General practitioners' experiences of providing somatic care for patients with severe mental illness: a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients dealing with severe mental illnesses (SMI) often face suboptimal clinical outcomes and higher mortality rates due to a range of factors, including undetected physical health conditions. The provision of care for individuals with SMI is frequently disjointed, as they engage with diverse healthcare providers. Despite this fragmentation, primary care, particularly general practitioners (GPs), assumes a pivotal role in the care of SMI patients. Our study aimed to delve into the first-hand experiences of GPs in delivering somatic care to SMI patients, concentrating on the challenges they encounter and the strategies they employ to navigate these difficulties.

Methods

We conducted in-depth interviews with fifteen GPs, utilizing a semi-structured interview guide

SUBMITTER: Jonsson ABR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10958876 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature