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Mental health outcome measures in the Australian context: what is the problem represented to be?

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dc.contributor.authorOster, C.
dc.contributor.authorDawson, S.
dc.contributor.authorKernot, J.
dc.contributor.authorLawn, S.
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND: There is growing interest in the use of routine outcome measures (ROM) in mental health services worldwide. Australia has been at the forefront of introducing ROM in public mental health services, with the aim of improving services and consumer outcomes. METHODS: An in-depth policy and document analysis was conducted using Carol Bacchi's 'What is the problem represented to be?' approach to critically analyse the use of ROM. This approach was used to identify and analyse the problem representations relating to the need for, and the choice of, outcome measures in Australian public mental health services, and the potential consequences of policy and practice. Data included in the analysis were seven policy documents, four reports on the introduction of outcome measures in Australia, the Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classifications Network website, and the content of the outcome measures themselves. RESULTS: Two dominant representations of the 'problem' were identified: 1) the 'problem' of mental health service quality and accountability, relating to the need for mental health outcome measures; and 2) the 'problem' of addressing deficits in biopsychosocial functioning of mental health consumers, which relates to the choice of outcome measures. Framing the 'problem' of mental health outcomes in these ways locates the problem within individual health providers, services, and consumers, ignoring the broader socioeconomic conditions underpinning mental health and effective service provision. CONCLUSIONS: This critical analysis of the introduction and use of ROM in public mental health services in Australia highlights the need to consider the role of the social determinants of mental health, mental health service funding, and recovery-oriented care in ensuring services are meeting consumer needs and expectations. Broader governmental engagement is central to genuine change and opportunities.
dc.identifier.citationBMC Psychiatry, 2023; 23(1):24-24
dc.identifier.doi10.1186/s12888-022-04459-0
dc.identifier.issn1471-244X
dc.identifier.issn1471-244X
dc.identifier.orcidOster, C. [0000-0002-8214-3704]
dc.identifier.orcidDawson, S. [0000-0002-7357-625X]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11541.2/32346
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC
dc.rightsCopyright 2022 The Authors. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Access Condition Notes: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04459-0
dc.subjectMental health policy
dc.subjectPolicy analysis
dc.subjectRoutine outcome measures
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectMental Health
dc.subjectAustralia
dc.subjectMental Health Services
dc.subjectOutcome Assessment, Health Care
dc.titleMental health outcome measures in the Australian context: what is the problem represented to be?
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished
ror.fileinfo12257490270001831 13257490260001831 Mental-health-outcome-measures-in-the-Australian-context-what-is-the-problem-represented-to-beBMC-Psychiatry
ror.mmsid9916713828001831

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