Living with Mental Illness: Using Digital Media to Cope
Description
This study will explore patients’ and their relatives’ challenges, coping strategies and needs related to living with mental illness in their everyday lives, as well as investigate whether digital media can be useful tools for coping and user involvement in the field of mental health care. In order to develop better health services, thorough knowledge about peoples' experiences is needed. Digital services are one of the pillars of future health services. We need to increase our knowledge about the significance of digital media for patients and relatives living in such situations.
In order to strengthen services to patients and relatives living with mental health challenges, the study will also result in a digital resource on mental health. It will convey peoples' experiences, for the benefit of patients, relatives, health professionals, education and health authorities. In summary, the study will contribute to improving the quality of mental health services.
Goals
- Explore patients’ and their relatives’ challenges, coping and needs related to living with mental illness in their everyday lives
- Examine whether digital media can be useful tools for coping and user involvement in the field of mental health care
- Discuss the methodological opportunities and challenges of video-based interviews and digital communication of patients’ and relatives’ experiences with mental illness
- Share knowledge digitally about mental health
Method
Qualitative methodology based on narrative, video-based interviews will be used, which will provide in-depth knowledge about patients’ and their relatives’ own illness and care experiences in an everyday life context.
More information about the project
Andreassen HK, Dyb K, Trondsen MV & Warth LL (2015) Study protocol: Health Talk Norway, Proceedings of the 13th Scandinavian Conference on Health Informatics, June 2015, 63-65.
Trondsen MV, Warth LL, Dyb K, Risør T & Andreassen HK (2016) Promoting Patient Voices on the Internet. Ethical considerations about web-based dissemination of research on patient narratives, Conference paper, eTelemed, Venice, Italy, April 2016.