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Background: Community integration is an important component of recovery for persons with serious mental illnesses (SMI). However, persons with SMI often experience barriers in using community resources, participating in community activities, and developing interactions with neighbors and other community members. Aims: This study examines the association between different sources of social support, including family, friends and mental health services providers, and three dimensions of community integration. Method: A sample of 399 persons with SMI was interviewed from community-based mental health service agencies in South Korea. Results: Family support and friendship support positively influenced all three aspects of community integration. More support from mental health professionals was associated with increased perceived accessibility to community resources but decreased involvement in community activities. Conclusion: Recommendations are made in supporting the role of natural networks and in advocating for a consumer-centered approach to service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research has documented the endemic nature of psychological distress among homeless people, little is known about the variation of and change in distress when psychiatric disabilities and housing status are considered. Using longitudinal data from a homeless sample, the author examined the pattern of distress across three groups--people with serious mental illness (SMI), people with drug or alcohol problem, and people with neither diagnosis. Distress symptoms were most pervasive and persistent among people with SMI. The effect of housing status on distress differed across the three groups and was statistically significant for people with no psychiatric diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement properties of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies--Depression Scale (CES-D; L. S. Radloff, 1977) were evaluated in a probability sample of homeless adults residing in a large and demographically diverse community. The findings from this investigation suggest that the CES-D is a reliable measure of depressive symptoms among homeless adults and that the factor structure of the scale replicates the factor structure found in the general population. Change in the CES-D scores was associated with change in residential status, with participants who had made a transition from homelessness to regular domicile, reporting significantly lower levels of depressive symptomatology. This result indicates the scale's sensitivity to current depressive mood, as affected by significant life events encountered by homeless persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The increasing prevalence of mental illness and low treatment rate presents a pressing public health issue in China. Pervasive stigma is a significant barrier to mental health recovery and community inclusion. In particular, stigmatizing or supportive attitudes held by healthcare providers could either perpetuate or mitigate self-stigma of people with mental illness. Moreover, mental health resources are unevenly distributed in China, with most of them concentrated in urban centers and provincial capitals. This study explores healthcare providers' attitudes toward mental illness and the challenges they faced at work in a rural Chinese county. Method: Four focus groups were conducted with 36 healthcare providers from a three-tier mental healthcare system in a rural county in southwestern China. Focus group discussions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The team employed a conventional content analysis approach for data analysis. All transcripts were double-coded by three bilingual team members who are native Chinese speakers. Coding discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Results: Healthcare providers recruited from the county, township, and village levels varied in educational background, professional qualification, and experience of working with people with mental illness. Five thematic categories identified across four groups include (1) barriers to mental healthcare delivery, (2) keys to mental health recovery, (3) providers' attitudes toward providing care, (4) providers' perception toward patients and family members, and (5) providers' perception of training needs. Conclusions: This is a unique study that included healthcare providers from a three-tier healthcare system. Findings signal the importance of understanding healthcare practitioners' experiences and views to inform the design of training initiatives in rural or low-resource communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the patterns and correlates of group and organizational involvement among persons with psychiatric disabilities using a cross-sectional, probability sample of 252 residents in supported independent housing (SIH). Groups and organizations were classified according to whether or not they have a behavioral health focus. Demographic, clinical, and service use characteristics were examined as potential predictors of membership using Poisson regression models. Findings indicated that 60% of the sample was involved in some kind of behavioral or nonbehavioral health organization. Similar to the findings from the general population, higher rates of membership were found among older persons, Blacks, those with more years of education, and those with higher incomes. Other correlates specific to the SIH sample included prior homelessness, perceived discrimination, substance abuse history, psychiatric symptoms, psychiatric diagnosis, and contact with service providers. Implications of study findings for developing intervention strategies to enhance organizational membership and for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]