Symposium der ÖGPH-Kompetenzgruppe ‘Public-Mental-Health‘
Background Children who grow up with a mentally ill parent often remain invisible and do not
receive adequate support. Their prevalence is high (1 out of 4) and they are at increased
risk of experiencing long-term difficulties. A research project aims to co-develop
(researchers and stakeholders together), implement and evaluate practices to improve
identification of and social support for the children and their families in Tyrol.
We present the results of the co-development process based on six stakeholder workshops.
Methods We qualitatively analysed documents produced in the co-development workshops and
results from a focus group held after the workshops (audio recorded and transcribed).
Furthermore, survey results from workshop participants were analysed (descriptive
statistics).
Results Fifteen persons from 13 organisations attended the workshops. After the workshops,
agreement and commitment on implementing evidence-informed concepts on identification
of parental status within routine processes in Tyrolean hospital mental health and
primary care and on practices to enhance the social support networks of the families
was available. Furthermore, participants co-defined key outcome parameters and contributed
to the evaluation design. The attitude of practitioners shifted from viewing mental
health care as individualised care for a patient to a more family-oriented care philosophy.
Conclusions Involving stakeholders and people with lived experience in developing practice changes
increases acceptance among practitioners and service recipients, raises likelihood
for successful implementation of evidence-informed practices and supports evaluators
in developing feasible evaluation designs. However, researchers need to fulfil new
roles (e.g. knowledge-brokers, facilitators, mediators) and cope with uncertainties.
