Natata, Nerissa N. RLE 3-7.

Title Self-Efficacy and Self-Care: Missing Ingredients in Health and Healthcare among Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses Authors Timothy Schmutte, Elizabeth Flanagan, Luis Bedregal, Priscilla Ridgway, Dave Sells, Thomas Styron, Larry Davidson Publisher Springer Science Business Media Year of Publication 2008

Purpose of the Study To identify how people with serious mental illnesses perceive themselves and their experiences with medical care in relation to how they actively self-manage their physical health. To help inform the design of a selfmanagement intervention for improving the physical health of adults with serious mental illnesses

Locus of the Study U.S. Northeast region (the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania)

Research Methodology Participants were recruited through referrals from mental health providers and fliers. Participants 20 adults volunteered to participate in the study. Most of the participants were male (n = 15) and the mean age was 39.0 years (SD = 8.2). Four, semi-structured focus groups were conducted. One focus group was conducted at a transitional living facility, two were held at a social club, and one was convened at a Hispanic outpatient mental health clinic. Each group consisted of 46 participants, lasted 6090 min, and was facilitated by a psychologist.

Research Findings Focus group analyses revealed several insights into participants views of their medical care, personal health, and self-care. The participants statement were categorized as: (1) barriers relating to the healthcare system- use of the emergency room instead of a primary medical provider (time); lack of thorough and ongoing care; reticence about disclosing mental illness to medical staff (2) other system barriers- finances; facility and policy barriers (3) psychological barriers- lack of knowledge about health and self-care strategies; low self-efficacy and controllability Participants voiced concerns about the quality and thoroughness of their medical care, including not getting a second opinion. they felt rushed during appointments and did not receive ongoing care for chronic conditions or referrals to specialty clinics.