Effects of Community-Based Mental Health Nursing Program on SelfCare Activities of Chronic Mentally Ill Patients at Home
Authors: Yang Soo , Yu SookJa , Lee KivangJa 
Published: September 2024

The health care system's rapid transformation from one in which the hosptiai palys a major role to one in which the hospital is n(- longer central to the delivery of health care has had a tremendous impact on psychiatric nursing.In Korea, the community mental health system has just begun to take root. In these days, fjsychiatric nurse specialists have come to take an interest in rehabilitation, caring for the psychiatric patients, and their recovery or self-care as case managers in community mental health. However, the develop mental state of the community mental heath system is rudimentary and the studies which are supposed to restore the psychosocial function of the chronic mentally ill patients are insufficient.Following this requirement, this study was designed to test the effects of community-based mental health nursing program on self-care activi ties of mentally ill patients.The sample of this study consisted of 26 patients who were registered with certain health center in Seoul and attending this program. This study was conducted for 18 months from the beginning of Aug.1996 to the end of Feb. of 1998. The program required a client's meeting 5 times a week and fam ily counsellor once a week, and was consisted of home visiting and day care program. Data by using Self-care performance scale were collected four times : right after participation, and in month six, and twelve, eighteen, and analyzed by the statisitical methods of Repeated Measures ANOVA.The results of this study were as follows :1. There was a significant difference in the scores of self-care activities of chronic mentally ill accord ing to the duration of their participation in this program in all categories except eating and sleep ing activities.2. There was a statistically significant difference between before and the 6 rnoriths after the par ticipation in the program in the eating, individual hygiene, dressing, leisure activities. At 12-month after participating the program, the subjects showed statistically significant improve ment in all categories except sleeping, home life, leisure activities. Also, there was a statistically significant difference between before and 18-month after treatment in a：l categories except eatingand social life activities.3. There was no significant difference in the score of self-care activities bet ween 6-month and 12-month after participating program. Thus, Ido th of patients and nursing care givers are apt to be tired of their work at these time.<1. At 18-month after the participation in this program, the scores of leisure activities, social activities were significantly different from those of 6-month and 12-month.In the light of these results, community-based mental health nursing program can improve self-care activities by helping them to continue their life and to function as a good support system for the chronic mentally ill. The researchers, there fore, propose that this program should be extended to the other place and be supported by local and cen tral government.