Conference Agenda

The challenges of recent years (pandemic, refugee situation) have put a heavy strain on social workers. Maintaining and improving mental health of social workers is not only important for clients, but also a public health priority. The members of the research team performed a qualitative analysis of 37 project papers (2018-2022) on mental health written in the Management Training Programme of Semmelweis University.

The secondary analysis was carried out along the following criteria: a.) how the leader identified the causes and consequences of burnout and b.) what interventions were planned or implemented.

In the projects head of social organisations concluded that the causes of mental health deterioration and burnout among workers’ were the consequences of systemic challenges, such as changes in the characteristics of the target group, the increasing lack of qualified staff, the physical and mental overload, the lack of acknowledgement of professional work and the lack of competence and procedures.

The presentation describes the interventions designed at individual and organisational level to help organisations improve the mental health of employees. Study shows that levels of burnout need to be reduced not only through targeted interventions, but also through organisational and sectoral support.

Suicide and self-harm are major issues in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where 77% of global suicides occur (WHO). Only recently has suicide been decriminalised in India and Pakistan. There is a lack of understanding how hospital staff interpret and make sense of self-harm and suicide. This is important as their attitudes and opinions are likely to have an impact on treatment and follow-up.

Hospital staff were recruited in three hospitals, where we conducted 29 interviews in English, ranging from 20 to 180 minutes. Interviews focused on experiences with self-harm patients, reasons for self-harm and suicide, reactions of others (family, society, etc.) and support needs. Participants included a wide range of staff including nurses, emergency staff, psychiatrists, psychologists, and medico-legal officers. Interviews were conducted by local researchers. Transcripts and notes were analysed using a codebook approach to thematic analysis (Bazeley, 2013).

We are currently analysing the data and will present findings at the conference. Initial analysis suggest that socio-cultural, legal and economic factors need to be considered when aiming to develop prevention and treatment programmes. A focus on attitudes of health professionals, who have a key role when working with self-harm patients and their families is essential.

Being exposed to coercive measures in mental health services can have a negative impact on all involved. Until use of coercion is eliminated, it is important to understand how the experience can be processed so that its consequences are managed. Meta-ethnography was used to synthesize findings from qualitative studies that examined service users’, staff’ and relatives’ experiences of recovery from being exposed to coercive measures in mental health care settings. We identified, extracted and synthesized, across 23 studies, the processes and factors that seemed significant to process the experience of coercion. Recovery from coercion is dependent on a complex set of conditions that supports a personal feeling of dignity and respect, a feeling of safety and empowerment. Being in a facilitating environment, receiving appropriate information and having consistent reciprocal communication with staff are important. Patients employ strategies for managing coercion, both during and after the coercive event. The findings point to the importance of mental health care settings offering recovery-oriented environments and professionals employing recovery-oriented practices, that would empower service users to develop strategies for managing their mental distress as well as their experiences in mental health care in a way that minimizes traumatization and fosters their recovery.

Sick leave caused by depression has become significantly more common during and post the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by Polish newspapers. This study examines the narratives of individuals who have taken at least 30-day long sick leave due to depression and contextualises these narratives within the media discourse. It takes a social constructionist perspective and uses textually-oriented Critical Discourse Studies.

The Polish press predominantly frames depression sick leave as an economic issue, often placing it in financial and business sections of newspapers. Moreover, the credibility of mental health sick leave is undermined by describing it as an easy way to avoid difficult work-related situations. In contrast, preliminary results from semi-structured interviews suggest that patients' depict sick leave as a necessary period of rest and recovery, allowing them to regroup and reflect. However, these individuals note the negative social perception of long-term sick leave.

This study highlights the importance of exploring the social context of illness and the relation between media discourse and individuals' experiences. By examining patient narratives and contextualizing them within the broader media discourse, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding mental health and sick leave.