Experiences of Patients Attending the Psychiatry Emergency outpatient Department of Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital: Qualitative Study
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Date
2024-04-19
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Psychiatry emergency departments often serve patients who have complex and severe mental health conditions which are meant to relieve the emergent mental health crisis. However, the experiences of the service users at the place of the psychiatry emergency were poorly explored especially from a setting of low-income country. Understanding their experience would help in identifying areas for improvement in the provision of care.
Objective- To explore the experience of patients who had treatment at the psychiatry emergency department of Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital. Methods- Qualitative research with phenomenological approach and in-depth interview was employed. The source population included those who had visited the emergency OPD psychiatric unit Participants were recruited using purposive sampling technique. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved and twelve in depth interviews were done. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed in Amharic and translated into English. The data were coded using Open code software 4.03. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes.
Result- A total of four themes emerged from the data. These were participants journey to the ER, positive experiences, negative experiences and future desires and suggestions. Key elements for participants regarding their experience were relief from illness, information and explanation about clinical decisions. Participants also stressed on the importance of participation in their own care, being heard, and making changes in handling the emergency client. Conclusion- The study examines psychiatry emergency treatment experiences, revealing both positive and negative experiences during psychiatric emergency care, with favorable experiences being connected with good communication with professionals and collaborative treatment. Negative experiences included disregard for emotions, stigma, and a loss of self-governance. Therefore, it is highly recommended to have person centered care for people coming to emergency psychiatry
Key words:Psychiatry emergency,Experience,Patients, Qualitative study
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Keywords
Psychiatry emergency Experience Patients Qualitative study