![Sample our Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Allied Health journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5944/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Medicine-Dentistry-Nursing-Allied-Health.jpg"})
Abstract
Purpose
Psychiatric disorders may have a negative effect on individuals’ living, forming intimate relationships, education, and employment. The aim of psychiatric rehabilitation is to promote recovery – finding ways to cope with mental disorders despite debilitating symptoms. This study aimed to explore the outcomes of accommodation, social inclusion, psychiatric symptoms, substance and service use, quality of life and subjective recovery of young adults with severe mental illness after psychiatric rehabilitation.
Materials and methods
The study population consisted of individuals who had been in residential psychiatric rehabilitation between the ages of 18–29 years. Data on outcomes were collected using a questionnaire after a flexible follow-up period (mean 29 months). The questionnaire was answered by 32 eligible persons. We analysed multiple outcomes and compared the proportion of persons living independently at the start, after psychiatric rehabilitation, and at the follow-up point.
Results
At the start of the rehabilitation, 33%, at the end, 69%, and at follow-up, 78% lived independently. However, most had not reached competitive employment nor were studying. Cognitive symptoms were the most common psychiatric symptoms, followed by depressive symptoms. More than 80% of the sample felt that they had partly recovered from their severe mental illness.
Conclusion
According to the results of this study residential psychiatric rehabilitation may have positive effects on functioning and independent living at follow-up. Reaching competitive employment is difficult for persons with severe mental disorders and effective rehabilitation interventions need to be implemented. However, this study had limitations, and these results should be considered preliminary.
Acknowledgements
We want to extend a warm thank you to all the study participants. We want to thank nurse Marjo Typpö for help in the recruitment of participants and public health nurse Jaana Riekki for participating in the investigation.
Author contributions
Jonna Tolonen: conceptualisation, methodology, formal analysis, investigation, recourses, data curation, writing – original draft preparation, writing – review & editing, visualisation. Erika Jääskeläinen: conceptualisation, methodology, writing – review & editing, supervision. Liisa Kiviniemi: writing – review & editing, supervision. Tuomas Majuri: writing – review & editing. Marianne Haapea: formal analysis, visualisation, writing – review & editing. Jouko Miettunen: methodology, writing – review & editing. Kristiina Moilanen: conceptualisation, methodology, investigation, writing – review & editing, supervision.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). Jonna Tolonen has been a minority owner (2011–2018), a member of the board of directors (2011–2018) and employee for Sähäkkä Ltd. (2008–2020). As of 2021, Tolonen is a freelancer in occupational therapy and works for Sähäkkä Ltd. on an ad hoc basis. Kristiina Moilanen has worked for Sähäkkä Ltd. (2012–2019).
Data availability statement
The data supporting these findings contain sensitive personal data and cannot be made publicly available because of restrictions imposed by Finnish data regulations and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, to make the restricted data as findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable (FAIR) as possible, data may be requested from the corresponding author. All requests will be replied to as appropriate, and requested data will be made available if the request is adequate, responsible and reasonable.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Jonna Tolonen
Jonna Tolonen, Master of Occupational Therapy, PhD student of medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. She is studying mainly topics related to psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery orientation. She has worked in clinical psychiatric rehabilitation with young adults for over 10 years.
Erika Jääskeläinen
Erika Jääskeläinen, MD, PhD, Adjunct Professor, works as a researcher in Research Unit of Population Health, University of Oulu and as a psychiatrist in Oulu University Hospital. She has studied schizophrenia and other psychoses for 20 years, especially outcomes of severe mental disorders.
Liisa Kiviniemi
Liisa Kiviniemi, PhD, has worked as a Principal lecturer at Oulu University of Applied Sciences since 2001. Her research interests are the resources and experiences of people suffering mental health disorders. In addition she is interested in developing community-based mental health services.
Tuomas Majuri
Tuomas Majuri, MD, PhD, works as a post-doctoral researcher at the Research Unit of Population Health, University of Oulu.
Marianne Haapea
Marianne Haapea, PhD, has worked as a biostatistician in the Oulu University Hospital and in the Medical Faculty of the University of Oulu, since 2001. Her research topics cover several fields of medical science, main interests being several mental illnesses and medication use, specifically in register data.
Jouko Miettunen
Jouko Miettunen is a professor of clinical epidemiology, University of Oulu, Finland. He is working mainly on topics related to psychiatric epidemiology in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort studies. His background is in statistics and epidemiology. He has supervised 20 doctoral students and has over 350 publications. More information: http://www.joukomiettunen.net/
Kristiina Moilanen
Kristiina Moilanen, MD, PhD, assistant chief, works as an adolescent psychiatrist in Oulu University Hospital. Her research interests are schizophrenia, other psychosis and psychiatric rehabilitation.