Complementary therapies in social psychiatry

Background and Purpose: The use of complementary therapies are common and increasing in the Danish population in general and preliminary studies suggest that the consumption of complementary therapies are higher among people with psychiatric disorders. In Denmark people with severe mental illness perceives care and treatment in the social psychiatry. Nursing interventions involves a recovery-oriented focus, and rumors tells that several psychiatric residential homes implements various therapies such as massage and ear acupuncture as an integral rehabilitative treatment.The aim of this project is to examine the prevalence of complementary therapies in psychiatric residential homes, to identify the resident’s perspective of these interventions and to investigate if the residents find these interventions relevant in recovery processes.
Methods: The study is cross-sectional and respondents are residents from four strategic selected residential homes within social psychiatric. We conducted a questionnaire survey and made descriptive quantitative analysis, including the prevalence of complementary therapies, and possible recovery-relevant effects of these therapies.
Results: Preliminary results from three residential homes (n= 51 / 91 respondents - response rate 56 %) shows that the most common used complementary therapy is music therapy 43%, and only 10% of residents do not use these therapies at all. Overall, 43% of residents strongly agree, that these therapies strengthens their recovery process while 25% do not know.
Conclusions: Complementary therapies offered in the psychiatric residential homes are common used among the residents. Most of the resident believe that these interventions strengthens their recovery process. Bias and ethical considerations will be discussed.