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The evaluation of a model of primary mental health care in rural Tasmania
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 17:19 authored by Campbell, AObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a primary care mental health service. Design: The study used a naturalistic longitudinal design to follow groups of participants who received intervention from a rural mental health worker, or 'usual' mental health service, or no treatment, over a period of 12 months. Setting: The service was evaluated in a rural primary care setting. Participants: One hundred and forty-five primary care patients. Outcome measures: Changes in symptomatology were assessed using the SCL-90R summary scales, and changes in quality of life were assessed using the EuroQOL. Results: Those participants treated by the primary mental health worker showed significant improvements in symptoms and quality of life compared to both the usual and no-treatment groups. Conclusion: There are few studies evaluating mental health services in rural settings. This study demonstrated that a particular model of primary mental health care was more effective than usual mental health care and no treatment at resolving symptoms and improving quality of life.
History
Publication title
The Australian Journal of Rural HealthVolume
13Pagination
142-148ISSN
1038-5282Department/School
School of Health SciencesPublisher
Blackwell PublishingPlace of publication
VictoriaRepository Status
- Restricted