and social support for PIR andcaregivers were proposed to facilitate the promotion of RC, as well as fostering an inclusive environment for recovery in the community.

 

References

1.    Rowe, M. (1999). Crossing the border: Encounters between homeless people and outreach workers. University of California Press, Berkeley.

2.  Wong, F.Y.Y., Wong, K.K.L., Lam, P.C.W., Chin, L.Y. and Fung, C.T. (2023). Community knowledge and attitudes toward recovering citizenship and mental illness: a telephone survey approach. Journal of Public Mental Health, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 133-145. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-08-2022-0086