research topics for mental health nurses

📕 Studying HQ

35+ research topics on mental health nursing: fostering wellbeing in psychiatric care, carla johnson.

• August 24, 2023
• Essay Topics and Ideas

Mental health nursing is a critical pillar in nurturing the overall wellness of individuals grappling with psychiatric conditions. Aspiring nursing students, comprehending the nuances of mental health nursing is not only pivotal for your academic voyage but also your future professional practice. In this comprehensive guide, we delve profoundly into mental health nursing. We will explore a range of PICOT questions, propose ideas for evidence-based practice (EBP) projects, furnish you with capstone project ideas, offer a spectrum of research paper topics, present a compilation of research questions, and provide several essay topic concepts. All these facets are intended to equip you holistically for this indispensable domain.

What You'll Learn

Understanding the Essence of Mental Health Nursing

Mental health nursing entails the compassionate care and unwavering support extended to individuals traversing the challenges of mental health issues. The role of a mental health nurse transcends the confines of conventional medical care , encompassing therapeutic communication, emotional bolstering, and fostering an environment conducive to healing. Mental health nurses operate in a myriad of settings including hospitals, community health centers, and outpatient clinics, playing an instrumental role in shaping the lives of their patients.

PICOT Questions on Mental Health Nursing

• Population (P): Adults under psychiatric care ; Intervention (I): Integration of daily RS questionnaire; Comparison (C): Units without daily survey; Outcome (O): Decreased employment of restraint and seclusion; Time (T): 6 months. How does the incorporation of a daily RS (Restraint and Seclusion) questionnaire for adults in psychiatric care, compared to units lacking this daily survey, impact the reduction in the utilization of restraint and seclusion for 6 months?
• P: Adolescents with depressive disorders ; I: Implementation of mindfulness-based intervention; C: Standard therapeutic approach; O: Mitigation of depressive symptoms; T: 8 weeks. Among adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorders, what is the effect of incorporating a mindfulness-based intervention, compared to standard therapy, on alleviating depressive symptoms over an 8-week period?
• P: Elderly residents in long-term care facilities; I: Deployment of pet therapy ; C: Absence of pet therapy; O: Enhancement of mood and social interaction; T: 3 months. In elderly individuals residing within long-term care facilities, does the introduction of pet therapy, as opposed to its absence, result in a noticeable improvement in mood and social interaction over a course of 3 months?
• P: Individuals grappling with schizophrenia ; I: Integration of family psychoeducation; C: Standard care regimen; O: Diminished recurrence rate of episodes; T: 1 year. For individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, does the inclusion of family psychoeducation within their treatment plan, when compared to standard care, lead to a reduction in the frequency of relapses over a 1-year period?
• P: Veterans afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); I: Employment of virtual reality exposure therapy; C: Conventional therapeutic methods; O: Reduction in symptoms of PTSD; T: 10 sessions. In veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), does the utilization of virtual reality exposure therapy result in a more pronounced reduction in PTSD symptoms, when contrasted with conventional therapy, across a span of 10 sessions?
• P: Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); I: Incorporation of equine-assisted therapy; C: Standard interventions; O: Amplification of social skills; T: 12 weeks. Among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), does participation in equine-assisted therapy yield an advancement in social skills, in comparison to standard interventions, over a duration of 12 weeks?
• P: Inpatient populace with bipolar disorder ; I: Introduction of a mood tracking application; C: Conventional mood charting techniques; O: Attainment of superior mood stability; T: 6 months. Within inpatients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, does the utilization of a mood tracking application for monitoring moods contribute to enhanced mood stability in comparison to conventional mood charting over a span of 6 months?
• P: Individuals contending with eating disorders; I: Application of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT); C: Provision of supportive counseling; O: Reduction in maladaptive eating behaviors; T: 16 sessions. For individuals grappling with eating disorders, does the implementation of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) yield a more substantial reduction in maladaptive eating behaviors, when contrasted with supportive counseling, over 16 sessions?
• P: Patients undergoing substance abuse treatment; I: Integration of music therapy; C: Absence of music therapy; O: Mitigation of anxiety and cravings; T: 8 weeks. Among patients undergoing substance abuse treatment, does engagement in music therapy contribute to a reduction in anxiety and cravings, in comparison to those without exposure to music therapy, over a duration of 8 weeks?
• P: Senior residents of assisted living facilities; I: Implementation of reminiscence therapy; C: Participation in routine activities; O: Elevation in cognitive functioning; T: 3 months.

In senior individuals residing in assisted living facilities, does involvement in reminiscence therapy lead to an improvement in cognitive functioning when juxtaposed with engagement in routine activities across a span of 3 months?

5 EBP Projects on Mental Health Nursing

• Appraising the Efficacy of Art Therapy in Alleviating Anxiety Among Schizophrenia Patients.
• Probing the Influence of Exercise Interventions on Bipolar Disorder Patients’ Depressive Symptoms.
• Unpacking Aromatherapy’s Role in Managing Agitation Among Dementia Patients.
• Evaluating Peer Support Groups’ Contribution to Borderline Personality Disorder Recovery.
• Analyzing Virtual Support Networks’ Role in Mitigating Adolescent Social Anxiety Isolation.

Engaging Capstone Projects on Mental Health Nursing

• Forging a Mental Health Awareness Campaign to Combat Stigma Surrounding Help-Seeking in High Schools.
• Devising an Inclusive Training Module for Nurses Enhancing Communication with Psychosis Patients.
• Crafting a Manual to Empower Families in Supporting Loved Ones with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
• Establishing a Mindfulness Program for Psychiatric Hospital Personnel to Counter Burnout.
• Designing a Transitional Care Blueprint for Smooth Community Reintegration of Severe Mental Illness Patients Post-Hospitalization.

Research Paper Topics on Mental Health Nursing

• Examining the Role of Trauma-Informed Care in Enhancing Recovery for Domestic Violence Survivors with PTSD.
• Delving into the Nexus Between Childhood Trauma and the Emergence of Dissociative Identity Disorder.
• Surveying the Impact of Sleep Quality on College Students’ Mental Health : A Systematic Review.
• Assessing Telepsychiatry’s Efficacy in Extending Mental Health Services to Rural Regions.
• Navigating Cultural Competency in the Assessment and Treatment of Diverse Depression Patients.

Mental Health Nursing Research Questions

• How Does Early Intervention in Childhood Emotional Dysregulation Shape Mood Disorder Onset in Adulthood?
• What Are the Challenges to Adherence to Medication Among Schizophrenia Patients, and How Can Nursing Strategies Address Them?
• What Is the Impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Initiatives on Psychiatric Nurses’ Stress Levels?
• What Factors Contribute to the Overrepresentation of Marginalized Individuals with Coexisting Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System?
• What Are the Long-Term Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) on Memory and Cognitive Function in Severe Depression Patients?

Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

• Ethical Conundrums in Administering Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT).
• Exploring the Nexus Between Trauma and Substance Abuse in Individuals with Dual Diagnoses.
• Nurses’ Role in Preventing Suicides: Assessing Risk and Providing Support.
• Cultural Proficiency in Mental Health Nursing: Catering to Multifaceted Patient Requirements.
• COVID-19’s Ripples on Healthcare Providers’ Mental Health: Coping Strategies Amid Challenges.

As you immerse yourself in the tapestry of mental health nursing, myriad opportunities unfold for your contributions to research, evidence-based practices, and compassionate patient care. These PICOT questions, EBP project suggestions, capstone project proposals, research paper topics, research questions, and essay themes constitute the foundation of your journey. Each endeavor you undertake to deepen your comprehension and skills in mental health nursing brings you closer to making a profound difference in the lives entrusted to your care. Should you need additional guidance when crafting essays, research papers, or any scholastic composition related to nursing and mental health, do not hesitate to seek professional aid. Our writing services are tailored to support your academic growth and triumph, ensuring your valuable contributions to mental health nursing are eloquently conveyed and impactful.

• What are the 4 principles of mental health nursing?

The four principles of mental health nursing are: therapeutic relationships, holistic care, patient-centeredness, and evidence-based practice. These principles guide nurses in providing comprehensive and effective care to individuals with mental health conditions.

• What is the role of a nurse in mental health treatment?

Nurses in mental health treatment play a pivotal role in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating care for patients with mental health issues. They provide therapeutic support, administer medications, conduct psychoeducation, and collaborate with the multidisciplinary team to promote recovery.

• What are the different types of mental health nurses?

Different types of mental health nurses include psychiatric-mental health nurses, advanced practice psychiatric nurses, child and adolescent mental health nurses, and geriatric mental health nurses. These specialized nurses cater to diverse patient populations and address specific mental health challenges.

• What are the 6 C’s in mental health nursing?

The 6 C’s in mental health nursing stand for Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage, and Commitment. These core values guide mental health nurses in delivering compassionate and effective care to individuals facing mental health issues.

Mental health nursing stands as a critical pillar in nurturing the overall wellness of individuals grappling with psychiatric conditions. Aspiring nursing students, comprehending the nuances of mental health nursing is not only pivotal for your academic voyage but also for your future professional practice. In this comprehensive guide, we delve profoundly into the realm of mental health nursing. We will explore a range of PICOT questions, propose ideas for evidence-based practice (EBP) projects, furnish you with capstone project ideas, offer a spectrum of research paper topics, present a compilation of research questions, and provide a plethora of essay topic concepts. All these facets are intended to equip you holistically for this indispensable domain.

Mental health nursing entails the compassionate care and unwavering support extended to individuals traversing the challenges of mental health issues. The role of a mental health nurse transcends the confines of conventional medical care, encompassing therapeutic communication, emotional bolstering, and fostering an environment conducive to healing. Mental health nurses operate in a myriad of settings including hospitals, community health centers, and outpatient clinics, playing an instrumental role in shaping the lives of their patients.

• Population (P): Adults under psychiatric care; Intervention (I): Integration of daily RS questionnaire; Comparison (C): Units without daily survey; Outcome (O): Decreased employment of restraint and seclusion; Time (T): 6 months. How does the incorporation of a daily RS (Restraint and Seclusion) questionnaire for adults in psychiatric care, compared to units lacking this daily survey, impact the reduction in the utilization of restraint and seclusion over a span of 6 months?
• P: Adolescents with depressive disorders; I: Implementation of mindfulness-based intervention; C: Standard therapeutic approach; O: Mitigation of depressive symptoms; T: 8 weeks. Among adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorders, what is the effect of incorporating a mindfulness-based intervention, in comparison to standard therapy, on the alleviation of depressive symptoms over an 8-week period?
• P: Elderly residents in long-term care facilities; I: Deployment of pet therapy; C: Absence of pet therapy; O: Enhancement of mood and social interaction; T: 3 months. In elderly individuals residing within long-term care facilities, does the introduction of pet therapy, as opposed to its absence, result in a noticeable improvement in mood and social interaction over a course of 3 months?
• P: Individuals grappling with schizophrenia; I: Integration of family psychoeducation; C: Standard care regimen; O: Diminished recurrence rate of episodes; T: 1 year. For individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, does the inclusion of family psychoeducation within their treatment plan, when compared to standard care, lead to a reduction in the frequency of relapses over a 1-year period?
• P: Inpatient populace with bipolar disorder; I: Introduction of a mood tracking application; C: Conventional mood charting techniques; O: Attainment of superior mood stability; T: 6 months. Within inpatients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, does the utilization of a mood tracking application for monitoring moods contribute to enhanced mood stability in comparison to conventional mood charting over a span of 6 months?
• Surveying the Impact of Sleep Quality on College Students’ Mental Health: A Systematic Review.

As you immerse yourself in the tapestry of mental health nursing, myriad opportunities unfold for your contributions to research, evidence-based practices, and compassionate patient care. These PICOT questions, EBP project suggestions, capstone project proposals, research paper topics, research questions, and essay themes constitute the foundation of your journey. Each endeavor you undertake to deepen your comprehension and skills in mental health nursing brings you closer to making a profound difference in the lives entrusted to your care. Should you find yourself in need of additional guidance when crafting essays, research papers, or any scholastic composition related to nursing and mental health, do not hesitate to seek professional aid. Our writing services are tailored to support your academic growth and triumph, ensuring your valuable contributions to the realm of mental health nursing are eloquently conveyed and impactful.

Start by filling this short order form order.studyinghq.com

And then follow the progressive flow. 

Having an issue, chat with us here

Cathy, CS. 

New Concept ? Let a subject expert write your paper for You​

Have a subject expert write for you now, have a subject expert finish your paper for you, edit my paper for me, have an expert write your dissertation's chapter, popular topics.

Business StudyingHq Essay Topics and Ideas How to Guides Samples

• Nursing Solutions
• Study Guides
• Free Study Database for Essays
• Privacy Policy
• Writing Service 
• Discounts / Offers 

Study Hub: 

• Studying Blog
• Topic Ideas 
• How to Guides
• Business Studying 
• Nursing Studying 
• Literature and English Studying

Writing Tools  

• Citation Generator
• Topic Generator
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Conclusion Maker
• Research Title Generator
• Thesis Statement Generator
• Summarizing Tool
• Terms and Conditions
• Confidentiality Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Refund and Revision Policy

Our samples and other types of content are meant for research and reference purposes only. We are strongly against plagiarism and academic dishonesty. 

Contact Us:

📧 [email protected]

📞 +15512677917

2012-2024 © studyinghq.com. All rights reserved

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Research Paper Topics

This page provides a comprehensive list of psychiatric-mental health nursing research paper topics , which serves as a crucial resource for nursing students assigned to write research papers. The field of psychiatric-mental health nursing is vast, encompassing a wide variety of topics related to mental health care. This extensive list has been carefully curated to include a diverse range of topics divided into ten distinct categories, making it easier for students to find a subject of interest and relevance to their studies. In addition to the list of topics, the page also includes a detailed article discussing the significance of psychiatric-mental health nursing and the various aspects it covers. Additionally, the page offers information on iResearchNet’s writing services, providing an opportunity for students to order custom-written research papers if needed. Ultimately, this page serves as a one-stop resource for students, aiding them in selecting a topic, understanding the importance of psychiatric-mental health nursing, and, if necessary, ordering a custom research paper.

100 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Research Paper Topics

The field of psychiatric-mental health nursing is incredibly diverse, providing a wide range of research opportunities. Understanding the various aspects of psychiatric-mental health nursing is crucial for providing comprehensive care to patients with mental health issues. This section provides a comprehensive list of psychiatric-mental health nursing research paper topics, categorized into ten different areas of focus. These topics are carefully selected to cover the most pertinent issues and trends in the field, encouraging students to explore and contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Academic Writing, Editing, Proofreading, And Problem Solving Services

Get 10% off with 24start discount code.

Understanding Mental Health Disorders

• The role of genetic factors in the development of schizophrenia.
• The impact of childhood trauma on adult mental health.
• The relationship between anxiety disorders and cardiovascular diseases.
• The link between depression and chronic pain.
• The effect of sleep disorders on mental health.
• The role of nutrition in managing mental health disorders.
• The impact of substance abuse on mental health.
• The relationship between personality disorders and criminal behavior.
• The role of social support in managing bipolar disorder.
• The impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on quality of life.

Psychopharmacology in Mental Health Nursing

• The effectiveness of antidepressants in managing major depressive disorder.
• The side effects of antipsychotic medications.
• The role of mood stabilizers in managing bipolar disorder.
• The impact of benzodiazepines on cognitive function.
• The effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in managing anxiety disorders.
• The role of psychostimulants in managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• The impact of medication adherence on treatment outcomes in schizophrenia.
• The role of pharmacogenomics in personalized treatment of mental health disorders.
• The effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy in treatment-resistant depression.
• The impact of polypharmacy on treatment outcomes in elderly patients with mental health disorders.

Therapeutic Communication in Mental Health Nursing

• The impact of therapeutic communication on patient outcomes in mental health care.
• The role of non-verbal communication in building therapeutic relationships with patients.
• The effectiveness of motivational interviewing in substance abuse treatment.
• The impact of active listening on patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment.
• The role of empathy in mental health nursing.
• The effectiveness of group therapy in managing social anxiety disorder.
• The impact of family therapy on the mental health of adolescents.
• The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy in managing depression.
• The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy in managing borderline personality disorder.
• The impact of psychoeducation on the management of schizophrenia.

Mental Health Promotion and Prevention

• The role of school-based mental health programs in preventing adolescent depression.
• The effectiveness of community-based mental health promotion programs.
• The impact of workplace mental health promotion programs on employee well-being.
• The role of physical activity in preventing mental health disorders.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction in preventing anxiety and depression.
• The impact of social support on the prevention of mental health disorders.
• The role of early intervention programs in preventing the development of psychosis.
• The effectiveness of suicide prevention programs in reducing suicide rates.
• The impact of anti-stigma campaigns on public attitudes towards mental health.
• The role of primary care providers in mental health promotion and prevention.

Legal and Ethical Issues in Mental Health Nursing

• The impact of involuntary hospitalization on the mental health of patients.
• The role of advanced directives in mental health care.
• The effectiveness of mental health courts in reducing recidivism rates.
• The impact of confidentiality breaches on the therapeutic relationship.
• The role of informed consent in mental health care.
• The effectiveness of restraint and seclusion in managing aggressive behavior.
• The impact of medication refusal on treatment outcomes.
• The role of ethics committees in resolving ethical dilemmas in mental health care.
• The effectiveness of de-escalation techniques in managing aggressive behavior.
• The impact of legal and ethical issues on the role of the mental health nurse.

Mental Health Nursing Across the Lifespan

• The impact of developmental stages on the mental health of individuals.
• The role of mental health nursing in the care of children and adolescents.
• The effectiveness of mental health interventions for older adults.
• The impact of life transitions on mental health.
• The role of mental health nursing in the care of pregnant and postpartum women.
• The effectiveness of mental health interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• The impact of aging on mental health.
• The role of mental health nursing in the care of individuals with dementia.
• The effectiveness of mental health interventions for adolescents with eating disorders.
• The impact of end-of-life care on the mental health of patients and their families.

Cultural Competence in Mental Health Nursing

• The impact of cultural competence on patient satisfaction and outcomes in mental health care.
• The role of cultural competence in building therapeutic relationships with patients from diverse backgrounds.
• The effectiveness of culturally tailored interventions in managing mental health disorders.
• The impact of language barriers on access to mental health care.
• The role of cultural competence in the assessment and diagnosis of mental health disorders.
• The effectiveness of cultural competence training for mental health professionals.
• The impact of cultural beliefs and practices on mental health.
• The role of cultural competence in the prevention of mental health disorders.
• The effectiveness of culturally adapted cognitive-behavioral therapy in managing depression.
• The impact of cultural competence on the delivery of mental health services to immigrant and refugee populations.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing in Various Settings

• The role of mental health nursing in primary care settings.
• The effectiveness of mental health nursing interventions in acute care settings.
• The impact of mental health nursing on patient outcomes in long-term care settings.
• The role of mental health nursing in community mental health services.
• The effectiveness of mental health nursing interventions in correctional facilities.
• The impact of mental health nursing on patient outcomes in home health care.
• The role of mental health nursing in school-based mental health services.
• The effectiveness of mental health nursing interventions in emergency departments.
• The impact of mental health nursing on patient outcomes in psychiatric hospitals.
• The role of mental health nursing in substance abuse treatment centers.

Technological Advances in Mental Health Nursing

• The impact of telepsychiatry on access to mental health care in rural areas.
• The role of electronic health records in improving the quality of mental health care.
• The effectiveness of online support groups in managing mental health disorders.
• The impact of mobile applications on medication adherence in patients with mental health disorders.
• The role of virtual reality in the treatment of phobias.
• The effectiveness of online cognitive-behavioral therapy in managing anxiety disorders.
• The impact of teletherapy on patient satisfaction and outcomes in mental health care.
• The role of technology in enhancing communication between mental health professionals and patients.
• The effectiveness of online psychoeducation in the management of bipolar disorder.
• The impact of technology on the role of the mental health nurse.

Emerging Trends in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers.
• The role of psychiatric-mental health nurses in addressing the opioid crisis.
• The effectiveness of trauma-informed care in managing post-traumatic stress disorder.
• The impact of the integration of mental health and primary care services on patient outcomes.
• The role of psychiatric-mental health nurses in addressing the mental health needs of LGBTQ+ populations.
• The effectiveness of peer support in the management of mental health disorders.
• The impact of climate change on mental health.
• The role of psychiatric-mental health nurses in addressing the mental health needs of immigrant and refugee populations.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in managing stress and burnout among mental health professionals.
• The impact of social media on mental health.

The psychiatric-mental health nursing field offers a vast array of research opportunities, as evident from the extensive list of topics provided above. These topics encompass various aspects of mental health care, from understanding mental health disorders to exploring the ethical and legal considerations in psychiatric-mental health nursing. It is crucial for students and professionals in the field to engage in research to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and improvement of mental health care. This list of psychiatric-mental health nursing research paper topics serves as a starting point for students to explore and contribute to this vital field of nursing.

The Range of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Research Paper Topics

Psychiatric-mental health nursing is a specialized field of nursing that is dedicated to promoting mental health through the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health disorders and conditions. This field of nursing is incredibly important, as mental health disorders are prevalent and can have a significant impact on individuals’ overall health and well-being. According to the World Health Organization, approximately one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. This staggering statistic underscores the critical need for skilled psychiatric-mental health nurses who can provide comprehensive and compassionate care to individuals with mental health needs.

The significance of psychiatric-mental health nursing is multifaceted. First and foremost, psychiatric-mental health nurses play a crucial role in providing care and support to individuals with mental health disorders. They are often the first point of contact for individuals seeking help for mental health issues and play a key role in the assessment and diagnosis of mental health disorders. Psychiatric-mental health nurses also develop and implement treatment plans, provide psychoeducation to patients and their families, and offer support and counseling. Additionally, they play a vital role in crisis intervention and the management of acute mental health episodes.

Furthermore, psychiatric-mental health nurses also play a critical role in promoting mental health and preventing mental health disorders. They work in a variety of settings, including community mental health centers, schools, and primary care clinics, where they provide mental health education and promote strategies for maintaining good mental health. Additionally, psychiatric-mental health nurses often work in interdisciplinary teams, collaborating with other healthcare professionals, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers, to provide comprehensive care to individuals with mental health needs.

Various aspects of psychiatric-mental health nursing offer a wide range of psychiatric-mental health nursing research paper topics. One critical area of focus is mental health assessment. This involves the evaluation of an individual’s mental health status through the use of various assessment tools and techniques. Research in this area might explore the validity and reliability of different mental health assessment tools, the impact of cultural differences on mental health assessment, or the development of new assessment tools and techniques.

Another important aspect of psychiatric-mental health nursing is treatment and intervention strategies. This encompasses a wide range of approaches, from psychopharmacology to psychotherapy to lifestyle interventions. Psychiatric-mental health nursing research paper topics in this area might include the effectiveness of different treatment approaches for specific mental health disorders, the impact of treatment adherence on treatment outcomes, or the development of new intervention strategies.

The role of the psychiatric-mental health nurse is another crucial aspect of this field. Psychiatric-mental health nurses have a unique set of skills and competencies that enable them to provide comprehensive care to individuals with mental health needs. Research topics in this area might explore the impact of nurse-patient relationships on treatment outcomes, the role of psychiatric-mental health nurses in interdisciplinary teams, or the development of new competencies and skills for psychiatric-mental health nurses.

In addition to these areas, there are many other aspects of psychiatric-mental health nursing that offer a wealth of research opportunities. For example, legal and ethical issues in psychiatric-mental health nursing, the role of technology in mental health care, and the mental health needs of specific populations, such as the elderly, children, or individuals with co-occurring disorders, are all important areas of focus.

Overall, the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing offers a wide range of research opportunities. From mental health assessment to treatment and intervention strategies to the role of the psychiatric-mental health nurse, there are numerous psychiatric-mental health nursing research paper topics to explore. Engaging in research in this field is crucial for the advancement of knowledge and the improvement of mental health care for individuals around the world.

In conclusion, psychiatric-mental health nursing is a vital field that plays a crucial role in promoting mental health and providing care and support to individuals with mental health needs. The various aspects of psychiatric-mental health nursing offer a wide range of psychiatric-mental health nursing research paper topics, from mental health assessment to treatment and intervention strategies to the role of the psychiatric-mental health nurse. Engaging in research in this field is essential for advancing knowledge and improving mental health care worldwide.

iResearchNet’s Custom Writing Services

iResearchNet is a leading provider of custom writing services, designed to assist students in achieving academic excellence. Our team of expert writers is committed to providing top-quality academic papers, tailored to meet your specific requirements. Whether you need help with a research paper, essay, dissertation, or any other academic assignment, iResearchNet is here to provide you with the support you need.

Features of iResearchNet’s Writing Services

• Expert Degree-Holding Writers: Our team consists of highly qualified writers, each holding a minimum of a Master’s degree in their respective fields. This ensures that your paper is written by an expert with a deep understanding of your subject matter.
• Custom Written Works: Each paper is crafted from scratch, according to your specific instructions. This ensures that your paper is unique, original, and tailored to your requirements.
• In-depth Research: Our writers conduct thorough research on each topic, using a variety of reliable sources. This ensures that your paper is well-researched, accurate, and comprehensive.
• Custom Formatting: Your paper will be formatted according to your preferred style guide, whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, or Harvard. This ensures that your paper meets the specific formatting requirements of your institution.
• Top Quality: We are committed to providing top-quality work. Each paper is carefully reviewed by our quality assurance team to ensure that it meets our high standards.
• Customized Solutions: We understand that each student has unique needs. Therefore, we offer customized solutions to meet your specific requirements. Whether you need a paper written from scratch, editing and proofreading services, or assistance with a specific part of your paper, we are here to help.
• Flexible Pricing: We offer flexible pricing options to suit your budget. Our prices are competitive, and we provide a detailed price quote upfront, with no hidden fees.
• Short Deadlines up to 3 hours: We understand that sometimes you may need your paper urgently. We offer short deadlines up to 3 hours for certain types of assignments.
• Timely Delivery: We are committed to delivering your paper on time, every time. You can count on us to meet your deadline.
• 24/7 Support: Our customer support team is available 24/7 to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. You can contact us via phone, email, or live chat.
• Absolute Privacy: We respect your privacy and take all necessary measures to protect your personal information. Your personal details will never be shared with any third party.
• Easy Order Tracking: Our user-friendly online platform allows you to easily track the progress of your order. You can also communicate directly with your writer through our messaging system.
• Money-Back Guarantee: We are confident in the quality of our services. However, if you are not satisfied with the final product, we offer a money-back guarantee.

iResearchNet is committed to providing top-quality writing services to help students achieve academic success. Our expert degree-holding writers, custom written works, in-depth research, and custom formatting ensure that your paper is of the highest quality. Our customized solutions, flexible pricing, and short deadlines cater to your specific needs. With our timely delivery, 24/7 support, absolute privacy, easy order tracking, and money-back guarantee, you can have complete peace of mind when you choose iResearchNet for your academic writing needs.

Secure Your Success with iResearchNet

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of assignments and deadlines looming over your head? You are not alone. Many nursing students struggle to find the time and resources necessary to complete their psychiatric-mental health nursing research papers. That’s where iResearchNet comes in. We are here to provide you with top-quality, custom-written research papers that will not only help you to achieve your academic goals but also to deepen your understanding of psychiatric-mental health nursing.

Our team of expert writers is highly qualified and experienced in the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing. They are adept at conducting in-depth research and creating comprehensive, well-structured, and meticulously referenced research papers. When you order a custom research paper from iResearchNet, you can be confident that you are receiving a paper of the highest quality, tailored to your specific requirements and formatted according to your preferred style guide.

Submitting a high-quality research paper is crucial for your academic success. It demonstrates your understanding of the subject matter, your ability to conduct thorough research, and your skill in organizing and presenting information in a clear and coherent manner. A well-crafted research paper can significantly impact your final grade and your future career prospects in the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing. Don’t take chances with your academic and professional future. Trust iResearchNet to provide you with the top-quality research paper you need to succeed.

Take the First Step Towards Your Success

Don’t wait until the last minute to start your psychiatric-mental health nursing research paper. Take the first step towards your academic success by ordering a custom research paper from iResearchNet today. Our user-friendly online platform makes it easy to place your order, and our 24/7 customer support team is always here to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. With our absolute privacy policy, you can be assured that your personal information will be kept confidential. And with our money-back guarantee, you can have complete peace of mind knowing that your satisfaction is our top priority. Invest in your future by choosing iResearchNet for your academic writing needs.

ORDER HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM PAPER

Mental Health Nursing Research Topics: Inspiring Ideas for Students

This article was written in collaboration with Christine T. and ChatGPT, our little helper developed by OpenAI.

Mental health nursing is an essential field that requires ongoing research to improve patient outcomes and enhance the overall quality of care. As a student in this field, you can contribute to this important work by conducting research projects.

One of the biggest challenges you may face when starting a research project is deciding on a topic. This article has compiled a list of relevant and inspiring mental health nursing research topics to help you get started.

Examples of Mental Health Nursing Research Topics

The effectiveness of mindfulness practices on mental health outcomes.

Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and yoga, have become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Research has shown that these practices may also effectively treat mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. As a mental health nursing student, you could investigate the impact of mindfulness practices on mental health outcomes.

• The impact of mindfulness practices on depression symptoms
• The effect of mindfulness on anxiety and stress reduction
• Mindfulness as a tool for coping with chronic pain
• The benefits of mindfulness for people with substance abuse disorders
• Mindfulness-based interventions for PTSD
• The role of mindfulness in promoting better sleep
• Comparing the effectiveness of different types of mindfulness practices on reducing anxiety symptoms
• Exploring the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the benefits of mindfulness meditation
• The impact of mindfulness practices on sleep quality and mental health
• Evaluating the long-term effects of regular mindfulness practices on emotional well-being
• Mindfulness interventions in schools and their effects on student mental health
• Mindfulness and eating disorders: effects on body image and eating behavior
• Mindfulness and anger management
• Mental health and gender inequality
• The effect of mindfulness on attention and focus
• Mindfulness as a strategy to enhance emotional intelligence
• Mindfulness and workplace stress
• Mindfulness and burnout in healthcare professionals
• The impact of mindfulness on cognitive function in older adults
• Mindfulness and self-compassion: effects on self-esteem and self-worth
• Mindfulness as a complement to medication for mental health treatment
• Mindfulness-based interventions for people with schizophrenia
• Mindfulness for children and adolescents with ADHD
• The effect of mindfulness on symptoms of bipolar disorder
• Mindfulness and social anxiety
• Mindfulness and parenting: effects on stress and well-being
• The impact of mindfulness on academic performance
• Mindfulness and addiction recovery: effects on relapse prevention
• Mindfulness and personality disorders
• Mindfulness and body image dissatisfaction
• Mindfulness and chronic illness: effects on quality of life
• Mindfulness for people with borderline personality disorder
• The impact of mindfulness on self-harm and suicidal ideation
• Mindfulness for people with eating disorders in recovery
• Mindfulness and resilience: effects on coping with adversity
• The drug abuse and associated disorders: an overview of the anti-drug policy and the need for policy change
• Mindfulness and self-compassion in cancer patients
• The effect of mindfulness on symptoms of OCD
• Mindfulness-based interventions for people with anxiety disorders
• Mindfulness and creativity: effects on artistic expression and well-being
• Mindfulness for people with chronic fatigue syndrome
• Mindfulness and pain management: effects on chronic pain
• Mindfulness and emotional regulation in people with autism
• Mindfulness for people with borderline intellectual functioning
• The effect of mindfulness on symptoms of postpartum depression
• Mindfulness and social connectedness: effects on loneliness and isolation
• Mindfulness and spirituality: effects on well-being and connection to something larger

Medical Studies Overwhelming?

Delegate Your Nursing Papers to the Pros!

Get 15% Discount

+ Plagiarism Report for FREE

The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health

Research has shown that diet and nutrition can significantly affect mental health outcomes. For example, certain nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, have been linked to improved mood and cognitive function. As a mental health nursing student, you could explore the impact of nutrition on mental health outcomes and investigate the effectiveness of nutritional interventions in managing mental health conditions.

• The impact of nutrient deficiencies on mental health
• The role of omega-3 fatty acids in brain function and mental health
• The effect of vitamin D on mood and anxiety
• The connection between gut health and mental health
• The influence of caffeine on anxiety and sleep
• The effects of sugar on mental health and cognitive function
• The relationship between gut health, diet, and mood disorders
• Evaluating the effects of probiotics on mental health outcomes
• Impact of vitamin D deficiency on depressive symptoms
• Dietary interventions for managing ADHD symptoms in children
• The link between sugar intake and anxiety: a closer look
• The impact of nutrition on ADHD symptoms
• The role of antioxidants in protecting against oxidative stress and improving mental health
• The effects of probiotics on mental health and mood
• The connection between iron deficiency and depression
• The role of magnesium in anxiety and depression
• The impact of food allergies and intolerances on mental health
• The effect of B vitamins on cognitive function and mental health
• The influence of alcohol on mental health and well-being
• The role of nutrition in the prevention of dementia and cognitive decline
• The effects of caffeine withdrawal on mental health
• The connection between nutrition and schizophrenia symptoms
• The role of amino acids in brain function and mental health
• The effect of carbohydrates on mood and energy levels
• The impact of diet on sleep quality and quantity
• The influence of processed foods on mental health
• The role of nutrition in the treatment of eating disorders
• The connection between nutrition and bipolar disorder symptoms
• The effect of zinc on mental health and cognitive function
• The impact of phytochemicals on brain health and mental well-being
• The role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of anxiety disorders
• The effects of dehydration on cognitive function and mood
• The connection between nutrition and ADHD medication effectiveness
• The role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of depression
• The effect of amino acid supplementation on depression and anxiety
• The impact of low-carbohydrate diets on mental health and mood
• The influence of social and cultural factors on nutrition and mental health
• The role of nutrition in the management of stress and cortisol levels
• The effects of specific diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, on mental health outcomes
• The connection between nutrition and substance abuse recovery
• The role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of postpartum depression
• The effect of omega-3 supplementation on cognitive function and memory
• The impact of vegetarian and vegan diets on mental health and well-being
• The connection between nutrition and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• The role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

Social media has become integral to our daily lives, but research has also shown that it can hurt mental health. For example, excessive social media use has been linked to increased feelings of anxiety and depression. As a mental health nursing student, you could investigate the impact of social media on mental health outcomes and explore the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing the harmful effects of social media.

• The connection between social media use and depression
• The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem
• The effect of social media on sleep quality and quantity
• The relationship between social media addiction and mental health
• The influence of cyberbullying on mental health outcomes
• The role of social media in the development of anxiety disorders
• The effects of social media on interpersonal relationships and social skills
• The connection between social media use and suicide risk
• The correlation between social media usage patterns and self-esteem levels
• Effects of social media detox on mental health outcomes
• Evaluating the role of social media in the rise of body dysmorphia among teenagers
• The relationship between cyberbullying on social media platforms and depression
• Influence of social comparison on social media and its impact on mental health
• The impact of social media on attention span and focus
• The effect of social media on academic performance and stress
• The relationship between social media use and eating disorders
• The influence of social media on body dysmorphia
• The role of social media in the development of addiction and substance abuse disorders
• The effects of social media on the brain and cognition
• The connection between social media use and stress levels
• The impact of social media on political beliefs and mental health outcomes
• The effect of social media on self-compassion and self-care
• The relationship between social media use and personality disorders
• The influence of social media on social comparison and envy
• The role of social media in the development of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• The effects of social media on creativity and mental health
• The connection between social media use and addiction to video games
• The impact of social media on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• The effect of social media on decision-making and impulsivity
• The relationship between social media use and loneliness
• The influence of social media on phobias and anxieties
• The role of social media in the development of trauma-related disorders
• The effects of social media on emotional regulation and mental health
• The connection between social media use and paranoia
• The impact of social media on cultural and societal attitudes toward mental health
• The effect of social media on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• The relationship between social media use and narcissistic personality disorder
• The influence of social media on obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors
• The role of social media in the development of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
• The effects of social media on body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs)
• The connection between social media use and self-harm behaviors
• The impact of social media on emotional contagion and mental health outcomes
• The effect of social media on emotional intelligence and empathy
• The relationship between social media use and phubbing (phone snubbing)
• The influence of social media on identity formation and mental health

The Effectiveness of Art Therapy in Treating Mental Health Conditions

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative expression to improve mental health outcomes. As a mental health nursing student, you could investigate the effectiveness of art therapy in treating mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

• The role of art therapy in treating anxiety disorders
• The effectiveness of art therapy in managing depression
• Art therapy as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Art therapy for improving social skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorders
• The anatomy and physiology of anxiety disorder: hereditary factors and statistical facts
• The benefits of art therapy in treating addiction and substance abuse disorders
• Art therapy for promoting self-expression and emotional regulation in children with ADHD
• Art therapy as a tool for managing PTSD symptoms in veterans
• The role of music therapy in improving mental health outcomes in dementia patients
• Exploring the benefits of dance therapy for individuals with mood disorders
• Evaluating the therapeutic effects of visual arts on children with behavioral disorders
• The impact of group art therapy sessions on building social skills in autistic individuals
• The effectiveness of art therapy in managing chronic pain and illness-related stress
• Art therapy for enhancing communication and reducing aggression in individuals with dementia
• The benefits of art therapy in managing symptoms of schizophrenia
• Art therapy as a treatment for borderline personality disorder
• The effectiveness of art therapy in improving body image and self-esteem
• The delicate dance: balancing art and science in the nursing profession
• Art therapy for reducing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• The role of art therapy in managing anger and aggression in individuals with intellectual disabilities
• Art therapy for promoting mindfulness and reducing stress in cancer patients
• The effectiveness of art therapy in managing symptoms of eating disorders
• Art therapy for improving cognitive functioning in individuals with traumatic brain injuries
• The benefits of art therapy in reducing symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
• Art therapy as a treatment for individuals with chronic pain and fibromyalgia
• The effectiveness of art therapy in improving sleep quality and quantity
• Art therapy for promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety in individuals with hypertension
• The role of art therapy in treating individuals with dissociative identity disorder
• Art therapy for enhancing creativity and promoting personal growth
• The benefits of art therapy in improving the overall quality of life in individuals with mental health conditions
• Art therapy as a treatment for individuals with multiple sclerosis
• The effectiveness of art therapy in managing symptoms of bipolar disorder
• Art therapy for improving social functioning and reducing isolation in individuals with schizophrenia
• The role of art therapy in promoting spirituality and reducing existential anxiety
• Nursing: a beautiful blend of art and science
• Art therapy for promoting self-compassion and self-care in individuals with chronic illness
• The benefits of art therapy in managing symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Art therapy as a treatment for individuals with personality disorders
• The effectiveness of art therapy in reducing symptoms of agoraphobia
• Art therapy for promoting emotional resilience and coping skills in individuals with chronic pain
• The role of art therapy in managing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
• Art therapy for improving communication and reducing aggression in individuals with traumatic brain injuries
• The benefits of art therapy in promoting self-awareness and personal insight
• Art therapy as a treatment for individuals with gender identity disorder
• The effectiveness of art therapy in reducing symptoms of borderline intellectual functioning
• Art therapy for promoting emotional expression and reducing anxiety in individuals with speech disorders
• The role of art therapy in promoting cognitive flexibility and problem-solving skills
• Art therapy for improving body awareness and reducing symptoms of somatic disorders

The Impact of Trauma on Mental Health Outcomes

Trauma can profoundly impact mental health outcomes, and understanding the relationship between trauma and mental illness is essential for effective care. As a mental health nursing student, you could investigate the impact of trauma on mental health outcomes and explore the effectiveness of interventions to reduce the negative effects of trauma.

• The effects of childhood trauma on mental health in adulthood
• The impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on mental health outcomes
• The role of resilience in mitigating the effects of trauma on mental health
• The prevalence of trauma in marginalized populations and its impact on mental health
• The effects of trauma on brain development and mental health outcomes
• The impact of trauma on the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• The relationship between trauma and substance use disorders
• The role of social support in mitigating the effects of trauma on mental health
• The effects of trauma on attachment and interpersonal relationships
• The impact of trauma on physical health outcomes
• Exploring the physiological changes in the brain after experiencing trauma
• Evaluating the effectiveness of EMDR therapy for trauma survivors
• The long-term mental health outcomes of childhood trauma
• Comparing the effects of single incident trauma vs. prolonged trauma on mental health
• The role of support groups in aiding trauma recovery
• The effects of trauma on cognitive functioning and memory
• The relationship between trauma and depression
• The impact of trauma on anxiety and anxiety disorders
• The role of trauma in the development of personality disorders
• The effects of trauma on sleep quality and quantity
• The relationship between trauma and self-esteem
• The impact of trauma on emotion regulation and impulsivity
• The effects of trauma on suicidal ideation and behavior
• The role of trauma in the development of dissociative disorders
• The impact of trauma on parenting and child-rearing practices
• The effects of trauma on sexual health and relationships
• The relationship between trauma and eating disorders
• The impact of trauma on social functioning and integration
• The effects of trauma on work productivity and employment outcomes
• The role of cultural factors in the experience and impact of trauma on mental health
• The effects of trauma on spirituality and faith-based coping mechanisms
• The relationship between trauma and anger management
• The impact of trauma on sexual and gender identity development
• The effects of trauma on executive functioning and decision-making abilities
• The role of trauma in the development of the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• The impact of trauma on aging and geriatric mental health
• The effects of trauma on identity development and self-concept
• The relationship between trauma and borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• The impact of trauma on coping strategies and resilience
• The effects of trauma on healthcare utilization and healthcare outcomes
• The role of trauma in the development of anxiety and stress-related disorders
• The impact of trauma on social and emotional intelligence
• The effects of trauma on emotion recognition and empathy
• The relationship between trauma and bipolar disorder
• The role of trauma in the development of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

The Interdisciplinary Approach in Mental Health Nursing

Mental health nursing is not an isolated field. It thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration, where professionals from various disciplines come together to offer holistic care to patients. As the understanding of mental health broadens, it’s imperative for nursing students to recognize the value of interdisciplinary approaches in optimizing patient outcomes.

Benefits of an Interdisciplinary Approach:

• Holistic Care

Drawing expertise from fields like psychology, nutrition, social work, and even art therapy ensures a well-rounded approach to patient care.

• Enhanced Patient Outcomes

Collaborative efforts often lead to better patient outcomes as they address various facets of a patient’s well-being.

• Continued Learning

Interacting with professionals from diverse backgrounds provides an excellent opportunity for learning and professional growth.

Key Areas of Collaboration:

• Psychology and Psychiatry

Understanding the psychological underpinnings of mental disorders and collaborating with psychologists and psychiatrists is fundamental. It ensures that therapeutic interventions are complemented by appropriate medical treatments.

• Social Work

Social workers play a crucial role in patient rehabilitation, ensuring they have the necessary support systems in place, be it family counseling or community reintegration.

As the link between nutrition and mental health becomes increasingly evident, collaboration with nutritionists can guide dietary interventions to complement therapeutic strategies.

• Alternative Therapies

Fields like art therapy, music therapy, and even physical therapy offer alternative avenues for patient recovery. Understanding and collaborating with professionals from these fields can enhance patient care.

For nursing students, embracing the interdisciplinary approach is not just about improving patient care but also about enhancing their professional expertise. By understanding the broader landscape of mental health care, students prepare themselves for the diverse challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in their careers.

Choosing a research topic can be challenging, but with the right inspiration and guidance, you can find a relevant and inspiring topic with the right inspiration and guidance. These mental health nursing research topic ideas are just a starting point – there are countless other areas of research in this field that you can explore. With dedication and hard work, you can make a valuable contribution to the field of mental health nursing and help improve the lives of those struggling with mental illness.

📎 Related Articles

1. Top Nursing Argumentative Essay Topics: Engage in Thought-Provoking Debates 2. Top Nursing Topics for Discussion: Engaging Conversations for Healthcare Professionals 3. Key EBP Nursing Topics: Enhancing Patient Results through Evidence-Based Practice 4. Top Nursing Research Topics for Students and Professionals 5. Nursing Debate Topics: The Importance of Discussing and Debating Nursing Issues 6. Mental Health – Health Topics | Healthy Schools 7. NIMH » Health Topics 8. Mental Health Topics and Resources for Patients and Families 9. Exploring Controversial Issues in Nursing: Key Topics and Examples 10. Pediatric Nursing Research Topics for Students: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of content

Crafted with Care:

Nursing Essays!

Precision, Passion, & Professionalism in Every Page.

Online Nursing Essays

Top Quality Nursing Papers

Exploring Popular Mental Health Research Paper Topics

Mental health, a paramount aspect of overall human well-being, has recently gained considerable attention. Many individuals are diagnosed with mental illnesses at significant rates. Mental health research topics encompass a broad range of areas, from understanding the underlying causes of disorders to exploring treatment modalities and societal impacts. The insights drawn from these studies equip professionals to offer effective interventions and craft public health strategies. In this article, we’ll delve into some of the most pivotal and intriguing mental health issues under investigation by specialists.

What are Mental Health Research Topics?

Mental health research topics refer to the various subjects under the umbrella of mental health that researchers can explore, analyze, and draw conclusions from. These topics can range from specific disorders, such as depression or anxiety, to broader concepts, like the impact of societal norms on mental health or the role of technology in mental well-being. Data on mental health indicates that 10% of young women face eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and concerns about body image distortion.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

A research topic acts as a broad thematic umbrella, setting the study’s overall direction, like exploring ‘depression in teenagers.’ This general theme can encompass various facets, from causes and treatments to societal perceptions. In contrast, a research question, such as ‘How does social media usage impact depression levels in teenagers?’ provides a sharper, targeted inquiry, guiding specific research objectives. 

What Makes a Strong Mental Health Research Topic?

A robust mental health research topic is both current and relevant. It addresses gaps in existing knowledge, offers new perspectives, and has the potential to bring about meaningful change. Such a topic is backed by preliminary data, is feasible regarding research methodology, and resonates with the larger scientific and social community.

How to Find an Ideal Mental Health Research Topic?

Following a structured approach, one can narrow down a subject that aligns with their interests and contributes significantly to the field.

• Identify the mental health research area you’d like to concentrate on. Begin by outlining your interests. Whether it’s child psychology, geriatric mental health, or neurocognitive disorders, pinpointing a domain can offer direction.
• In the chosen research area, search and collect more research topic ideas. Scour journals, online databases, and relevant literature. Keep an eye on emerging trends and untouched areas.
• Brainstorm all the gathered ideas and eliminate topics with minimum or no research scope. A topic might sound intriguing, but it is essential to ensure it holds research potential.
• Choose one ideal mental health research topic from all the shortlisted topics. This should align with your passion, have ample research material, and be novel.
• Confirm the topic only if it matches the research paper writing guidelines your professor or university shared. Adherence to guidelines ensures your effort is acknowledged and validated.

Tips for Choosing a Mental Health Research Topic

The topic you opt for sets the tone for your entire research journey, influencing the hours you’ll spend reading, analyzing, and writing about it. Consider the following guidelines:

• Choose a topic that interests you: When you’re personally invested in a topic, the research transforms into a journey. A topic you’re enthusiastic about can motivate you during those inevitable rough patches in the research process. 
• Choose a fresh approach: Bringing a fresh perspective makes your research stand out and pushes the boundaries of existing knowledge, fostering growth in the field.
• Choose a topic that matters: Topics that resonate with societal issues or current events can attract a wider audience, increasing the potential impact of your findings. 
• Choose a topic that challenges you: It demands more effort, deeper analysis and might even push you out of your comfort zone. Overcoming obstacles can lead to personal and academic growth.
• Choose a manageable topic: Narrow your scope to ensure depth, providing a comprehensive view of a more specific issue. This ensures that you can produce a thorough and insightful piece of research.

List of Mental Health Research Topics and Ideas

This comprehensive list encompasses various domains within mental health, aiming to cater to diverse research interests.

Interesting Mental Health Research Topics

• Digital Age and Mental Well-being: Exploring the effects of continuous connectivity and social media on mental health.
• Neurological Basis of Anxiety Disorders: A deep dive into how the brain’s architecture and chemistry contribute to anxiety.
• Art Therapy for PTSD: Assessing the therapeutic potential of art in aiding recovery from traumatic experiences.
• Gut Health’s Link to Mental Wellness: Investigating the role of the gut-brain axis and the microbiome’s impact on mental health conditions.
• Remote Work and Its Psychological Implications: Analyzing the mental health challenges and benefits of the increasing shift towards remote working.
• Genetic Factors in Mental Illness: Studying the hereditary components that might predispose individuals to certain mental health conditions.
• Psychological Impact of Climate Change: Exploring the mental health outcomes of environmental shifts and natural disasters.
• Eastern vs. Western Mental Health Practices: Comparing and contrasting therapeutic methods from different cultural perspectives.
• Post-conflict Zones and Mental Health: Assessing the long-term psychological effects on populations living in areas previously or currently in conflict.
• Childhood Attachment and Adult Relationships: Investigating how early-life bonding experiences influence adult interpersonal dynamics.

Mental Illness Research Paper Topics

• The genetic factors influencing bipolar disorder.
• Exploring the physiological markers of anxiety disorders.
• The impact of culture and society on the definition of mental illnesses.
• The correlation between childhood abuse and adult schizophrenia.
• Evaluating the efficacy of various therapeutic interventions for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• The intersection of physical health and mental illnesses.
• Mental illnesses among the elderly: overlooked and undertreated?
• How socioeconomic factors exacerbate the symptoms of major depressive disorder.
• Comorbidities: When mental illnesses don’t come alone.
• The challenges in diagnosing personality disorders.

Research Ideas on Mental Illness

• Investigating the microbiome-gut-brain axis and its implications for mental health.
• Role of mindfulness and meditation in managing mental illnesses.
• Impact of digital detoxes on general mental well-being.
• The stigmatization of mental illnesses in media portrayal.
• Assessing the mental health impacts of long-term remote work.
• Gender differences in experiencing and expressing symptoms of mental disorders.
• The potential benefits of integrating AI and tech in mental health diagnostics.
• The link between chronic pain and mental health deterioration.
• Examining resilience factors in individuals recovering from mental illnesses.
• Childhood nutrition and its relation to mental health outcomes.

Research Paper Topics on Mental Disorders

• Dissociative Identity Disorder: separating fact from fiction.
• Exploring the rise of tech-induced disorders, like ‘nomophobia.’
• The effects of climate change on global mental health.
• Neurological underpinnings of phobias and irrational fears.
• Delving into post-partum depression: More than just “baby blues.”
• Addressing sleep disorders in the digital age.
• The hidden mental health crisis among first responders.
• Investigating the triggers of psychosomatic disorders.
• Social media’s role in body dysmorphic disorder.
• Examining the spectrum of autism: understanding nuances.

Mental Health Nursing Research Topics

• Challenges faced by mental health nurses in acute psychiatric wards.
• The significance of therapeutic relationships in mental health care.
• Balancing empathy and professional detachment: a mental health nurse’s dilemma.
• Mental health nursing interventions for substance abuse patients.
• Strategies for handling aggressive behaviors in psychiatric patients.
• The role of continuous education in enhancing mental health nursing practices.
• Evaluating the mental well-being of nurses working in psychiatric units.
• The importance of cultural competence in mental health nursing.
• Implementing group therapy: strategies and challenges for nurses.
• Understanding the burnout phenomenon among mental health nurses.

New Mothers’ Mental Health Research Topics

• Evaluating post-partum depression’s impact on mother-infant bonding.
• Navigating the mental health challenges of high-risk pregnancies.
• The role of partner support in new mothers’ mental well-being.
• Addressing body image issues post-childbirth.
• The psychological impact of miscarriages and stillbirths.
• Role of lactation and breastfeeding in maternal mental health.
• Understanding the fears and anxieties of first-time mothers.
• The influence of hormonal fluctuations on post-partum mental states.
• Exploring societal pressures and their effect on new mothers’ self-esteem.
• Navigating the emotional landscape of adoption for new mothers.

Mental Health Research Topics on Music Therapy

• The neurological foundation of music therapy’s effectiveness.
• Exploring rhythm: How drumming alleviates symptoms of anxiety and stress.
• The role of music therapy in aiding Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
• Evaluating the effects of different musical genres on mood regulation.
• Music therapy’s impact on children with developmental disorders.
• Singing as a therapeutic tool: benefits for respiratory and mental health.
• Assessing the efficacy of music therapy in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients.
• Harmonizing emotions: music therapy’s role in emotional processing.
• The intersection of cultural music traditions and therapy practices.
• Music therapy’s potential in managing chronic pain and related mental strains.

Research Paper Topics on Mental Health Counseling

• The evolving landscape of virtual mental health counseling.
• Addressing the challenges of cross-cultural mental health counseling.
• The role of non-verbal cues in therapeutic settings.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy vs. dialectical behavior therapy: Assessing applicability and outcomes.
• The ethics and dilemmas in mental health counseling: boundaries and relationships.
• Group therapy: dynamics, challenges, and benefits.
• Exploring the potential of animal-assisted therapy in mental health counseling.
• Techniques for handling resistance and denial in therapy.
• The impact of counselor’s self-care on therapeutic effectiveness.
• Integrating indigenous and holistic practices into modern counseling methods.

Research Ideas on Psychiatry

• Investigating the potential of psychedelic drugs in treating resistant depression.
• Neuroimaging in psychiatry: it’s potential in accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Addressing the ethical concerns surrounding involuntary psychiatric treatments.
• The role of diet and nutrition in psychiatric interventions.
• Genetic markers and their potential in predicting psychiatric disorders.
• Examining the long-term effects of psychiatric medications.
• Understanding the psychiatric implications of chronic isolation.
• The challenges and dynamics of adolescent psychiatry.
• Integrating AI and big data in predicting and managing psychiatric conditions.
• Psychiatry in post-war zones: addressing the hidden mental health crisis.

Good Mental Health Research Paper Topics

• The influence of daily physical activity on mental well-being.
• Social connections and their intrinsic role in fostering good mental health.
• Examining the therapeutic effects of nature and outdoor activities.
• The importance of sleep hygiene in maintaining optimal mental health.
• Assessing the impact of positive affirmations and mindfulness practices.
• Delving into the world of nootropics: benefits and concerns.
• The role of a balanced diet in promoting mental health.
• Unplugging: the mental health benefits of digital detoxes.
• Volunteerism and its psychological rewards.
• The arts – painting, writing

Best Mental Health Research Topics

• Innovations in neuropsychology and their implications for mental health.
• Assessing the global impact of mental health awareness campaigns.
• The promising horizon of personalized mental health interventions.
• The undeniable connection between gut health and mental well-being.
• Addressing mental health disparities in marginalized communities.
• Evaluating the role of early interventions in preventing severe mental disorders.
• Exploring the link between creativity and mental health.
• Global perspectives on mental health: Cultural nuances and universal truths.
• The future of mental health: Technological advancements and challenges.
• Redefining mental health education in schools and communities.

Final Thoughts on Mental Health Research Topics

Mental health has been propelled to the forefront of global discussions. The emphasis has shifted from mere recognition to understanding, generalization to personalization, and treatment to prevention. Whether you’re an academic, practitioner, or someone with a personal connection to the topic, there’s no denying the impact and importance of continued exploration of mental health. As we march forward, armed with knowledge and empathy, we hope for a world where mental well-being is prioritized, understood, and accessible to all.

Are you ready to translate your passion and curiosity into a masterpiece? We’re here to help. Let our expert writers craft a top-tier paper tailored to your unique needs. With our assistance, you can ensure that your insights into mental health are presented with the depth, respect, and eloquence they deserve. Don’t compromise on your vision. Place your order today, and let us transform your research topic into a masterpiece!

Don’t wait until the last minute

Fill in your requirements and let our experts deliver your work asap.

• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 26 April 2019

Mental health nurses’ attitudes, experience, and knowledge regarding routine physical healthcare: systematic, integrative review of studies involving 7,549 nurses working in mental health settings

• Geoffrey L. Dickens   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8862-1527 1 , 2 ,
• Robin Ion 3 ,
• Cheryl Waters 1 ,
• Evan Atlantis 1 &
• Bronwyn Everett 1  

BMC Nursing volume  18 , Article number:  16 ( 2019 ) Cite this article

56k Accesses

13 Citations

20 Altmetric

Metrics details

There has been a recent growth in research addressing mental health nurses’ routine physical healthcare knowledge and attitudes. We aimed to systematically review the empirical evidence about i) mental health nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of physical healthcare for mental health patients, and ii) the effectiveness of any interventions to improve these aspects of their work.

Systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Multiple electronic databases were searched using comprehensive terms. Inclusion criteria: English language papers recounting empirical studies about: i) mental health nurses’ routine physical healthcare-related knowledge, skills, experience, attitudes, or training needs; and ii) the effectiveness of interventions to improve any outcome related to mental health nurses’ delivery of routine physical health care for mental health patients. Effect sizes from intervention studies were extracted or calculated where there was sufficient information. An integrative, narrative synthesis of study findings was conducted.

Fifty-one papers covering studies from 41 unique samples including 7549 mental health nurses in 14 countries met inclusion criteria. Forty-two (82.4%) papers were published since 2010. Eleven were intervention studies; 40 were cross-sectional. Observational and qualitative studies were generally of good quality and establish a baseline picture of the issue. Intervention studies were prone to bias due to lack of randomisation and control groups but produced some large effect sizes for targeted education innovations. Comparisons of international data from studies using the Physical Health Attitudes Scale for Mental Health Nursing revealed differences across the world which may have implications for different models of student nurse preparation.

Conclusions

Mental health nurses’ ability and increasing enthusiasm for routine physical healthcare has been highlighted in recent years. Contemporary literature provides a base for future research which must now concentrate on determining the effectiveness of nurse preparation for providing physical health care for people with mental disorder, determining the appropriate content for such preparation, and evaluating the effectiveness both in terms of nurse and patient- related outcomes. At the same time, developments are needed which are congruent with the needs and wants of patients.

Peer Review reports

People with a mental disorder diagnosis are at more than double the risk of all-cause mortality than the general population. Most at risk are those with psychosis, mood disorder and anxiety diagnoses. Median length of life lost by this group is 10.1 years greater for people with a diagnosis of mental disorder than for general population controls, but mortality rates are significantly higher in studies which include inpatients [ 1 ]. While risk of unnatural causes of death, notably suicide, are greatly increased in this group, it is death from natural causes that remains responsible for the vast majority of mortality. In people with schizophrenia, for example, cardiovascular disease accounts for about one third of all deaths and cancer for one in six, while other common causes are diabetes mellitus, COPD, influenza, and pneumonia [ 2 ]. A relatively high rate of tobacco smoking in this group is implicated in significant increased mortality [ 3 ], as is obesity [ 4 ], exposure to high levels of antipsychotic pharmacological treatment [ 5 ], and mental disorder itself [ 1 ].

Accordingly, the physical health of patients with mental disorder has been prioritised, becoming the focus of guidelines for practitioners in general [ 6 ] and for mental health nurses and other clinical professionals specifically [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]. However, while policies and guidelines are necessary prerequisites of change they must also be implemented in practice if they are to have a positive effect; one of the key barriers to change implementation for mental health nurses has been identified as lack of confidence, skills, and knowledge [ 10 ]. Robson and Haddad ([ 11 ]: p.74) identified that surprisingly ‘modest attention’ had been paid to the issue of such attitudes and knowledge among nurses related to their role in physical health care provision, and developed the Physical Health Assessment Scale for mental health nurses (PHASe) in order to further investigate the phenomenon. Since then, there has been a tangible and growing response among mental health nursing academics and practitioners. In recent years, published literature reviews have covered a decade of UK-only research on the role of mental health nurses in physical health care [ 12 ], patients’ and professionals’ perceptions of barriers to physical health care for people with serious mental illness [ 13 ], the focus and content of nurse-provided physical healthcare for mental health patients [ 14 ], and the physical health of people with severe mental illness [ 15 ]. There has also been an upsurge in the amount of related empirical research. However, to date, no one has systematically reviewed this growing literature about mental health nurses’ attitudes towards, or their related knowledge and experience about providing routine physical healthcare. Further, studies about the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve their delivery of or attitudes to routine physical healthcare have not been systematically appraised. This is surprising given the known links between nurses’ attitudes and their implementation of evidence-based practice [ 16 , 17 , 18 ] and the centrality of measuring nurses’ attitudes to physical health care delivery in recent mental health nursing research on the topic [ 11 , 19 , 20 ].

In this context we have conducted a systematic review to identify, appraise, and synthesise existing evidence from empirical research literature about i) mental health nurses’ experience of providing physical healthcare for patients and about their related knowledge, skills, educational preparation, and attitudes; ii) the effectiveness of any interventions aimed at improving or changing mental health nurse-related outcomes; and iii) to identify implications for the future provision of relevant training and education, for policy, research, and practice. The specific review question being addressed therefore is: what is known from the international, English language, empirical literature about mental health nurses’ skills, knowledge, attitudes, and experiences regarding provision of physical healthcare.

A systematic review of the literature following the relevant points of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses [ 21 ].

Search strategy

Since the review scope encompassed questions about experience and effectiveness a dual literature search strategy was developed. For studies about mental health nurses’ experience of delivering physical healthcare a Population Exposure Outcome (PEO) format review question was developed (Population: mental health nurses; Exposure: physical healthcare provision for patients or related training; Outcomes: experiential, social, educational, knowledge, or attitudinal terms, see Additional file  1 : Table S1). For studies of the effectiveness of interventions to improve or change mental health nurse-related outcomes a Population Intervention Comparator Outcome (PICO) structure was implemented (Population: mental health nurses; Intervention: any intervention including physical health-related education, policy or guideline change; Comparator: any or none; Outcome: any) [ 22 ]. We searched five electronic databases: i) CINAHL, ii) PubMed, iii) MedLine, iv) Scopus, and v) ProQuest Dissertations and Theses using text words and MeSH terms. The references list of all included studies, together with those of relevant literature reviews, and the tables of contents of selected mental health nursing journals were hand searched. The search terms were informed by previous literature reviews on the subject of physical healthcare in mental health. The initial search was conducted in April 2018 and re-run in September 2018.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria for studies were English language accounts of empirical research which investigated mental health nurses’ experience of providing physical health care or examined the effectiveness of any intervention that aimed to improve outcomes related to the provision of physical healthcare. Thus, studies of interventions aimed at changing nursing practice, behaviour, knowledge, attitudes, or experiences were eligible, but not those which solely attempted to determine the effect of an intervention on nurses in terms of patient outcomes. While improvement in patient care and outcomes is clearly the desirable endpoint of any intervention on nurses, previous reviews have indicated that no good quality studies exist [ 23 ]. Additionally, studies were only eligible for inclusion where the practitioners involved comprised or included mental health or psychiatric nurses or mental health nursing students, or registered nurses whose practice was within mental health services. Included studies could have used any design or methodological approach. As in previous reviews, studies solely about mental health nurses providing care for people with alcohol/ drug misuse, or mental disorder/substance misuse dual diagnosis were not eligible. Studies about mental health nurses and the provision of emergency physical care or of their experience of providing care for the seriously deteriorating physical health of a patient were omitted as this is the subject of a separate review (Dickens et al. submitted).

Data extraction

Information about the study title, author, publication year, data collection years, location (country), research objectives, aims or hypotheses, design, population, sample details and size, data sources, study variables (i.e. details of intervention) or other exposure, unit of analysis, and study findings were extracted from full text papers. Corresponding authors of included studies were contacted regarding any issues where clarification or additional data could aid the review.

Studies were categorised as interventional or observational. Intervention studies investigated the impact of an educational, policy, or practice intervention in terms of any mental health nurse- or nursing- related outcome, e.g., knowledge, attitudes, behaviour. Intervention studies were further sub-classified as simulation studies (as defined by Bland et al. ([ 24 ]: p.668) “a dynamic process involving the creation of a hypothetical opportunity that incorporates an authentic representation of reality, facilitates active student engagement and integrates the complexities of practical and theoretical learning with opportunity for repetition, feedback, evaluation and reflection”), traditional educational interventions (e.g., lectures, workshops, workbooks), or policy-level interventions (e.g., requiring nurses to follow some new policy or implement some new practice). Observational studies either described mental health nurse- or nursing- related outcomes and/or utilised case control designs to compare them with those of other occupational or professional groups and/or used qualitative methods.

Study quality appraisal

The likelihood of bias in intervention studies was assessed against criteria described by Thomas et al. [ 25 ] and encompassed assessment of the likelihood of selection bias in the obtained sample, study design, potential confounders, blinding, potential for bias in data collection from invalid instrumentation, and participant retention (see Additional file  2 : Table S2). Relevant items from the US Department of Health & Human Sciences NIH Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies [ 26 ] were used to assess cross-sectional observational studies (see Additional file  3 : Table S3). Qualitative descriptive studies were assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme [ 27 ] tool (See Additional file  4 : Table S4). Multiple papers arising from single studies were quality assessed as a single entity. Study quality was initially undertaken independently by at least two of the team. A good level of inter-rater agreement was achieved (Cohen’s Kappa = 0.742 between pairs of raters). Disputed items were discussed by GD and CW and consensus achieved.

Study synthesis

The available total and subscale data from those studies that conducted data collection via the Physical Healthcare Attitude Scale for mental health nurses (PHASe [ 11 ]), the only scale used across more than two studies, was tabulated and compared across studies using unpaired t-tests in QuickCalcs GraphPad software. Where individual item mean and dispersion scores were unavailable estimates were calculated as follows: the mean mean (i.e., Σ means / n means) and the estimated standard deviation (the square root of the average of the variances [ 28 ]). Also, and where available, dichotomised data (‘Strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ responses versus all other responses) from the multiple studies using the 14-item PHASe scale investigating self-reported current involvement in aspects of physical healthcare was tabulated and subjected to Chi-squared analysis. Significant cross-study differences of means and proportions involved all subscale or item data for each study being compared with the corresponding subscale or item from the original study development sample, ‘the reference group’ [ 11 ].

Where available, effect sizes for correlational, interventional, or difference-related outcomes from studies were extracted or, where sufficient information presented, calculated. Where sufficient information was not presented we attempted to contact the corresponding author for clarification. Appropriate effect size statistics were calculated using an online resource [ 29 ]. All other information from study results was subject to a qualitative synthesis conducted by author 1 and subsequently refined and agreed by all of the authors.

Study settings and participants

The search strategy resulted in the inclusion of 41 study samples published in 51 papers (see Fig.  1 ) involving 7549 ( M [ SD ] = 200.5[374.1], Mdn =  47, range 2 to 1899) mental health nurses and n  = 213 mental health nursing students ( Mdn  = 33). Thirty-three samples included only nurses, of which 20 drew specifically on mental health nurses or nurses working in mental health settings only; eight samples were multidisciplinary. Four papers drew on two samples (i.e., two papers per study) while one sample featured in nine separate papers [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. Studies were conducted in the UK ( k  = 17), Australia ( k  = 9), US ( k  = 4), Canada ( k  = 2), Qatar, Hong Kong, Japan, Jordan, Belgium, Norway, Israel, Turkey, India, and Taiwan (all k  = 1); two studies were conducted internationally; first, in Qatar, Hong Kong, and Japan [ 19 ], and the US and Canada [ 39 ]. Studies were published between 1994 and 2018 ( Mdn year of publication 2016, only n  = 9 before 2010 and n  = 1 before 2000).

PRISMA study inclusion flowchart

Study design

Eleven studies evaluated an intervention; of these, 10 utilised pre- post AB designs and one adopted a randomised controlled trial design. Other studies used cross-sectional survey or qualitative designs. Intervention studies sometimes incorporated additional qualitative or descriptive elements.

Outcome measures

The most commonly used measure employed was the PHASe or some adaptation of it [ 11 ] in seven studies reported across eight papers [ 11 , 19 , 20 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. The PHASe comprises four factors: 1. Nurses’ attitudes to physical health care; 2. Nurses’ confidence to provide physical health care; 3. Nurses’ perceived barriers in providing physical health care; and 4. Nurses’ attitude towards smoking. Contact with study corresponding authors (Bressington, Chee, Haddad) resulted in acquisition of additional PHASe total and subscale information that was not included in the respective published study papers. Two other outcomes tools were used in two studies each, these being the purpose-designed survey measure of Howard and Gamble [ 45 ] subsequently used by Terry and Cutter [ 46 ], and Happell’s [ 33 ] own questionnaire adapted for use by Clancy et al. [ 40 ]. Most studies used purpose-designed tools. Many reported sufficient information to allow confidence about their internal reliability and face/content validity but there was little information about their measurement reliability, criterion validity, or sensitivity to change (see Additional file  5 : Table S5). A small number of papers used existing validated measures [ 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 ] and these were generally the most robust tools (see Additional file  6 : Table S6).

Study quality

All K  = 7 qualitative studies were rated very highly in terms of their quality on a 10-point assessment ( Mdn  = 9, range 9–10). Cross-sectional observational studies met a median of four of seven quality criteria (range two to six; mean[SD] 4.43[1.33]). Four of these provided an a priori sample size calculation and there was a lack of valid outcome measures in nine of the 21 studies. Overall risk of bias for cross-sectional studies was judged to be low for nine studies, unclear for six and high for six. The quality of interventional studies was generally the poorest ( Mdn  = 5, range 2 to 7 of 10 indicators). Only two were judged to be at low risk of bias (see Additional file 2 : Tables S2, Additional file 3 : Table S3, Additional file 4 : Table S4, Additional file 5 : Table S5 and Additional file 6 : Table S6 for further details). Common omissions were, again, sample size justification, lack of repeat pre-baseline and follow up measures, and information about the representativeness of included samples.

Non-intervention studies

Studies examined physical healthcare in general ( k  = 24), sexual health ( k  = 4), smoking ( k  = 6), physical activity and healthy eating, nutrition - in particular the role of Omega-3 in diet, mild brain injury, and breastfeeding (all k  = 1; see Table  1 ).

With regards to studies using the PHASe, of all possible comparisons across studies (see Tables 2 and 3 ), the mean score of the study sample differed significantly from the reference sample [ 11 ] on 13 out of 21 (61.9%) subscale and three of four total score combinations (75.0%). Analysis revealed poorer attitudes compared to the reference sample on all three of the significantly poorer attitude scores on 10/17 (58.9%) subscale comparisons, and better attitudes on three (14.3%). However, the reference group only outperformed the other studies on two of the eight possible comparisons on the subscales ‘Physical Healthcare’ and ‘Confidence in Providing Physical Healthcare’ and was poorer for three comparisons. The PHASe total score difference was greatest (large effect size) between the reference sample and Chee et al’s [ 41 ] Australian sample (Cohens d  = 1.13) followed by Bressington et al’s [ 19 ] Japanese mental health nurse sub-sample ( d  = 0.72). For subscale scores, effect sizes for differences were also largest between the reference sample and that of Chee et al. [ 41 ]. Effect sizes were in favour of the reference sample on the attitudes to smoking and barriers to physical healthcare subscales ( d  = 1.48 and 1.78 respectively). Next largest were differences between Haddad et al’s [ 43 ] sample also on the barriers to healthcare ( d  = 0.93) and attitudes to smoking subscales ( d  = 1.01). On this occasion differences were in favour of Haddad et al’s [ 43 ] sample. Attitudes to smoking were more favourable than the reference sample in two studies, comparable in one and poorer in two.

Regarding the level of self-reported involvement in aspects of physical healthcare the proportion of respondents in PHASe-studies answering ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ to 14 items revealed considerable cross-sample differences. Of 95 possible comparisons between the reference study and others, 70 (73.7%) differed significantly. Of these, 86.7% compared unfavourably with the UK reference study, 13.3% favourably). The number of items per sample differing from the reference sample ranged from 7 to 13 ( Mdn =  10). Japan [ 19 ] provided the only sample of mental health nurses whose responses compared favourably with the reference sample (7/10 significantly differing responses being more favourable in the Japanese sub-sample), while Ganiah et al’s [ 42 ] sample (0/11 favourable comparisons among significantly differing responses), Happell et al’s [ 30 ] (0/14 favourable comparisons), Chee et al’s [ 41 ] Australian sample (1/11 favourable comparisons), Haddad et al’s [ 43 ] UK sample (1/10 favourable comparisons) and Bressington et al’s [ 19 ] Hong Kong sample (2/12 favourable comparisons) all fared poorly. Items relating to checking GP-status, advising on exercise, weight management, healthy eating, contraception, and eyesight checks were all rated less favourably by at least two other samples (range 2 to 6, Mdn  = 4) and more favourably by none compared with the reference sample. Only the item about ensuring patients have had their general physical health assessed on first contact with mental health services was rated more favourably by two samples and less favourably by none compared with the reference sample. For all other items there were item-level variations with no clear pattern.

The remaining non-intervention studies provide a mixed and sometimes contradictory picture. First, in terms of reported use of physical health care skills, Osborn et al’s [ 47 ] study revealed that nurses working in mental health settings in one large hospital were less likely to use physical healthcare skills than colleagues in medical, oncology, maternity and surgical settings. Further, they reported using a smaller range of relevant skills. In Howard and Gamble’s [ 45 ] survey, nurses’ responses indicated a gap between their perceived responsibilities for physical healthcare and their practice. Elsewhere, compared with those responding on behalf of healthcare and educational organisations, nurses were less likely to endorse their role in physical healthcare provision [ 53 ] and they reported very low levels of endorsement of related skills training need [ 54 ]. However, for others in more recent studies, they displayed a clear commitment to the physical healthcare role [ 55 ], and said they want more training [ 31 , 56 ]. Further, nurses strongly endorsed their own role in physical health, sexual health, and substance abuse related care and were supported strongly by other healthcare professionals [ 40 ]. Across a series of linked surveys and qualitative studies, Happell et al. [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 57 ] reported associations between nurses’ positive evaluation of the physical healthcare role and practicing aspects of it more commonly. In studies of nurses and specific physical healthcare-related activities there was a suggestion that respondents’ own values or beliefs might be more influential in determining their health-giving or advising behaviour in relation to smoking cessation [ 50 , 58 ]. In relation to sexual health, both Dorsay and Forchuk [ 59 ] and Quinn et al. [ 60 ] have reported that nurses cite patient embarrassment as a reason for not asking patients about sexual side effects of antipsychotic medications. Lack of time, resources and knowledge were reported as barriers to providing advice and interventions regarding exercise and physical activity [ 61 ], Omega-3 [ 62 ]. Knowledge and attitudes to HIV/AIDS were generally good [ 63 ]. Finally, smoking-cessation training was associated with more smoking-cessation helping behaviour [ 64 ] though, counter-inuitively, training was negatively associated with attitudes to smoking cessation in a single study [ 65 ]. Further, Sharma et al’s [ 64 ] study compared the attitudes of mental health trained nurses and comprehensive/ generalist trained nurses working in mental health services: the most marked differences between the groups were on the smoking-related items with the former group expressing significantly more liberal views about smoking restrictions, more worrying attitudes about the benefits and utility of cigarette use as a therapeutic tool, and less confidence in the ability of mental health patients to quit smoking. This was particularly concerning in the study context which was about attitudes to physical healthcare with younger, first episode psychosis patients.

Intervention studies

Five studies focused on physical healthcare in general and six on specific issues (diabetes n =  3; sexual health, cardiometabolic health, obesity all n =  1). Ten evaluated an educational innovation, the exception being Happell et al. [ 35 ], who examined attitudes among nurses to the introduction of a specialist cardiometabolic health nurse role. Haddad et al. [ 43 ] examined the impact of the introduction of personal physical health care plans for patients on nurses’ physical healthcare attitudes alongside the delivery of a single educational session on physical healthcare assessment. The remaining nine studies evaluated educational interventions including three involving simulation and six involving didactic teaching, workshop-format or blended-learning approaches.

Simulation studies

Duration of interventions was 30 min [ 49 ] and1-day [ 66 ], while information was not provided by Wynn [ 52 ]. The mode of simulation delivery involved manikins [ 66 ], human actor as patient [ 66 ], software-based Human Person Simulator [ 52 ], and participant as ‘patient’ in which student participants wore a 15 kg bariatric empathy suit while undertaking everyday tasks in order to help them appreciate the experience of obesity [ 49 ]. Other simulations involved diabetes care [ 52 ], fractured leg in the context of a jump or fall in a patient with first episode psychosis, medical deterioration in the same patient following transfer to a psychiatric ward, and delirium [ 66 ]. Results indicated improved clinical judgement and reduced diabetes-related medical emergency reports [ 52 ], improved knowledge, attitudes, and confidence about physical healthcare [ 66 ], improved response to obese patients, characteristics of obese patients and supportive roles in caring for obese patients [ 49 ].

Non-simulation studie

Study duration ranged from a 2.5-h workshop on physical health [ 67 ] to a 20-credit bachelor’s degree level (equivalent to 200-h of taught and self-directed study and assessment completion) module on physical healthcare in mental health [ 46 ]. Non-simulation studies evaluated the introduction of personal health plans for patients in a low secure forensic unit together with a single educational session on physical health care for nursing staff [ 43 ]. Specific topics addressed included diabetes [ 68 , 69 ], health assessment [ 46 , 67 ], oral health, IM injectables [ 68 ], vital signs, blood readings, BMI measurement [ 46 ], and cardio-metabolic health [ 35 , 57 ].

In Sung et al’s [ 51 ] RCT, nurses were allocated in a random stratified design to attend 8 × 2-h session about sexual healthcare over a period of 4-w or no intervention. Significant effects were detected in the experimental group relative to the control group for improvements in related knowledge and in attitudes, but not in self-efficacy. The study involved nurses employed both in medical and psychiatric wards (stratified allocation from both) and there was no reported effect of ward-type on outcomes. Pretest- posttest design intervention studies targeted at diabetes found greatly improved clinical judgment in relation to diabetes care and reduced diabetes-related emergency referrals [ 52 ] and similarly impressive improved diabetes-related knowledge [ 69 , 70 ]. Improved attitudes to obesity, obese patients, and supportive roles in caring for obese individuals have been reported across a mixed group of participants and did not differ between mental health and other nurses [ 49 ]. and physical healthcare in general. Happell et al. [ 57 ] reported improved support for a specialist cardiometabolic nurse role following its introduction, however we find this conclusion is unwarranted since it is derived from statistical testing of 14-questionnaire items only one of which was found significant. Interventions aimed at physical healthcare in general found some impressive post- group improvements in knowledge [ 66 , 67 , 68 ], attitudes [ 66 ], and confidence [ 46 , 66 ].

We have conducted a systematic review of the empirical literature about mental health nurses and their attitudes towards, knowledge about, and experiences of physical health care for patients. We took a broad approach to searching the literature and included interventional and observational studies involving real or simulated situations. We included studies involving mental health nursing students and multidisciplinary professional groups in addition to those including only mental health nurses. We contacted study authors to gain additional information and, for the studies using the PHASe [ 11 ] and this elicited significant, previously unpublished information. While we applied no time limits to our comprehensive search we found studies only from as early as 1994, only nine from before 2000, and the median year of publication was 2016. This means that there has been a welcome increase, which we described as a ‘mini-explosion’ in the Introduction, in related empirical work in recent years. The total number of nurses involved in studies, 7549, makes this to our knowledge one of the largest amalgamations of evidence gathered directly from mental health nurses.

However, the overall methodological quality of studies was somewhat limited, particularly interventional studies to improve mental health nurses’ physical healthcare assessment practices and skills. Nevertheless, while many of the included studies examine mental health nurses, and nurses working in mental health settings, this group comprises a heterogeneous collection of individuals of vastly differing experience, preparation, knowledge, and roles. As a result, it is not too surprising that some less well-researched areas have thrown up starkly different results. However, there is consistent evidence that there is a strong association between mental health nurses’ reported attitudes and their reported involvement in physical health care [ 19 , 20 , 42 ]. Similarly, that the nurses who value physical health care also report that they deliver more of it [ 30 ] and those who talk to at least one other discipline about their patients’ physical health do so with multiple professional groups [ 33 ]. Accordingly, fewer resources could be expended on answering these sorts of associational questions in the future.

Our conclusion is that it is now time for a new phase for mental health nursing research related to physical healthcare: efforts must be redoubled to focus on developing and testing interventions to improve nurses’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills. We must ensure that new studies are well-designed and rigorously conducted. More specifically, further research is required to build knowledge about whether the supposed benefits arising from this relationship translate into objectively better practice and indeed better patient outcomes. This would strengthen the case for training to improve attitudes and provide some urgency to better understand what interventions might deliver that outcome. Further, it appears that mental health nurses well-recognise that they require further skills and knowledge related to physical health care across a wide range of areas [ 19 , 30 , 31 , 57 , 71 ]. However, ambivalence and reluctance remains about embracing the change needed to achieve this [ 61 ].

The PHASe was used across multiple studies which allowed for some international and setting-specific comparison of nurses’ attitudes. We found that nurses’ self-perceived practices and attitudes differed significantly between samples from across the world. This, of course, may well reflect different approaches to mental health nurse preparation; for example, in Australia, all pre-registration nurses undergo the same core programme whereas in the UK mental health nursing is a specialist branch of pre-registration training. Therefore, results from Chee et al’s [ 41 ] recent study are enlightening since they reveal equivalent attitudes to physical healthcare specifically, more confidence in delivering physical healthcare but poorer scores in relation to barriers to physical healthcare delivery and smoking cessation. Given the non-equivalence of results on the attitudes to smoking subscale between Chee et al. [ 41 ] and Wynaden et al. [ 44 ], both conducted in Western Australia by related research teams, there are questions about the extent to which results are sample specific. Larger scale, representative data collection in Australia and New Zealand could therefore add significantly to the debate about nurses’ preparation for physical healthcare skills under different preparation regimes. As the PHASe authors’ note, the tool has not been subjected to tests of its stability or criterion validity and improvements in evidence for this would add significantly to the ability to draw sound conclusions from research using the tool. Findings from Osborne et al’s [ 47 ] large hospital-wide survey indicate that the gap in the physical health-related skills addressed by the PHASe is real and of concern.

Apart from the PHASe the literature is peppered with outcomes tools designed for single studies and with little evidence of anything other than face validity and internal consistency. Is it possible, we must ask, that this reflects that researchers are asking the wrong questions i.e., focusing overly on mental health nurses’ attitudes and self-proclaimed knowledge and efficacy when what is now required is a more robust approach to examining their actual knowledge and performance and, crucially, their impact on patient outcomes. Little seems to have been added to the literature on this since Hardy et al. [ 23 ] found no studies to include in their systematic review. Further, Haddad et al’s [ 43 ] study in a low secure forensic setting found nurses scoring favourably on PHASe subscales about attitudes to physical healthcare and to smoking compared with non-forensic nurses in the reference sample, suggesting perhaps that in a setting where length of stay is considerably longer then nurses have more opportunity to engage with patients in this aspect of care. Notably, however, nurses in the same sample compared unfavourably with the reference sample in terms of perceived involvement in actual physical healthcare, a somewhat contradictory finding.

For intervention studies, effect sizes were generally largest, and were in fact sometimes startlingly large, where interventions were targeted and outcomes were knowledge based (e.g., educational studies). This is unsurprising since educational interventions are generally evaluated against criteria that are specifically and directly addressed in the intervention. Outcomes tended to be measured immediately following the training [ 46 , 52 ], but their long term retention is generally not known and neither is any practical beneficial change to practice. The apparent potency of these interventions requires further testing in randomized designs with appropriate follow-up periods.

Some study samples in the current review included non-nursing staff; though their occurrence and representativeness was too limited to allow robust conclusions to be drawn about the relative state of nurses’ knowledge and attitudes within the multidisciplinary team context. Given the current review explicitly focused on mental health nurses then further research exploring the multidisciplinary aspects of physical health care provision is warranted.

Mental health nurses’ ability to provide routine physical healthcare has been highlighted in recent years. Recent literature provides a starting point for future research which must now concentrate on determining the effectiveness of nurse preparation for providing physical health care for people with mental disorder, determining the appropriate content for such preparation, and evaluating the effectiveness both in terms of nurse and patient- related outcomes. At the same time, developments are needed which are congruent with the needs and wants of patients. Perhaps what the included studies best demonstrate is that mental health nurses seem to realise that physical health care is part of their role.

Abbreviations

Medical Subject Headings

Physical Health Attitudes Scale for mental health nurses

Population Intervention Comparator Outcome

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses

Walker ER, McGee E, Druss BG. Mortality in mental disorders and global disease burden implications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiat. 2015;72(4):334–41. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.2502 .

Article   Google Scholar  

Olfson M, Gerhard T, Huang C. Premature mortality among adults with schizophrenia in the United States. JAMA Psychiat. 2015;72(12):1172–81. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.1737 .

Drope J, Liber AC, Cahn Z, Stoklosa M, Kennedy R, Douglas CE, Henson R, Drope J. Who's still smoking? Disparities in adult cigarette smoking prevalence in the United States. CA Cancer J Clin. 2018;68(2):106–15. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21444 .

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Annamalai A, Kosir U, Tek C. Prevalence of obesity and diabetes in patients with schizophrenia. World J Diabetes. 2017;8(8):390–6. https://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v8.i8.390 .

Article   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Tomiainen M, Mittendorfer-Rutz E, Bjӧrkenstam C, Suvisaari J, Alexanderson K, Tiihonen J. Antipsychotic treatment and mortality in schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 2016;41(3):656–63. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbu164 .

World Health Organisation. Guidelines for the management of physical health conditions in adults with severe mental disorders. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO

Google Scholar  

New South Wales Government. Physical Health Care of Mental Health Consumers. North Sydney: NSW Ministry of Health; 2017. Accessed 29 Jan 2019: https://www1.health.nsw.gov.au/pds/ActivePDSDocuments/GL2017_019.pdf

Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Policy Unit. Improving the physical health of people with mental health problems: Actions for mental health nurses. London: Department of Health; 2016. Accessed 4 Jan 2019 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/532253/JRA_Physical_Health_revised.pdf

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Keeping Body and Mind Together: Improving the physical health and life expectancy of people with serious mental illness. Melbourne: Victoria; 2015. Accessed 29 Jan 2019 at: https://www.ranzcp.org/files/resources/reports/ranzcp-keeping-body-and-mind-together.aspx

Department of Health. From values to action: the chief nursing Officer’s review of mental health nursing. London: DOH; 2006.

Robson D, Haddad M. Mental health nurses' attitudes towards the physical health care of people with severe and enduring mental illness: the development of a measurement tool. Int J Nurs Stud. 2012;49(1):72–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2011.07.011 .

Blythe J, White J. Role of the mental health nurse towards physical health care in serious mental illness: an integrative review of 10 years of UK literature. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2012;21(3):193–201. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0349.2011.00792.x .

Happell B, Scott D, Platania-Phung C. Perceptions of barriers to physical health care for people with serious mental illness: a review of the international literature. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2012;33(11):752–61. https://doi.org/10.3109/01612840.2012.708099 .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C, Scott D. A systematic review of nurse physical healthcare for consumers utilizing mental health services. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2014;21(1):11–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12041 .

Article   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Collins E, Tranter S, Irvine F. The physical health of the seriously mentally ill: an overview of the literature. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2012;19(7):638–46. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2011.01831.x .

Estabrooks CA, Floyd JA, Scott-Findlay S, O’Leary KA, Gushta M. Individual determinants of research utilization: a systematic review. J Adv Nurs. 2003;43(5):506–20. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02748.x .

Melnyk BM, Fineout-Overholt E, Feinstein NF, Li H, Wilcox L, Kraus R. Nurses’ perceived knowledge, beliefs, skills and needs regarding evidence-based practice: implications for accelerating the paradigm shift. Worldviews Evid-Based Nurs. 2004;1(4):185193. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-475X.2004.04024.x .

Varnell G, Haas B, Duke G, Hudson K. Effect of an educational intervention on attitudes toward and implementation of evidence-based practice. Worldviews Evid-Based Nurs. 2008;5(4):172–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6787.2008.00124.x .

Bressington D, Badnapurkar A, Inoue S, Ma HY, Chien WT, Nelson D, Gray R. Physical health care for people with severe mental illness. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(343). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020343 .

Robson D, Haddad M, Gray R, Gournay K. Mental health nursing and physical health care: a cross-sectional study of nurses' attitudes, practice, and perceived training needs for the physical health care of people with severe mental illness. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2013;22(5):409–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0349.2012.00883.x .

Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS Med. 2009;6(7):e1000097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097 .

Munn Z, Srtern C, Aromataris E, Lockwood C, Jordan Z. What kind of systematic review should I conduct? A proposed typology and guidance for systematic reviewers in the medical and health sciences. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2018;18(5):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-017-0468-4 .

Hardy S, White J, Deane K, Gray R. Educating healthcare professionals to act on the physical health needs of people with serious mental illness: a systematic search for evidence. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2011;18(8):721–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.13652850.2011.01722.x .

Bland AJ, Topping A, Wood B. A concept analysis of simulation as a learning strategy in the education of undergraduate nursing students. Nurse Educ Today. 2011;31:664–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2010.10.013 .

Thomas BH, Ciliska D, Dobbins M, Micucci S. A process for systematically reviewing the literature: providing the research evidence for public health nursing interventions. Worldviews Evid-Based Nurs. 2004;1(3):176–84. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-475X.2004.04006.x .

NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (n.d.). Study Quality Assessment Tools: Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross Sectional Studies. Accessed 28 Apr 2018: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-pro/guidelines/in-develop/cardiovascular-risk-reduction/tools

Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (n.d.). CASP checklist: 10 questions to help you make sense of qualitative research. Oxford: CASP. Available at: https://casp-uk.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/CASP-Qualitative-Checklist-2018.pdf . Accessed 16 Apr 2019.

Campbell MJ. Statistics at square one (9th edition) T.D.V. Swinscow [revised by M.J. Campbell]: University of Southampton: BMJ publishing group; 1997. Accessed 14 Jun 2018: https://www.bmj.com/about-bmj/resources-readers/publications/statistics-square-one/

Wilson, D.B. (n.d.). Practical meta-analysis effect size calculator. Accessed 11 Mar 2019 https://campbellcollaboration.org/escalc/html/EffectSizeCalculator-SMD-main.php .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C, Scott D. Are nurses in mental health services providing physical health care for people with serious mental illness? An Australian perspective. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2013;34(3):198–207. https://doi.org/10.3109/01612840.2012.733907 .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C, Scott D. Physical health care for people with mental illness: training needs for nurses. Nurse Educ Today. 2013;33:396–401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2013.01.015 .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C, Scott D. Proposed nurse-led initiatives in improving physical health of people with serious mental illness: a survey of nurses in mental health. J Clin Nurs. 2013;23:1018–29. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.12371 .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C, Scott D, Nankivell J. Communication with colleagues: frequency of collaboration regarding physical health of consumers with mental illness. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2014;50(1):33–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12021 .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C, Scott D. What determines whether nurses provide physical health care to consumers with serious mental illness? Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2014;28:87–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2013.11.001 .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C, Scott D, Stanton R. Predictors of nurse support for the introduction of the cardiometabolic health nurse in the Australian mental health sector. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2015;51(3):162–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12077 .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C. Cardiovascular health promotion and consumers with mental illness in Australia. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2015;36:286–93. https://doi.org/10.3109/01612840.2014.981770 .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C, Stanton R, Millar F. Exploring the views of nurses on the cardiometabolic health nurse in mental health services in Australia. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2015;36:135–44. https://doi.org/10.3109/01612840.2014.901449 .

Happell B, Platania-Phung C, Scott D, Hanley C. Access to dental care and dental ill-health of people with serious mental illness: views of nurses working in mental health settings in Australia. Aust J Prim Health. 2015;21(1):32–7. https://doi.org/10.1071/PY13044 .

Klein TA, Graves JM. A comparison of psychiatric and non-psychiatric nurse practitioner knowledge and management recommendations regarding adolescent mild traumatic brain injury. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2017;23(1):37–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390316668992 .

Clancy R, Lewin TJ, Bowman JA, Kelly BJ, Mullen AD, Flanagan K, Hazelton MJ. Providing physical health care for people accessing mental health services: clinicians’ perceptions of their role. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2018;28(1):256–67. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12529 .

Chee G, Wynaden D, Heslop K. The provision of physical health care by nurses to young people with first episode psychosis: a cross-sectional study. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2018;25(7):411–22.

Ganiah AN, Al-Hussami M, Alhadidi M. Mental health nurses’ attitudes and practice toward physical health care in Jordan. Community Ment Health J. 2017;53(6):725–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-017-0143-6 .

Haddad M, Llewellyn-Jones S, Yarnold S, Simpson A. Improving the physical health of people with severe mental illness in a low secure forensic unit: an uncontrolled evaluation study of staff training and physical health care plans. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2016;25(6):554–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12246 .

Wynaden D, Heslop B, Heslop K, Barr L, Lim E, Chee GL, Murdock J. The chasm of care: where does the mental health nursing responsibility lie for the physical health care of people with severe mental illness? Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2016;25(6):516–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12242 .

Howard L, Gamble C. Supporting mental health nurses to address the physical health needs of people with serious mental illness in acute inpatient care settings. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2010;18(2):105112. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2010.01642.x .

Terry J, Cutter J. Does education improve mental health practitioners' confidence in meeting the physical health needs of mental health service users? A mixed methods pilot study. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2013;34(4):249–55. https://doi.org/10.3109/01612840.2012.740768 .

Osborn S, Douglas C, Reid C, Jones L, Gardner G. The primacy of vital signs – acute care nurses’ and midwives’ use of physical assessment skills: a cross sectional study. Int J Nurs Stud. 2015;52:952–62 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2015.01.014 .

Artzi-Medvedik R, Chertok IRA, Romem Y. Nurses' attitudes towards breastfeeding among women with schizophrenia in southern Israel. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 19(8):702–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2011.01846.x .

Hunter J, Rawlings-Anderson K, Lindsay T, Bowden T, Aitken LM. Exploring student nurses' attitudes towards those who are obese and whether these attitudes change following a simulated activity. Nurse Educ Today. 2018;65:225–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2018.03.013 .

Magor-Blatch LE, Rugendyke AR. Going smoke-free: attitudes of mental health professionals to policy change. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2016;23(5):290–302. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12309 .

Sung SC, Jiang HH, Chen RR, Chao JK. Bridging the gap in sexual healthcare in nursing practice: implementing a sexual healthcare training programme to improve outcomes. J Clin Nurs. 2016;25:19–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13441 2989-3000.

Wynn SD. Improving the quality of care of veterans with diabetes: a simulation intervention for psychiatric nurses. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2011;49(2):38–45. https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20110111-01 .

Brimblecombe N, Tingle A, Tunmore R, Murrells T. Implementing holistic practices in mental health nursing: a national consultation. Int J Nurs Stud. 2007;44(3):339–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.07.021 .

Delaney KR, Hamera E, Drew BL. Health advanced practice nursing: the adequacy of educational preparation: voices of our graduates. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2009;15(6):383–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390309353070 .

Mwebe H. Physical health monitoring in mental health settings: a study exploring mental health nurses' views of their role. J Clin Nurs. 2017;26(19/20):3067–78. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13653 .

Çelik Ince S, Partlak Günüşen N, Serçe Ö. The opinions of Turkish mental health nurses on physical health care for individuals with mental illness: a qualitative study. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2018;25(4):245–57.

Happell B, Stanton R, Hoey W, Scott D. Reduced ambivalence to the role of the cardiometabolic health nurse following a 6-month trial. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2015;51(2):80–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12066 .

Sharp DL, Blaakman SW, Cole RE, Evinger JS. Report from a national tobacco dependence survey of psychiatric nurses. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2009;15(3):172–81. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390309336746 .

Dorsay JP, Forchuk C. Assessment of the sexuality needs of individuals with psychiatric disability. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2009;1(2):93–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.1994.tb00025.x .

Quinn C, Platania-Phung C, Bale C, Happell B, Hughes E. Understanding the current sexual health service provision for mental health consumers by nurses in mental health settings: findings from a survey in Australia and England. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2018;27(5):1522–34. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12452 .

Verhaege N, De Maeseneer J, Maes L, Van Heeringen C, Annemans L. Health promotion in mental health care: perceptions from patients and mental health nurses. J Clin Nurs. 2013;22(11–12):1569–78. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.12076 .

Johannessen B, Skagestad I, Bergkaasa AM. Food as medicine in psychiatric care: which profession should be responsible for imparting knowledge and use of omega-3 fatty acids in psychiatry. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011;17(2):107–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2010.08.001 .

Hughes E, Gray R. HIV prevention for people with serious mental illness: a survey of mental health workers' attitudes, knowledge and practice. J Clin Nurs. 2009;18(4):591–600. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2007.02227.x .

Sharma R, Meurk C, Bell S, Ford P, Gartner C. Australian mental health care practitioners’ practices and attitudes for encouraging smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction in smokers with severe mental illness. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2018;27:247–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12314 .

Parel JT, Khakha DC, Balhara YPS. Do psychiatric nurses have favourable knowledge and attitude towards tobacco prevention among their patients? A cross-sectional study from national capital of India. Asian J Nurs Educ Res. 2018;8(1):01–4. https://doi.org/10.5958/2349-2996.2018.00001.0 .

Fernando A, Attoe C, Jaye P, Cross S, Pathan J, Wessely S. Improving interprofessional approaches to physical and psychiatric comorbidities through simulation. Clin Simul Nurs. 2017;13(4):186193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2016.12.004 .

White J, Hemingway S, Stephenson J. Training mental health nurses to assess the physical health needs of mental health service users: a pre- and post-test analysis. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2014;50(4):243–50. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12048 .

Hemingway S, Clifton A, Stephenson J, Edward KL. Facilitating knowledge of mental health nurses to undertake physical health interventions: a pre-test/post-test evaluation. J Nurs Manag. 2014;22(3):383–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12220 .

Hemingway S, Stephenson J, Trotter F, Clifton A, Holdich P. Increasing the health literacy of learning disability and mental health nurses in physical care skills: a pre and post-test evaluation of a workshop on diabetes care. Nurse Educ Pract. 2015;15(1):30–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2014.08.003 .

Hemingway S, Trotter F, Stephenson J, Holdich P. Diabetes: Increasing the knowledge base of mental health nurses. Br J Nurs. 2013;22(17):991–5. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2013.22.17.991 .

Nash M. Physical care skills: a training needs analysis of inpatient and community mental health nurses. Ment Health Pract. 2005;9(4):20–3. https://doi.org/10.7748/mhp2005.12.9.4.20.c1896 .

Happell B, Scott D, Nankivell J, Platania-Phung C. Nurses’ views on training needs to increase provision of primary care for consumers with serious mental illness. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2013;49:210–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6163.2012.00351.x .

Happell B, Scott D, Nankivell J, Platania-Phung C. Screening physical health? Yes! But…: nurses’ views on physical health screening in mental health care. J Clin Nurs. 2013;22:2286–97. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2012.04325.x .

Birks M, Cant R, James A, Chung C, Davis J. The use of physical assessment skills by registered nurses in Australia: issues for nursing education. Collegian. 2012;20:27–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2012.02.004 .

Giddens JF. A survey of physical assessment techniques performed by RNs: lessons for nursing education. J Nurs Educ. 2007;46:83–7.

PubMed   Google Scholar  

Douglas C, Osborne S, Reid C, Batch M, Hollingdrake O, Gardner G. What factors influence nurses’ assessment practices? Development of the barriers to nurses’ use of physical assessment scale. J Adv Nurs. 2014;70:2683–94. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.12408 .

Phelan M, Stradins L, Amin D, Isadore R, Hitrov C, Doyle A, Inglis R. The physical health check: a tool for mental health workers. J Ment Health. 2004;13(3):277–85. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638230410001700907 .

Shuel F, White J, Jones M, Gray R. Using the serious mental illness health improvement profile [HIP] to identify physical problems in a cohort of community patients: a pragmatic case series evaluation. Int J Nurs Stud. 2010;47(2):136–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2009.06.003 .

Freed GL, Clark SJ, Sorensen J, Lohr JA, Cefalo R, Curtis P. National assessment of physicians’ breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, training, and experience. JAMA. 1995;273:472–6.

Corrigan P, Markowitz FE, Watson A, Rowan D, Kubiak MA. An attribution model of public discrimination towards persons with mental illness. J Health Soc Behav. 2003;44(2):162–79.

Shore TH, Tashchian A, Adams JS. Development and validation of a scale measuring attitudes toward smoking. J Soc Psychol. 2000;140(5):615–23.

Nash M. Mental health nurses' diabetes care skills - a training needs analysis. Br J Nurs. 2009;18(10):626–30. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2009.18.10.42472 .

Quinn C, Happell B, Browne G. Opportunity lost? Psychiatric medications and problems with sexual function: a role for nurses in mental health. J Clin Nurs. 2011;21:415–23. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03908.x .

Ford P, Tran P, Keen B, Gartner C. Survey of Australian oral health practitioners and their smoking cessation practices. Aust Dent J. 2015;60:43–51.

Morris C, Waxmonsky J, May M, Giese A, Martin L. Smoking cessation for persons with mental illness: a toolkit for mental health providers: University pf Colorado Denver, CO; 2009. Accessed 19 Mar 2019: https://www.integration.samhsa.gov/Smoking_Cessation_for_Persons_with_MI.pdf

Watson L, Oberle K, Deutscher D. Development and psychometric testing of the Nurses' attitudes toward obesity and obese patients scale (NATOOPS). Res Nurs Health. 2008;31(6):586–93. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20292 .

Lasater K. Clinical judgment development: using simulation to create an assessment rubric. J Nurs Educ. 2007;46(11):496–503. https://doi.org/10.1097/NND.0000000000000209 .

Download references

Acknowledgements

The study was partly funded as part of the CUBIC Capability, Capacity and Cultural Change project funded by Nursing and Midwifery Office (NaMO) New South Wales

‘The funding body played no part in the in the design of the study, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, and in writing the manuscript.’

Availability of data and materials

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information files] and, where applicable data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Professor Mental Health Nursing, Centre for Applied Nursing Research (CANR), Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia

Geoffrey L. Dickens, Cheryl Waters, Evan Atlantis & Bronwyn Everett

South West Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia

Geoffrey L. Dickens

Division of Mental Health Nursing and Counselling, Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

GLD conceived of and designed the study. GLD, RI, CW, EA, BE contributed to acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data. GLD, RI, CW, EA, BE contributed to drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content. GLD, RI, CW, EA, BE gave final approval of the version to be published. GLD, RI, CW, EA, BE agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Geoffrey L. Dickens .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Competing interests.

The authors declare they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Additional files

Additional file 1:.

Table S1. Example PICO-style electronic literature search. Example literature search (DOCX 13 kb)

Additional file 2:

Table S2. Controlled intervention evaluation study quality assessment. Study Quality Assessment (controlled intervention study) (DOCX 13 kb)

Additional file 3:

Table S3. Cross-sectional, observational studies quality assessment (adapted from National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [ 26 ]. Study Quality Assessment (Cross-sectional and observational studies) (DOCX 16 kb)

Additional file 4:

Table S4. Longitudinal uncontrolled intervention study quality assessment. Study Quality Assessment (uncontrolled intervention studies) (DOCX 14 kb)

Additional file 5:

Table S5. Qualitative study quality assessment. Study Quality Assessment. (Qualitative studies) (DOCX 14 kb)

Additional file 6:

Table S6. Outcome measure content and quality assessment. Quality assessment of outcomes measures used in studies. (DOCX 25 kb)

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Dickens, G.L., Ion, R., Waters, C. et al. Mental health nurses’ attitudes, experience, and knowledge regarding routine physical healthcare: systematic, integrative review of studies involving 7,549 nurses working in mental health settings. BMC Nurs 18 , 16 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-019-0339-x

Download citation

Received : 30 October 2018

Accepted : 01 April 2019

Published : 26 April 2019

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-019-0339-x

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Mental health nurses
• Emergency medicine
• Deteriorating patient
• Educational interventions

BMC Nursing

ISSN: 1472-6955

• General enquiries: [email protected]

• How it works

Useful Links

How much will your dissertation cost?

Have an expert academic write your dissertation paper!

Dissertation Services

Get unlimited topic ideas and a dissertation plan for just £45.00

Order topics and plan

Get 1 free topic in your area of study with aim and justification

Yes I want the free topic

Mental Health Nursing Dissertation Topics

Published by Owen Ingram at January 3rd, 2023 , Revised On August 16, 2023

Are you passionate about helping others, especially those facing mental health challenges? If this is the case for you, then mental health nursing is a career choice you may want to pursue.

It can be challenging to work in the field of mental health nursing. The final year of the nursing undergraduate programme can be especially stressful because it involves completing a dissertation paper on a unique and interesting topic . Get a better understanding of mental health nursing, how it works, and how it can improve healthcare!

Similarly, Masters and PhD students of nursing and medicine must complete a research proposal and a thesis paper on a topic that really adds value to the research areas.

What Is Mental Health Nursing?

Nursing in mental health focuses on preventing, treating, and rehabilitating behavioural, emotional, and mental disorders. Nursing professionals work with patients to improve their emotional well-being by overcoming mental stress. Patients with mental illness or disorders are also guided throughout their recovery.

There are many different types of mental health nurses who work in hospitals, clinics, private practices, and residential facilities. As part of their responsibilities, they assess symptoms, administer medications, provide supportive care, collaborate with family members, and educate others about mental illness. Their treatment plans also involve psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and other professionals.

Taking care of your patient’s mental health and making a difference in their lives is your responsibility as a mental health nurse.

Related Links

• Evidence-based Practice Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Child Health Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Adult Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Critical Care Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Dementia Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Midwifery Dissertation Topics
• Palliative Care Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Nursing Dissertation Topics
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Nursing Dissertation Topics

Topic-1: Cognitive and emotional well-being

Research Aim: Finding out different ways to improve the cognitive and emotional well-being of people to solve the common mental health problems in the surrounding.

Topic-2: Eliminating mental illnesses

Research Aim: Encouraging better mental health by diagnosing the symptoms of mental health issues in the early stage to prevent severe circumstances later.

Topic-3: Providing specialized treatments

Research Aim: From anxiety, depression, and disorders to other mental health complexities, providing solutions to all types of mental health disorders, including pre-traumatic and post-traumatic issues.

Topic-4: Bipolar disorder

Research Aim: Explaining the symptoms, treatments, and procedures to soothe the common and impulsive mental health issues with solid behavior modification treatments.

Topic-5: Borderline personality disorder

Research Aim: Understanding the common borderline personality disorders and their effects on the mental health condition of different patients. Also, studying the unstable relationships with friends, family, and other associations and ways to improve it.

Topic-6: Dissociative disorders

Research Aim: Reviewing all the common causes of dissociative disorders and the primary care management to assess and intervene in different causes of the problem.

Topic-7: Disruptive and impulse-control disorders

Research Aim: Studying all the disruptive and impulsive-control disorders and their impact on the intermittent explosive condition and anti-social behavior of a person.

Topic-8: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Research Aim: A brief overview of ADHD to control the attention span of a person through different effective techniques and procedures.

Topic-9: Psychosocial mental health nursing

Research Aim: Studying theories to understand human nature better and the process of normal development based on their physical and mental health.

Topic-10: Mental health and psychiatric nursing

Research Aim: Exploring different types of mental illnesses and their treatments used to soothe the hyperactive condition of the patient.

Topic-11: Mental health educating

Research Aim: Educating everyone about the basic mental health problems and preventive measures to administer the condition of patients and to meet their varying mental health needs.

Topic-12: Providing different levels and quality of care to every patient

Research Aim: Studying the needs of every patient and providing care to solve different mental illnesses in a variety of ways helps tackle the problem calmly.

Topic-13: National and local mental health programs

Research Aim: Introducing different national and local mental health programs. Explaining their role in spreading awareness on the importance of mental health for individuals from different backgrounds.

Topic-14: Mental health checkups

Research Aim: Conveying the need for mental health checkups for individuals of all ages suffering from anxiety, stress, frustration, and other mental health issues.

Topic-15: Schizophrenia

Research Aim: Understanding the feelings of a patient suffering from schizophrenia and identifying its symptoms to curate the best and proper treatment for the stress cause.

Topic-16: Suicide prevention

Research Aim: Spreading awareness on suicide prevention, especially for young and adults with the help of telephone and physical counselling. Finding the causes of suicide in professional spaces to get rid of the suicidal thoughts as early as possible.

I/O Example

The number of people encountering poor mental health and related issues in their day-to-day lives is increasing, making mental health nursing a growing field in the healthcare industry. Those who are willing to work hard, be creative, and take risks in handling such patients can find many opportunities in this field.

Nurses in mental health are required to hold a bachelor’s degree, preferably a master’s degree. They also obtain additional training on dealing with people suffering from depression and different anxiety disorders.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mental health nurses’ demand will grow by 15% between 2014 and 2024. The need for nurses who specialize in this field will increase because of this growth rate.

Like other nursing jobs, mental health nursing pay depends on experience and education. The average salary for this career is $91,298 per year. According to a survey, salaries for mental health nurses can range from $71,485 to $129,837 per year, depending on their experience and education level.

There are still many challenges and rewards associated with a career in mental health nursing. Bringing peace to the lives of diverse people is a major part of the job. A flood of opportunities is always flowing your way as the field is constantly evolving. Take some time to research all of the nursing degree programs available before you make a decision.

Free Dissertation Topic

Phone Number

Academic Level Select Academic Level Undergraduate Graduate PHD

Academic Subject

Area of Research

Frequently Asked Questions

How to find mental health nursing dissertation topics.

For mental health nursing dissertation topics:

• Research recent issues in mental health care.
• Explore treatment approaches or therapies.
• Examine stigma and advocacy.
• Focus on specific populations or disorders.
• Consult professionals for insights.
• Select a topic that resonates with you and contributes to the field.

You May Also Like

Here is a list of Linguistic dissertation topics to help you choose the one studies any one as per your requirements.

Auditing dissertation study provides professionals and students with a variety of chances to improve quality in healthcare and commercial organizations.

If you are looking for a dissertation topic, you can find one here. We have listed some of the best dissertation topics on graphic design. Choose one and get started immediately!

USEFUL LINKS

LEARNING RESOURCES

COMPANY DETAILS

• How It Works

‘Marathon of crisis’: Nurses’ mental health in forefront of new study

By Tim Brouk, [email protected]

A new Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences study reveals the stress, psychological trauma and, at times, system failures, that occurred in healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic as reported by the frontline critical-care nurses themselves.

The research project, “Nurses’ Psychological Trauma and Cognitive Control in the COVID-19 Pandemic,” surveyed more than 100 nurses around the United States and Canada, including several Purdue School of Nursing alumni. The questionnaire covered vital mental health topics such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and drug and alcohol use during the height of the pandemic.

“Nurses have gone through incredible psychological distress and trauma,” said Karen Foli, associate professor of nursing and co-principal investigator on the project with Department of Psychological Sciences assistant professor Yu-Chin Chiu. “They’re not soldiers; they are professional nurses who were put in extraordinary situations that sometimes overwhelmed them on a chronic basis.”

Yu-Chin Chiu

Funded by the College of Health and Human Sciences’ Rapid Response Grant program , the research results were published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing . A second paper from this study will concentrate on nurses’ ability to complete cognitive control tasks after experiencing COVID-19-related trauma. This study is still ongoing. Lingsong Zhang, associate professor in the Department of Statistics and Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering, is also a co-investigator on this research.

Foli paid particular attention to the responses to a pair of open-ended questions in the survey. Not all nurses responded but more than 70 participants filled out at least one, which allowed them to pour out their experiences during their shifts and at home.

“They talked about this tsunami of death, just this wave upon wave,” Foli said. “Often the patients would die alone or only with the nurse at the bedside, and that was a major contributor to secondary traumatic stress on the nurse.”

The qualitative data “puts muscle on the bones” of the quantitative data collected by Foli and Chiu. The narratives and themes reveal what can be done to improve the mental health of these vital nurses as well as the care of patients during the next pandemic. One nurse’s long response inspired Foli to call nurses’ experiences during the pandemic a “marathon of crisis.”

Foli shared some of this unidentified nurse’s response: “The hospital did not have enough critical care-trained nurses to care for the amount of patients we were seeing. I agreed to help, despite the fact that I had a 6-month-old baby at home. My very first shift at the sister hospital, I had three intubated, sedated, paralyzed, prone, unstable patients.”

“The nurses were concerned about getting their family sick,” Foli said. “They would isolate themselves, which would compound what they were experiencing. Their peers also began to provide less support, further exacerbating the trauma they were experiencing.”

One recurring problem reported by the nurses was the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) at the beginning of the pandemic. This unfortunate phenomenon made headlines , but Foli said it was an issue before the first COVID-19 cases began rolling in. She coined the phrase “insufficient resource trauma” in a paper published pre-pandemic in the Archives of Psychiatric Nursing (Foli, Reddick, Zhang, & Krcelich, 2020).

The nurses in the study reported another grave issue surrounding insufficient resources: lack of staffing. Foli said due to many hospitals losing money during the pandemic — a decrease in elective surgeries, for example — nursing corps are being short-staffed. Anecdotal reports in daily professional newsletters describe open positions not being filled or departments in need of more nurses being denied.

“That’s the worst thing they could do,” Foli said. “If true, it’s a very uninformed, bad call in my opinion. … Nurses are seen as a cost instead of an income generator. I think if they are going to be short-sighted about nurse-staffing, they need to realize that nurses aren’t going to be able to render the quality care patients need.”

Nurses weren’t the only health workers to experience trauma during the pandemic. Doctors, EMTs and other staff all experienced the brunt of the historic event, but Foli said nurses had especially trying times because they were at the bedside 24/7.

“Those folks who think the pandemic is over, they have to understand what nurses went through,” Foli said. “We need to give them resources in the form of mental health support, not just in the short term, and we need make sure it’s accessible and trauma-informed.”

With Foli and Chiu’s research, other research, and the American Nurses Association Enterprise COVID-19 Well-Being Initiative , there is growing awareness of the mental health and well-being of nurses. The work could help bolster the ranks of the nursing corps, too. According to a May 2021 McKinsey Global Institute study , 22% of nurses polled said they are thinking of leaving their current position. These initiatives could encourage nurses to stay in their profession.

Hannah McKinney’s (NUR ‘20) career has been parallel with the pandemic. At Eskenazi Hospital in downtown Indianapolis, she was a student tech in March 2020 when the first COVID-19 patients began trickling in. She was hired immediately after her May graduation as a nurse in the ER trauma unit. By then, the COVID-19 patients far exceeded the patients who needed lifesaving treatments from crashes, shootings or stabbings.

Hannah McKinney (NUR ’20) has treated COVID-19 patients for her entire young career so far. Photo provided

McKinney said she still suffers from the trauma she experienced during her first few months at Eskenazi. The patient deaths, the unknown variables of the new coronavirus and the often-changing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention weighed heavily on the young nurse and her colleagues. A near breaking point occurred when PPE namely N95 masks, became scarce for her and her fellow nurses. They had to make their lone N95 mask last for a month at least.

“That’s when it stated to feel almost apocalyptic. Are we being led to our deaths basically?” McKinney remembered. “It got to the point where I stopped going to the grocery store because I would have a really hard time whenever I saw a person wearing an N95, thinking I’m not allowed. I’m going into situations where I could get sick because I wasn’t allowed access to a new N95. It just felt very isolating and lonely.”

McKinney reports that conditions are better now than they were the first few months of the pandemic. Much more is now known as she has started to assist in intubating patients again during the delta variant surge. However, reading about experiences from fellow nurses across the country on social media has helped her mental well-being. She knows she is not alone and there is help out there for her and her colleagues.

Kaley Butler credits her colleagues for helping her persevere as an ICU COVID-19 nurse in Mishawaka, Indiana. Photo provided

“COVID is still so defeating,” McKinney said. “But every time I would see a post on Facebook or something from another nurse’s perspective, to see my experiences expressed by someone else so that others can hear it, I think that’s so impactful and so helpful.”

Kaley Butler (NUR ’20) was hired at an ICU in Mishawaka, just a few months before COVID-19 terrorized northeast Indiana. Like McKinney, she suffered mentally and physically in 2020 due to the overwhelming number of patients, lack of PPE, understaffing and emotions of family members not being able to see their sick loved ones. She credits her colleagues as the reason she returns to work every shift. Support from fellow nurses helps Butler to soldier through as they now battle the COVID-19 delta variant.

“My mindset during the delta variant is to just keep pushing to get through it. I try to look at the positives — like how we know more about how to treat the virus,” Butler said. “Keeping that in mind along with knowing that my coworkers have my back is what keeps me going back to work.”

Best Nursing Research Topics for Students

What is a nursing research paper.

• What They Include
• Choosing a Topic
• Best Nursing Research Topics
• Research Paper Writing Tips

Writing a research paper is a massive task that involves careful organization, critical analysis, and a lot of time. Some nursing students are natural writers, while others struggle to select a nursing research topic, let alone write about it.

If you're a nursing student who dreads writing research papers, this article may help ease your anxiety. We'll cover everything you need to know about writing nursing school research papers and the top topics for nursing research.  

Continue reading to make your paper-writing jitters a thing of the past.

A nursing research paper is a work of academic writing composed by a nurse or nursing student. The paper may present information on a specific topic or answer a question.

During LPN/LVN and RN programs, most papers you write focus on learning to use research databases, evaluate appropriate resources, and format your writing with APA style. You'll then synthesize your research information to answer a question or analyze a topic.

BSN , MSN , Ph.D., and DNP programs also write nursing research papers. Students in these programs may also participate in conducting original research studies.

Writing papers during your academic program improves and develops many skills, including the ability to:

• Select nursing topics for research
• Conduct effective research
• Analyze published academic literature
• Format and cite sources
• Synthesize data
• Organize and articulate findings

About Nursing Research Papers

When do nursing students write research papers.

You may need to write a research paper for any of the nursing courses you take. Research papers help develop critical thinking and communication skills. They allow you to learn how to conduct research and critically review publications.

That said, not every class will require in-depth, 10-20-page papers. The more advanced your degree path, the more you can expect to write and conduct research. If you're in an associate or bachelor's program, you'll probably write a few papers each semester or term.

Do Nursing Students Conduct Original Research?

Most of the time, you won't be designing, conducting, and evaluating new research. Instead, your projects will focus on learning the research process and the scientific method. You'll achieve these objectives by evaluating existing nursing literature and sources and defending a thesis.

However, many nursing faculty members do conduct original research. So, you may get opportunities to participate in, and publish, research articles.

Example Research Project Scenario:

In your maternal child nursing class, the professor assigns the class a research paper regarding developmentally appropriate nursing interventions for the pediatric population. While that may sound specific, you have almost endless opportunities to narrow down the focus of your writing. 

You could choose pain intervention measures in toddlers. Conversely, you can research the effects of prolonged hospitalization on adolescents' social-emotional development.

What Does a Nursing Research Paper Include?

Your professor should provide a thorough guideline of the scope of the paper. In general, an undergraduate nursing research paper will consist of:

Introduction : A brief overview of the research question/thesis statement your paper will discuss. You can include why the topic is relevant.

Body : This section presents your research findings and allows you to synthesize the information and data you collected. You'll have a chance to articulate your evaluation and answer your research question. The length of this section depends on your assignment.

Conclusion : A brief review of the information and analysis you presented throughout the body of the paper. This section is a recap of your paper and another chance to reassert your thesis.

The best advice is to follow your instructor's rubric and guidelines. Remember to ask for help whenever needed, and avoid overcomplicating the assignment!

How to Choose a Nursing Research Topic

The sheer volume of prospective nursing research topics can become overwhelming for students. Additionally, you may get the misconception that all the 'good' research ideas are exhausted. However, a personal approach may help you narrow down a research topic and find a unique angle.

Writing your research paper about a topic you value or connect with makes the task easier. Additionally, you should consider the material's breadth. Topics with plenty of existing literature will make developing a research question and thesis smoother.

Finally, feel free to shift gears if necessary, especially if you're still early in the research process. If you start down one path and have trouble finding published information, ask your professor if you can choose another topic.

The Best Research Topics for Nursing Students

You have endless subject choices for nursing research papers. This non-exhaustive list just scratches the surface of some of the best nursing research topics.

1. Clinical Nursing Research Topics

• Analyze the use of telehealth/virtual nursing to reduce inpatient nurse duties.
• Discuss the impact of evidence-based respiratory interventions on patient outcomes in critical care settings.
• Explore the effectiveness of pain management protocols in pediatric patients.

2. Community Health Nursing Research Topics

• Assess the impact of nurse-led diabetes education in Type II Diabetics.
• Analyze the relationship between socioeconomic status and access to healthcare services.

3. Nurse Education Research Topics

• Review the effectiveness of simulation-based learning to improve nursing students' clinical skills.
• Identify methods that best prepare pre-licensure students for clinical practice.
• Investigate factors that influence nurses to pursue advanced degrees.
• Evaluate education methods that enhance cultural competence among nurses.
• Describe the role of mindfulness interventions in reducing stress and burnout among nurses.

4. Mental Health Nursing Research Topics

• Explore patient outcomes related to nurse staffing levels in acute behavioral health settings.
• Assess the effectiveness of mental health education among emergency room nurses .
• Explore de-escalation techniques that result in improved patient outcomes.
• Review the effectiveness of therapeutic communication in improving patient outcomes.

5. Pediatric Nursing Research Topics

• Assess the impact of parental involvement in pediatric asthma treatment adherence.
• Explore challenges related to chronic illness management in pediatric patients.
• Review the role of play therapy and other therapeutic interventions that alleviate anxiety among hospitalized children.

6. The Nursing Profession Research Topics

• Analyze the effects of short staffing on nurse burnout .
• Evaluate factors that facilitate resiliency among nursing professionals.
• Examine predictors of nurse dissatisfaction and burnout.
• Posit how nursing theories influence modern nursing practice.

Tips for Writing a Nursing Research Paper

The best nursing research advice we can provide is to follow your professor's rubric and instructions. However, here are a few study tips for nursing students to make paper writing less painful:

Avoid procrastination: Everyone says it, but few follow this advice. You can significantly lower your stress levels if you avoid procrastinating and start working on your project immediately.

Plan Ahead: Break down the writing process into smaller sections, especially if it seems overwhelming. Give yourself time for each step in the process.

Research: Use your resources and ask for help from the librarian or instructor. The rest should come together quickly once you find high-quality studies to analyze.

Outline: Create an outline to help you organize your thoughts. Then, you can plug in information throughout the research process. 

Clear Language: Use plain language as much as possible to get your point across. Jargon is inevitable when writing academic nursing papers, but keep it to a minimum.

Cite Properly: Accurately cite all sources using the appropriate citation style. Nursing research papers will almost always implement APA style. Check out the resources below for some excellent reference management options.

Revise and Edit: Once you finish your first draft, put it away for one to two hours or, preferably, a whole day. Once you've placed some space between you and your paper, read through and edit for clarity, coherence, and grammatical errors. Reading your essay out loud is an excellent way to check for the 'flow' of the paper.

Helpful Nursing Research Writing Resources:

Purdue OWL (Online writing lab) has a robust APA guide covering everything you need about APA style and rules.

Grammarly helps you edit grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Upgrading to a paid plan will get you plagiarism detection, formatting, and engagement suggestions. This tool is excellent to help you simplify complicated sentences.

Mendeley is a free reference management software. It stores, organizes, and cites references. It has a Microsoft plug-in that inserts and correctly formats APA citations.

Don't let nursing research papers scare you away from starting nursing school or furthering your education. Their purpose is to develop skills you'll need to be an effective nurse: critical thinking, communication, and the ability to review published information critically.

Choose a great topic and follow your teacher's instructions; you'll finish that paper in no time.

Joleen Sams is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner based in the Kansas City metro area. During her 10-year RN career, Joleen worked in NICU, inpatient pediatrics, and regulatory compliance. Since graduating with her MSN-FNP in 2019, she has worked in urgent care and nursing administration. Connect with Joleen on LinkedIn or see more of her writing on her website.

Plus, get exclusive access to discounts for nurses, stay informed on the latest nurse news, and learn how to take the next steps in your career.

By clicking “Join Now”, you agree to receive email newsletters and special offers from Nurse.org. We will not sell or distribute your email address to any third party, and you may unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email.

Research Topics & Ideas: Nursing

50+ Nursing Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. If you’ve landed on this post, chances are you’re looking for a nursing-related research topic , but aren’t sure where to start. Here, we’ll explore a variety of nursing-related research ideas and topic thought-starters, including general nursing, medical-surgical nursing, pediatric nursing, obstetrics and gynaecological nursing, ICU and mental health nursing.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the nursing domain. This is the starting point, but to develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. In it, we cover the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from start to end. Be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic. 

Overview: Nursing Research Topics

• General nursing-related topics
• Medical-surgical nursing
• Pediatric nursing
• Obstetrics and gynaecological nursing
• ICU nursing
• Mental health nursing

General Nursing Research Topics & Ideas

• The impact of cultural competence on patient care in the UK
• The importance of evidence-based practice in nursing for patients with HIV/AIDS
• The effects of workplace stress on nurse well-being and performance
• The role of nurse-patient communication for patients transitioning from adolescent to adult care
• The impact of technology on nursing practice and patient outcomes
• The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare for the rehabilitation of patients post-surgery
• The effects of fatigue on nurse performance in the emergency room
• The impact of nurse staffing levels on patient outcomes in rural areas
• The effectiveness of nurse-led interventions in managing chronic conditions: a case study of diabetes
• The impact of patient-centred care on health outcomes for the elderly
• The importance of patient safety in nursing: bedside nurse vigilance
• The effects of empathy and compassion in critical care nursing
• The role of nursing in disaster preparedness and response: a case study of the Haiti earthquake of 2021
• The impact of the level of nursing education on patient outcomes
• The importance of ethical considerations in frail care nursing practice

Topics & Ideas: Medical-Surgical Nursing

• The impact of bedside care on patient outcomes in medical-surgical units
• The role of the nurse in managing post-operative patient pain
• The effects of nurse-patient ratios on patient outcomes in medical-surgical units
• A systematic review of different approaches to patient education in medical-surgical units
• The relationship between nurse-patient communication and patient satisfaction in medical-surgical units: perspectives and recommendations to improving patient satisfaction

Topics & Ideas: Pediatrics Nursing

• The impact of family-centered care on pediatric patient outcomes with sickle cell anemia
• The role of nursing interventions in promoting developmental and behavioral health in pediatric patients
• The effects of play therapy on anxiety and pain in pediatric patients during hospitilisation
• A systematic review of different approaches to pain management in pediatric cancer patients
• The relationship between parent involvement and post-operative patient outcomes in pediatric units

Ideas: Obstetrics and Gynecological Nursing

• The impact of nurse-led prenatal care on maternal and fetal outcomes in African American communities
• The role of the nurse in promoting sexual and reproductive health for women in the UK
• The effects of midwifery care on maternal satisfaction of primiparous women and birth outcomes
• A comparative study of different approaches to childbirth education for expectant mothers and partners: perceptions of control
• The relationship between lactation support and breastfeeding success of primiparous women

Topics & Ideas: ICU Nursing

• The impact of nursing interventions on patient outcomes in intensive care units in a developing country
• The role of the nurse in managing palliative and end-of-life care in the ICU
• The effects of family presence on patient outcomes and satisfaction in the ICU: A systematic review of the literature
• A comparative study of different approaches to pain management for trauma patients in the ICU
• The relationship between nurse-patient communication and geriatric patient outcomes in ICU

Topics & Ideas: Mental Health Nursing

• The impact of nurse-led therapy on adolescent patient outcomes in mental health settings
• The role of the nurse in promoting recovery and resiliency in mental health patients through group interventions
• The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on stress and anxiety in mental health patients: A systematic literature review
• A comparative study of the role of nurses in applying different approaches to patient education in mental health settings
• The association between nurse-patient therapeutic alliance and patient outcomes in mental health settings

Nursing Dissertation & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a nursing-related research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various nursing-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• Nursing Workload and Interventions of Licensed Nurses in Nursing Homes: An Observational Time and Motion Study (Kang, 2021)
• Missed Nursing Care: Accounting for Education, Experience, and Job Satisfaction in Registered Nurses (Bechard, 2021)
• Examining Predictors of Attitudes and Knowledge of Registered Nurses and Nursing Students in Tennessee toward Pregnant and Perinatal Women with a Substance Use Disorder (Patrylo, 2021)
• A Program Evaluation of the Organizational Readiness for Pathway to Excellence at Two Community Hospitals  (Behling, 2021)
• The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic Policy Decisions on the Wellbeing of Nursing Home Residents in Missouri (White, 2022)
• Battling A Parallel Pandemic: An Evaluation of Sustainable System-Level Nursing Support in Response To COVID-19 (Gifford, 2022)
• Holistic Nursing Process Maps: a Tool for Student Nurses to Operationalize the Nursing Process to Increase Clinical Reasoning (Reyes, 2022)
• Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance in Undergraduate Nursing Faculty: A Mixed-Methods Study (Crawford, 2021)
• The Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on the Stress, Anxiety, Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion Levels of Nursing Students (Heinrich, 2022)
• Effectiveness of Simulation-Based Case Studies in Undergraduate Nursing Students (Becnel, 2022)
• A Telehealth Simulation Experiment: Exploring Prebriefing (Owen, 2022)
• Perceptions of Lateral Violence Among Vocational Nursing Students, Associate Degree Nursing Students, and Bachelor’s Degree Nursing Students (Martha, 2022)
• Nurse Educators’ Description of Ethics from a Disciplinary Perspective: A Qualitative Descriptive Research Study (Cuchetti, 2022)
• A Literature Review of the Relationship Between Oral Health and Pneumonia Risk in the Geriatric Nursing Home Population (Swift, 2021)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Get 1-On-1 Help

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your nursing dissertation, thesis or research project, check out our private coaching services below.

You Might Also Like:

To learn from the GRAD Coach is a lofty goal for me. I am unable to express my gratitude for your teaching style. I need assistance with my thesis as a master’s in nursing candidate. Please assist me.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Print Friendly

• 1.866.411.2159
• Online Master’s Degrees Overview
• Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis
• Online Master of Science in Product Management
• Online Master of Science in Nursing
• Online Master of Social Work
• Online Doctoral Degrees Overview
• Online BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice
• Online MSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice
• Online Certificate Programs Overview
• Online ABA Certificate
• Online Introduction to Product Management Certificate
• Online Nursing Certificate Programs
• About Regis College
• Corporate Partners Tuition Discount
• Federal Employee Program
• Military & Veterans Tuition Discount Program
• Faculty Directory

Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing for Mental Health Nurses

March 8, 2023

View all blog posts under Articles | View all blog posts under Doctor of Nursing Practice | View all blog posts under Master of Science in Nursing

The nursing profession has long taken the lead in practicing evidence-based care. Evidence-based care relies on nurses’ clinical expertise, critical thinking, and research knowledge. Nurses use this skill set to support patient care decisions and as a lens through which to view patient outcomes.

Evidence-based practice in nursing may be even more crucial for mental health nurse practitioners . Mental and behavioral health disorders are complex, as patients may suffer from two or more diagnoses. Additionally, patients may be homeless or incarcerated, making treatment even more difficult.

An advanced degree program that supplies a rigorous background in evidence-based practice is essential for any nurse planning a career in mental and behavioral health.

What Are Evidence-Based Mental Health Services?

Evidence-based mental health services recognize that patients don’t just need therapeutic care; they may also suffer from loss of housing and income, among other basic needs. They may live in high-crime areas and are more likely to be incarcerated. Evidence-based mental health services often combine psychiatric and therapeutic treatment with services that include helping patients find housing, employment, and other support.

The following are some examples of evidence-based practices and treatments supported by SAMHSA. Mental health nurses engaged in evidence-based nursing practice may employ these treatments to support individuals dealing with mental and behavioral health issues.

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)

Assertive community treatment seeks to provide behavioral health services in the community setting. The framework serves conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. ACT services seek to maintain outpatient treatments and ensure regular, ongoing therapies.

Using the framework, various health care practitioners provide services such as assistance with activities of daily living (ADL), help managing family responsibilities, and support in securing important needs such as food and housing.

Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders

Integrated treatment delivers dual treatments for patients diagnosed with behavioral health and substance abuse disorders. By combining the two services, patients usually have a better chance of making a full, long-term recovery.

Practitioners provide patients with services and resources such as case management, outreach, housing, and employment assistance. The framework aids the high-risk dual diagnoses population, who are more likely to relapse and resume substance use, suffer from poor health, or face homelessness.

 Illness Management and Recovery (IMR)

Illness management and recovery is an evidence-based psychiatric treatment framework for patients with a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia. It’s designed to allow patients to participate actively in their own recoveries. During ongoing weekly sessions, behavioral health practitioners help patients develop treatment plans and identify goals. This may encompass teaching recovery methodologies, behavioral health facts, and stress management techniques.

Practitioners also teach patients how to build and maintain social support networks, reduce the chances of resuming drug use, and use prescribed medications effectively. The teaching techniques of this framework might also include cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational sessions.

Permanent Supportive Housing

Homelessness is a complex challenge in treating people with mental health and substance use disorders. Not only can homelessness worsen a patient’s mental health condition, but it also makes them physically vulnerable to violence, disease, and incarceration. According to SAMHSA, the longer a person experiences homelessness, the harder it is to get them the treatment they need. The agency recommends moving people to permanent housing, with additional support services including therapy, treatment, financial support, and training services, without requiring transitional steps such as getting sober first.

Screening for Postpartum Depression

A study in BMC Psychiatry found nearly 20% of mothers experience postpartum depression, which can impact the health of the mother and the child. Screening and treating pregnant mothers for perinatal depression (depression during pregnancy) can help reduce instances of postpartum depression and in some cases improve the physical and mental health of babies.

Additional Treatments for Mental and Behavioral Health

Many mental health treatment practices are evidence-based and numerous studies have reinforced their effectiveness. Some of the most common evidence-based techniques for treating mental health, behavioral health, and substance use include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) , helps patients change patterns of behavior.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) , is based on CBT practices, while also focusing on emotion regulation and mindfulness, among other techniques. It is shown to be effective in treating various mental health disorders.
• Motivational interviewing , uses open questions, affirmations, reflection, and summarizing to help people overcome substance use disorders.

Some therapies are not considered evidence-based, even though they may be popular and effective, such as:

• 12-step programs : Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) pioneered the 12-step process. Some aspects of 12-step programs can be very effective in helping individuals deal with substance use.
• Talk therapy : A traditional form of therapy, talk therapy is widely used on its own and in conjunction with other treatments.

The Role of Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNPs) in Evidence-Based Practice

In the United States, more Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs are emerging to fill the anticipated shortage of health care talent. The nation needs these professionals to fill the service gaps faced by underserved populations in settings such as rural communities, schools, prisons, and urgent care facilities.

DNP-educated nurses are well-positioned to bring the evidence-based nursing practice to the communities they serve. With their background in research and clinical practice, they can lead the establishment of evidence-based plans and criteria at hospitals, clinics, and government agencies.

Become a Leader in Evidence-Based Nursing

Are you eager to become a leader in the field of mental health nursing? The Regis College online MSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice program offers an excellent foundation in evidence-based nursing practice, equipping you with the tools to embrace the exciting challenges of delivering best-in-class mental and behavioral health services. The curriculum includes classes in advanced research, informatics and statistics, cultural perspectives in health care, and more. Explore your options and take your first steps to make a difference in nursing.

Recommended Reading

What Is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner?

How Nurse Practitioners Can Become Community Advocates

10 Best Practices to Promote Cultural Awareness in the Nursing Profession

Behavioral Health Resources, “PACT: Program for Assertive Community Treatment”

BMC Psychiatry , “Screening Programs for Common Maternal Mental Health Disorders Among Perinatal Women: Report of the Systematic Review of Evidence”

Frontiers in Psychiatry, “Effects of Illness Management and Recovery: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial”

Psychology Today , “From Evidence-Based Practice to Practice-Based Evidence”

THERAPlatform, “ Evidence-Based Practices for Mental Health”

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “ About the Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center”

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “The Case for Screening and Treatment of Co-Occurring Disorders”

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “Homelessness Resources: Housing and Shelter”

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “Mental Health Myths and Facts”

Let’s move forward

Wherever you are in your career and wherever you want to be, look to Regis for a direct path, no matter your education level. Fill out the form to learn more about our program options or get started on your application today.

The Perceived Power and Powerlessness in School Health Nurses' Mental Health Promotion Practices: A Synthesis of Qualitative Studies

Affiliations.

• 1 Department of Health Sciences, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden.
• 2 Lindholmens Tekniska Gymnasium, The Educational Administration, City of Gothenburg, Sweden.
• 3 Children's and Adolescent's Medical Services, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden.
• PMID: 38602147
• DOI: 10.1177/10598405241241212

Schools are important arenas for mental health promotion initiatives. School nurses have the opportunity and ability to support and promote students' mental health, but their role and practices have been perceived as somewhat unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore school nurses' mental health promotion practices. A total of 12 scientific studies were synthesized through a meta-ethnographic approach. The overarching results of the synthesis show that school nurses' mental health promotion practices are largely about balancing and combining the students' needs with different professional perspectives, competencies, and conditions. The school nurses perceived that they had the power to influence their practices through a variety of ways, highlighting the importance of letting the students' needs guide the practices. Yet, at the same time they described feelings of powerlessness because of the different organizational structures that were hindering their mental health promotion practices.

Keywords: School nursing; health promotion; mental health; meta-synthesis; qualitative research.

Publication types

New study highlights the benefit of touch on mental and physical health

Through a large-scale analysis, researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have uncovered the ways in which consensual touch can benefit a person's physical and mental wellbeing.

You might recognize the comforting feeling when someone offers you a hug at the end of a stressful day or strokes your shoulder when you're feeling down. But the question remains: can touch really help you feel better, and does it matter who it's from or how they touch you? To explore these questions, researchers from the Social Brain Lab at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and the University Hospital Essen conducted a large-scale analysis of studies exploring touch interventions.

The benefits of touch on mental and physical health

Does touch truly improve someone's wellbeing? It is an easy question to ask but more complicated to answer. Individual studies often only focus on specific instances and may contradict each other. Combining all these studies together for a large-scale analysis offers a clearer answer: yes, touch substantially improves both physical and mental wellbeing, for example via reduction of pain, anxiety, depression, and stress in adults. But in fact, those with physical or mental health problems (and therefore most in need of support) benefit even more from touch than healthy adults. "This is especially relevant considering how often touch interventions are overlooked" Packheiser, first author, adds.

"A key question of our study is to leverage the hundreds of individual studies out there to identify what type of touch works best," adds professor Keysers, director of the Social Brain Lab. "What if you don't have a friend or partner close by to hug you? Would touch from a stranger or even a machine also help? And how often? The study clearly shows that touch can indeed be optimized, but the most important factors are not necessarily those we suspect."

Interestingly, the person touching you, how they touch you, and the duration of their touch doesn't make a difference in terms of impact. A long-lasting massage by a therapist could therefore be just as effective as a quick hug offered by a friend. That is, until the frequency of the intervention is considered. The more often a touch intervention is offered, the greater the impact. A quick hug could therefore be even more impactful than a massage if it is offered more frequently.

Human or non-human touch?

The next question was whether touch intervention needs to be human at all. As it turns out, object or robot interventions can be equally effective at improving physical wellbeing. "There are lots of people in need of wellbeing improvements, perhaps because they're lonely but also because they may be inflicted by clinical conditions. These results indicate that a touch-robot, or even a simple weighted blanket has the potential to help those people," last author Frédéric Michon explains. However, the benefits of robot and object interventions are less effective for mental wellbeing. Mental health disorders like anxiety or depression might therefore require human touch after all, "perhaps suggestive of the importance for an emotional component associated with the touch," Michon point out.

While the researchers were equally curious about human-to-animal contact, studies exploring this question are still lacking. "It would be useful to see whether an animal's or pet's touch could improve wellbeing, and inversely if they also benefit from it, but unfortunately there simply aren't enough studies, or properly controlled ones, for us to draw any general conclusions on these topics," Michon clarifies.

Touch interventions across ages

When the team looked into the impact of touch on newborns, they found out that newborns also benefited significantly from touch. However, the person conducting the touch intervention was more important: the benefits of touch are higher when done by a parent instead of a healthcare worker. "This finding could be impactful," Packheiser adds. "Death rates due to premature births are high in some countries and the knowledge that a baby benefits more from the touch of their own parent offers another easily implementable form of support for the baby's health."

Due to a lack of studies, it proved difficult to draw conclusions about children and teenagers. "Large scale studies like this help us draw more general conclusions but they also help us identify where research is lacking," Michon explains. "We hope that our findings can steer future research to explore lesser-known questions. This includes animal touch, but also touch across ages, and in specific clinical settings like autistic patients, another category that has not been explored extensively."

• Alternative Medicine
• Mental Health Research
• Chronic Illness
• Mental Health
• Disorders and Syndromes
• Evidence-based medicine
• Hyperactivity
• Philosophy of mind
• Psychotherapy
• Psychiatric service dog

Story Source:

Materials provided by Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience - KNAW . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Julian Packheiser, Helena Hartmann, Kelly Fredriksen, Valeria Gazzola, Christian Keysers, Frédéric Michon. A systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis of the physical and mental health benefits of touch interventions . Nature Human Behaviour , 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01841-8

Cite This Page :

Explore More

• Ozone Removes Mating Barriers Between Fly ...
• Parkinson's: New Theory On Origins and Spread
• Clash of Stars Solves Stellar Mystery
• Secure Quantum Computing at Home
• Ocean Currents: Collapse of Antarctic Ice ...
• Pacific Cities Much Older Than Previously ...
• The Milky Way in Ancient Egyptian Mythology
• Physical Activity Best in the Evening
• How the Body Switches out of 'Fight' Mode
• New Drug Prevents Flu-Related Lung Damage

Trending Topics

Strange & offbeat.

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Int J Environ Res Public Health

Nurses’ Work-Related Mental Health in 2017 and 2020—A Comparative Follow-Up Study before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cicilia nagel.

1 Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden

2 Division of Public Health, Kristianstad University, 29128 Kristianstad, Sweden

Kerstin Nilsson

Associated data.

Not applicable.

The COVID-19 pandemic put a lot of strain on healthcare organizations. Nurses account for over 50% of healthcare staff, and how nurses perform in their work is influenced by a number of human and work environmental factors. However, to our knowledge, there has not been a previous study with the intention to look at all areas that affect a sustainable working life and how these impact nurses’ mental well-being. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between, and the effect of, different factors in nurses’ work situations associated with nurses’ work-related mental-health diagnoses, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A questionnaire was sent out to all 9219 nurses in the Swedish county of Skane in the spring of 2017 and during wave two of the COVID-19 pandemic in the fall of 2020. The data were analyzed through logistic regression analysis. The results showed that lack of joy in the daily work, an increased workload and lack of support from co-workers had an increased association with work-related mental-health diagnoses. Future research regarding the long-term impact of COVID-19 on all areas of nurses’ professional and personal lives is needed.

1. Introduction

Healthcare workers around the world, primarily the nurses, were on the frontline of the Coronavirus pandemic that started in 2019 [ 1 ]. The second wave of the pandemic in Sweden occurred during the fall/winter 2020, the most serious wave of the pandemic regarding the burden on the healthcare sector. The pandemic has been described as a gigantic strain experiment on healthcare organizations, especially on healthcare staff due to exposure to hazards, such as psychological distress, fatigue, and trauma [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Healthcare workers had to perform their duties and face higher risks to their own health, such as the risk of infection [ 1 ]. Many nurses were afraid to become ill and die of COVID-19, which was incredibly stressful [ 6 ].

Nurses comprise half of the global health workforce [ 7 , 8 ]; however, for much of the general public, it is not fully understood what nurses do. Being a nurse includes promoting health, preventing illness as well as caring for people who are ill, disabled and dying. Advocating patients’ rights, promoting a safe environment, conducting and/or taking part in research and education are also key nursing roles [ 9 ]. Nurses are often the first healthcare staff that the patient encounters. Their roles may vary depending on workplace, but often include triage, early recognition of life-threatening conditions, administration of medications, performance of life-saving procedures and initiation of early referral [ 7 ]. Despite nurses being a common profession in healthcare, there is an increasing demand for nurses worldwide [ 8 ]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [ 7 ], one out of six of the world’s nurses are expected to retire in the next 10 years. Several countries experienced a lack of healthcare workers prior to the pandemic and many nurses are considering leaving the profession [ 10 ]. There is a serious nursing shortage in most European countries, which is insufficient to meet current healthcare demands [ 11 , 12 ]. Due to an ageing population, healthcare demands are predicted to increase, resulting in an estimated worldwide shortage of almost 6 million nurses by 2035 [ 7 ]. The ageing segment of the population is rapidly expanding and, thus, consuming more health services. Unfortunately, fewer new nurses are entering the work force; therefore, providing a healthy work environment to retain nurses in their workplace is essential for sustaining the profession [ 13 ].

Being able to work has a significant positive impact on people’s health, and healthy workplaces are beneficial not only for employees but also for organizations and for society [ 14 ]. Decent work is one of the UN Global Goals for sustainable society development [ 15 ]. A sustainable work situation for employees is significant for a healthy organization that attracts people to work as well as promoting better health for employees, thus, also giving a better possibility for employability to an increased age [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Working in a hospital can be complicated due to the interaction between patients, nurses and the organization. This can, under normal circumstances, cause problematic work situations, but during the pandemic this was likely even more of a factor. It is, therefore, important to detect problems and shortcomings in the work situation in order to improve and support healthy and sustainable employability and understand what measures need to be taken. Areas of employability, and whether individuals can and want to work or not, has been stated as nine impact and determinant areas connected to sustainable healthy working life in the SwAge-model [ 6 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ], i.e., (1) the employees self-rated health and diagnoses; (2) factors in the physical work environment; (3) factors in the mental work environment; (4) having time for recuperation within the employees’ working hours, breaks and work pace; (5) the personal financial situation; (6) the employees’ personal social environment outside of work; (7) the work social environment at the workplace, with leadership, colleagues, etcetera; (8) factors related to whether the employee experiences stimulation and motivation within work tasks and appreciation from the organization/work place regarding their performed tasks; (9) if the employees’ have the right competence, skills and possibility for knowledge development in work.

As earlier mentioned, nurses play a key role in delivering care to patients [ 11 ]. How the nurses perform in their work environment is influenced by a number of human and environmental factors, including the type of information available, work experience, ambiguity, unpredictability, conflicting goals and time pressure [ 20 ]. Nurses face a higher risk of developing negative mental states, such as depression, anxiety and stress [ 21 ], due to the nature of their work. Unlike depression, burnout is specific to an individual’s relationship to his or her occupation and usually results from long-term exposure to occupational stress [ 22 ]. Burnout may lead to adverse outcomes, such as medical errors, suicide, depression and absenteeism [ 23 , 24 ]. It is known that stress and burnout are factors that can contribute to a decreased mental health [ 10 , 25 ]. The ICN [ 26 ] states that long and stressful shifts severely impact nurses’ mental health, resulting in nurses leaving or planning to leave the profession. Stress and burnout were recognized internationally as work hazards for nurses even before the pandemic [ 27 ]. Some argue that burnout in itself is a form of mental illness. However, a more common assumption has been that burnout causes mental dysfunction, such as anxiety and depression [ 28 ]. Temporal, physical, emotional and mental workloads, as well as job stressors such as time pressure, have in previous studies been positively associated with negative stress and burnout symptoms [ 28 , 29 ]. Previous studies have stated that nurses’ work environments contribute to high stress, job dissatisfaction and burnout [ 30 , 31 ]. Additionally, a previous study also stated that healthcare professionals (HCPs) in hospitals engage in many work-related tasks and experience relatively high levels of mental stress while caring for patients [ 32 ], while another study showed that workload and work pressure have an impact on job outcomes and quality of care [ 33 ]. Problems within the nurses’ working environments are described as concerns over inadequate staffing, ability to provide safe care, working long hours with high levels of fatigue and a sense of not being valued or involved in decision-making processes concerning patients [ 34 , 35 , 36 ]. Mental ill health has, in previous studies, been associated with different factors, such as long hours worked, work overload and work pressure, lack of control over work, lack of participation in decision making, poor social support as well as poor support from managers and an unclear work role [ 10 , 28 , 37 ]. Repeated exposure to stressful patient-related situations makes nurses especially susceptible to stress-related outcomes, such as emotional exhaustion and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [ 38 ]. Stress-related outcomes in nurses can lead to grave consequences, including depression, lower job satisfaction, increased risk of medical errors, lower productivity and higher turnover intentions [ 28 ]. Ignoring the signs of anxiety and depression presented by nursing professionals could increase physical and emotional stress for the individual but could also result in low quality patient care and higher work burden on the organizations [ 18 ].

However, even though there are investigations into nurses’ stress related to health and work environment, to our knowledge, there are no previous investigations on nurses´ total work situation, i.e., that investigates all areas of impact and determination for a sustainable working life, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is, therefore, important to investigate what effect the COVID-19 pandemic had on healthcare organizations’ impact and determinant areas associated with nurses´ work-related mental health diagnoses.

The objective of this present study is to investigate the association between work-related mental-health diagnoses and different factors in nurses’ work situations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to test the hypothesis that there are no differences in nurses’ work related mental-health diagnoses in 2017 and 2020. The specific research questions are:

• Is there a difference between 2017 and 2020 regarding nurses’ work-related mental health?
• What associations are there between nurses’ work-related mental health and their work situation in 2017?
• What associations are there between nurses’ work-related mental health and their work situation in 2020, that is, during the COVID-19 pandemic?

This study also wants to increase knowledge and suggest measures against staff shortages and future challenges in healthcare.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. design.

This longitudional study is part of a greater research programme, “Sustainable working life for all ages” [ 19 , 39 ]. In the spring of 2017, a baseline survey was performed where links to an online survey were sent out to all healthcare staff in the Swedish Region of Skane via their work e-mail. The follow-up study was performed in the fall of 2020, where all healthcare staff who were employed in 2017 and that were still employed in 2020 were invited to partake in the online survey.

2.2. Study Population

A link to a web survey was sent out via work e-mail to all employees in the Healthcare sector in the Swedish region of Skane, that is to all physiotherapists, occupational therapists, doctors, psychologists, nurses (including specialties such as midwife, CRNA, O.R nurse), nurse aids, etc. In total, the link to the 2017 survey was sent out to 22,935 employees, out of which 11,902 completed the survey. In this study, we will look specifically at nurses. In 2017 there were 9219 nurses (including specialist nurses) employed in the region, out of which 4692 completed the survey (50.9%). Some of the reasons for not answering the survey were wrong e-mail address, absence from work, lack of time and concerns about the manager finding out what they wrote. In 2020, data was collected via web-survey from the same study group during the second Covid 19-pandemic wave in Sweden, i.e., from September to December. Again, all healthcare staff who were employed in 2017 and that were still employed in 2020 were invited by e-mail to partake in the study. The survey link was sent out to all 18,143 staff, out of which 7781 participants responded. The number of nurses completing the web survey in 2020 was 3107 (40.1%). Some of the reasons for not responding to the survey were the same as in 2017, but there were also many nurses who stated that they wanted to prioritize their work and some nurses that had left the region.

Of the 4692 participants in the 2017 survey, the median age of the participants was 48 (23–67) and among the 3107 participants in 2020 it was 52 (26–70). In 2017, 90.4% who answered the questionnaire were women and in 2020 that number was 90.5%. A large majority (54.1% vs. 59.4% respectively in 2017 and 2020) of participants had worked as nurses for more than 16 years.

2.3. Themes in the Analysis Model

The theoretical SwAge-model (sustainable working life for all ages) [ 17 , 18 , 19 ] was used as the theme areas in the analysis with the intention of investigating factors concerning the complexity of the nurses’ work situations that could relate to their mental diagnoses caused by their work life and work environment. The SwAge-model consists of nine different impact and determinant areas that are important for a healthy and sustainable working life for all ages, and the four spheres of determination regarding employability. These four spheres and the nine impact and determinant areas are:

• (1) Self-rated health, diagnoses and diverse physical and mental health functionality in work;
• (2) Physical work environment with unilateral movements, heavy lifting, risk of accidents, climate, chemical exposure and risk of contagion;
• (3) Mental work environment: stress and fatigue syndrome, threats and violence;
• (4) Working hours, work pace and possibility of recuperation during and between work shifts.
• (5) The personal financial situation’s effects on individuals’ needs and willingness to work. Issues with employability due to ill health and lack of support can jeopardize inclusion in working life and cause an inferior financial situation for the individual, e.g., through sick leave, unemployment and early retirement.
• (6) The effects of the personal social environment with family, friends and in the leisure context;
• (7) The social work environment with leadership, discrimination and the significance of the employment relationship context for individuals’ work.
• (8) Motivation, appreciation, satisfaction and stimulation when performing the work tasks;
• (9) Knowledge, skills, competence and competence development.

Seven out of the nine impact and determinate areas in the SwAge-model were used as independent variables in this investigation to analyze factors in the nurses’ work situation associated with work-related mental health diagnoses. The Health (1) area was used as the outcome/dependent variable in the analysis, i.e., mental health diagnoses caused by the work situation. However, the Personal finances (5) area was excluded since there were no data on the nurses’ private economic situation related to the work situation that could be used in the analysis.

2.4. Outcome Measures

The dependent variable was initially two individual statements: “I have a current diagnosis of exhaustion/stress” and “I have a current diagnosis of depression/anxiety”. These individual statements were put together into one variable regarding their work-related mental-health diagnoses as an outcome measure. The self-reported doctor’s diagnoses included in mental health were depression, anxiety, exhaustion and stress. The response options in the survey regarding diagnoses were taken from WHO’s ICD-10 codes.

The independent variables used in the univariate estimates and multivariate models were calculated using a categorical variable of diagnoses caused by work, i.e., mental health, as the outcome measures in association with the seven determinate areas for a healthy and sustainable worklife and employability in the SwAge-model that have been used in previous studies investigating factors associated to a sustainable working life (see above).

2.5. Questionns and Statments

The questionnaires were written in Swedish and contained 158 questions based on the SwAge-model that has been used in different investigations since 2004 [ 19 ]. However, in the questionnaire that was sent out in the second pandemic wave in 2020, additional questions about the COVID-19 situation were added. Some questions were simple yes/no questions and some were open answer questions where the participants could write freely. Most questions were designed as statements, a validated Lickert scale was used, and the participants had four answer options ranging from fully agree (1–2, i.e., Fully agree, partly agree) to fully disagree (3–4, i.e., partly disagree, fully disagree). The sample data was collected and handled by researcher KN. In the present study, 24 statements sorted into seven of the determinate areas of the SwAge-model were used.

2.6. Statistical Analyses

Logistic regression analysis was used to test models to predict categorial outcomes and to assess how well a predictor variable associates with a categorial dependent variable [ 40 ]. The material was analyzed with the IBM SPSS software, version 27. Data are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Questions with four answer options were dichotomized for clear distinction of the participants’ experiences. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed comparing and testing the statistical significance of the multivariate sample mean differences to see which statements in the multivariate model saw the most increase between 2017 and 2020. Mental health was the dependent variable and the 24 statements in the seven impact and determinate areas were the independent variables. As with the logistic regression analysis, the MANOVA was analyzed with the IBM SPSS software, version 27.

2.6.1. Analyses within Each of the Seven Determinate Areas in the SwAge Analysis Model

Univariate logistic regression analysis was the first step to building multivariate models in each determinate area as well as for all determinate areas together. The univariate logistic regression analysis estimated for all statements within each of the seven determinate areas of the SwAge-model to investigate the association between the independent and the dependent variables. Initially, the associations for each statement were evaluated and the statements with p -values < 0.05, considered as the statistically significant level, were evaluated with other statements from the same determinate area. After this, the statements that continued to have a p -value < 0.05 were tested against the remaining statements one at a time. This continued for as long as the p -values for all included statements were <0.05.

2.6.2. Analyses including the Seven Determinate Areas in the SwAge Analysis Model

After the initial univariate analysis, a modulation was made for each determinate area in the SwAge-model. All the selected statements from the seven included determinate areas of the SwAge-model were analyzed in a logistical regression model. Thereafter, the analysis moved to step 2, where the statistically significantly statements ( p -values < 0.05) from each determinate area was added, one determinate area at a time. These statements were tested to form the final model. In step 3, the out-sorted statements from step 2 and from each of the seven determinate areas were added one at a time to test the robustness of the model [ 41 ]. The multivariate models were tested for collinearity.

2.7. Ethical Considerations

The study was performed in accordance with the Helsinki declaration [ 42 ] and Swedish laws [ 43 ]. The benefits the knowledge this study would generate was considered to outweigh the potential risks that the study could bring. Rules for the handling and storage of data was and will be followed in accordance with university policies as well as guidelines for handling sensitive data according to GDPR [ 44 ]. The study was approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Agency (number 2016/867 and 2020-01897).

3.1. Findings

There was an increase in diagnosis for both examined areas, i.e., exhaustion/stress and depression/anxiety between 2017 and 2020 (see Table 1 ). Of note, 128 nurses that previously reported no mental health diagnosis stated that they had been diagnosed with exhaustion/stress and/or depression/anxiety in 2020. In the logistic regression analysis, these diagnoses were combined into one variable: “mental health diagnoses”.

Percentage of nurses diagnosed with exhaustion/stress and/or depression/anxiety in 2017 and 2020.

3.2. Univariate Estimates and Multivariate Models for Work-Related Mental Health Diagnoses and Each of the Statements in the Analysed Areas

A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate which of the areas of importance for a healthy and sustainable work situation had the highest association with nurses’ work-related mental health diagnoses in 2017 and in the second wave of COVID-19 in 2020. The statements in each impact and determinate area were analyzed by area. There were seven impact and determinant areas included in the study, which were physical work environment (2); mental work environment (3); work pace, work time, recuperation (4); private social environment (6); work social environment, organization, leadership (7); motivation and satisfaction of and to work tasks (8); knowledge and competency (9).

In the impact and determinant area “physical work environment”, both included statements had a statistical association with nurses´ mental health diagnoses caused by their work for both 2017 and 2020 in the univariate estimates and in the multivariate model in 2017. However, the statement “For the most part I cannot cope with the physical work demands” also showed an association in the 2020 multivariate model.

All five statements in the impact and determinant area “Mental work environment” were statistically significant in the univariate estimates. In the 2017 multivariate model three statements were significant, which were “My work involves many psychologically heavy work tasks” (OR 1.78), “My work tasks usually clump together to the extent that I get frustrated” (OR 1.78) and “I wish for more opportunities to determine how to perform my work” (OR 1.60). In 2020, “My work tasks usually clump together to the extent that I get frustrated” (OR 2.05), “My work involves many psychologically heavy work tasks” (OR 1.76) and “I wish for greater control over my work (OR 1.75) showed significance.

All three of the investigated statements in the impact and determinant area “Work pace, work time, recuperation” showed an association in both the univariate estimates and the multivariate model for a healthy and sustainable working life.

In the impact and determinant area “Private social environment”, both statements were statistically significant in the univariate estimates of 2017. The statement “I need to work more at home/care for relatives and will probably therefore work less in the future” showed an association in the multivariate model of 2017, whereas the statement “I want to spend more time enjoying leisure activities and will therefore work less in the future” showed an association in both the univariate estimates and multivariate model of 2020.

The area “Work social environment, organization, leadership” consisted of six statements that all indicated an association in the univariate estimates of 2017 and 2020. In 2017, three statements showed significance, which were “Not having enough staff means that I cannot perform my work in the way I want” (OR 2.04), “Big changes in my work situation causes me to want to leave” (OR 1.41) and “The social community at my workplace does not make me want to stay” (OR 1.33). In 2020, only two statements showed significance, including “I do not feel I have enough support from my co-workers” (OR 3.14) and “Big changes in my work situation causes me to want to leave” (OR 1.73).

Similar to the previous determinant area, all statements in the impact and determinate area “Motivation and satisfaction of and to work tasks” indicated an association in the univariate estimates of both 2017 and 2020. However, only two statements showed association in the 2017 and 2020 multivariate models: “I do not experience joy in my daily work” and “I do not experience satisfaction in my daily work”.

The impact and determinant area “Knowledge and Competency” consisted of two statements that were both found to be statistically significant in the univariate estimates of 2017 and 2020, but only the statement “I do not feel like my competencies are being utilized in a satisfactory way” showed association with nurses’ work-related mental health diagnoses in the 2017 and 2020 multivariate model ( Table 2 ).

Univariate and multivariate variables 2017 and 2020. Univariate estimates and multivariate models in each of the analyzed areas between the statements (agree vs. disagree) and work-related mental health diagnoses and other factors. OR = Odds ratio; CI = Confidence interval. * The variable shows no statistical significance in the multivariate modelling and is, therefore, not included in the final multivariate model shown in this column.

A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed in the multivariate model in order to see which of the 24 statements showed the most increase between 2017 and 2020. MANOVA was used since it does not affect the Type I error rate to the same extent as other independent tests. The results of the MANOVA mirrored the logistic regression analysis and the four statements that saw the most increase were “I do not have the time to perform the work duties I have planned for the day”, “I want to spend more time enjoying leisure activities and will therefore work less in the future”, “I do not feel I have enough support from co-workers” and “I do not experience joy in my daily work”. Results of the MANOVA showed that there was a statistical difference between the combined dependent variables. Wilks´Λ = 0.09, F(40,1582) = 4.200, p < 0.001, partial η 2 = 0.096, observed power = 1.00. Based on the low Wilks´Λ, we want to be careful rejecting the null hypothesis. The observed power was 1.00, indicating that there was a 100% chance that the results could have been significant.

3.3. Multivariate Model of all Impact and Determinant Areas in the Work Situation in Association with Nurses’ Mental Health Diagnoses Caused by the Work Situation in 2017 and in 2020

In real life, nurses are not only affected by one of the impact and determinant areas from the SwAge-model, there is impact from all nine areas. Therefore, in the next step of the analysis we aimed to make a collected analysis of the seven relevant impact and determinate areas in this study. Hence, all the statements from the seven deteminant and impact areas for a sustainable healthy working life (the swAge-model) included in this investigation were modelled into a single multivariate model for each year, i.e., 2017 and for the second wave of COVID-19 in 2020. The variables that were statistically significant ( p -value < 0.05) from each area were used in the modelling, and each of the eliminated statements (i.e., the variables not statistic significant in the earlier analysis of each area) were added once more one at a time to test the robustness of the model.

In the 2017 multivariate model, six statements showed significance: “I do not experience joy in my daily work” (OR 1.97), “My work involves many psychologically heavy work tasks” (OR 1.66), “The work pace in my daily work is too high” (OR 1.37), “I wish for more opportunities to determine how to perform my work” (OR 1.37), “My work tasks usually clump together to the extent that I get frustrated” (OR 1.34) and “I need to work more at home/care for relatives and will probably therefore work less in the future” (OR 1.27). In 2020, five statements showed significance: “I do not experience joy in my daily work” (OR 2.17), “I do not feel enough support from my co-workers” (OR 2.00), “My work tasks usually clump together to the extent that I get frustrated” (OR 1.81), “My work involves many psychologically heavy work tasks” (OR 1.69) and “I do not get enough rest/recuperation between work shifts (OR 1.41). There were no statistically significant statements in 2017 or in 2020 from the area “physical work environment” and “knowledge and competency” in the final total multivariate model, including all relevant impact and determinant areas for a healthy and sustaniable working life ( Table 3 ).

The final multivariate model for all areas and statement together for 2017 and for 2020. Statistically significant variables in relation to nurses’ work-related mental health diagnosis in 2017 and 2020. OR = Odds ratio; CI = Confidence intervl. Nagelkerke R square 0.073. * The variable shows no statistical significance in the multivariate modelling and is, therefore, not included in the final multivariate model shown in this column.

3.4. Multivariate Model of the Work Situation in the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Association with Nurses’ Mental Diagnoses Caused by the Work Situation, including COVID-19-Specific Questions

COVID-19 had a significant impact on the healthcare systems in Sweden, particularly during the fall/winter of 2020. COVID-19-specific questions were, therefore, added to the investigation during the second wave of COVID-19 in 2020. Therefore, 25 COVID-19-specific variables in the seven impact and determinant areas were included in the next step of the analysis of the multivariate model regarding the second wave of COVID-19 in 2020 to see whether there were particular areas that affected the nurses. The statements in each impact and determinant area were analyzed within that particular determinant area. All statements showed significance in the univariate model. Sixteen statements remained significant in the multivariate model; out of these, five showed a slightly higher OR, which were “I do not feel enough support from my co-workers” (OR 2.86), “I do not experience joy in my daily work” (OR 2.46), “My workload has been higher during COVID-19 compared to my average workload” (OR 2.33), “My work tasks usually clump together to the extent that I get frustrated” (OR 2.07) and “I do not feel like my competencies are being utilized in a satisfactory way” (OR 2.02) ( Table 4 ).

Univariate estimates and the total multivariate model including all seven investigated areas in 2020 with COVID-19-specific questions. Statistically significant variables in relation to work-related mental health diagnoses in 2020. OR = Odds ratio; CI = Confidence interval. Nagelkerke R square 0.115. * The variable shows no statistical significance in the multivariate modelling and is, therefore, not included in the final multivariate model shown in this column.

3.5. Final Multivariate Model with COVID-19-Specific Variables of the Work Situation in Association with Nurses’ Mental Health Diagnoses Caused by the Work Situation

We wanted to see which of the variables were most likely to impact nurses’ mental health and, therefore, be chosen for a final multivariate model. All statistically significant variables from Table 4 were added one at a time to form a multivariate model. The discarded statements were then added to the model one at a time to test the robustness of the model. In the end, the model consisted of eight statements that showed a connection with nurses’ mental health diagnoses ( Table 5 ).

Final multivariate model with COVID-19-specific variables. Statistically significant variables in relation to work-related mental health diagnoses in 2020. OR = Odds ratio; CI = Confidence interval. Cox and Snell R Square 0.058; Nagelkerke R square 0.121.

4. Discussion

Nurses are one of the biggest workgroups within the healthcare sector, and nursing is an important social security profession [ 7 , 8 ]. Unfortunately, many nurses are currently on short- or long-term sick leave, and too many nurses choose to leave the profession in the beginning of their educational training or a short time after their entry into the profession [ 10 ]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses’ work situations were tested to the limit [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. The aim of the study was, therefore, to investigate the association between work-related mental health diagnoses and nurses’ work situations in 2017 and 2020, i.e., before and during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the intention of investigating the complexity of the nurses’ work situations, the swAge-model was used as the theme model in the analysis. In the results, we could see that the percentage of nurses having a diagnosis for exhaustion/stress had tripled between 2017 and 2020, and the percentage of nurses with a diagnosis of depression/anxiety had doubled. These are alarming numbers, and the fact that so many nurses suffer from work-related mental health issues is something that needs to be addressed and dealt with.

4.1. Impact and Determinant Areas Important for Nurses’ Mental Health Diagnoses Caused by Their Work

The seven different impact and determinant areas of importance for a healthy and sustainable working life were analyzed one at a time before multivariate modelling to understand the wider complexity of the nurses´ work situations in relation to mental health diagnoses caused by their work. Earlier studies stated the importance of investigating the total complexity of the work situation and not only one or two areas of importance for a sustainable working life if the intention is to develop practically important knowledge for measured activities [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. The result of this investigation showed that all seven of the impact and determinant areas appeared to have an association with nurses’ mental health diagnoses caused by work.

According to the result of the univariate estimates, the nurses felt unable to cope with the physical work demands in both 2017 and in 2020. A too demanding physical work environment is problematic for a sustainable working life [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. A lot of nurses’ physical activity is spent standing and/or walking [ 45 , 46 , 47 ]; however, depending on where you work, the physical activity can also consist of working in strenuous work postures or moving patients from bed to wheelchair or on/off operating tables [ 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ]. A physically demanding work environment could contribute to stress since people tend to get more tired from a physically demanding work environment, and if you are tired, you tend to not keep up with the work pace and be more sensitive to stressful situations, thus, increasing a vulnerability to mental health diagnoses, such as burnout [ 19 , 20 ].

The mental work environment was earlier described as a very important area for employees’ mental health [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 52 ]. In the nurses´ mental work environment area, all five statements were statistically significant in 2017 with “psychologically heavy work task” having a strong connection; in 2020, this statement was still significant but the “I wish for more opportunities to determine how to perform my work” statement showed a slightly higher association. Having a perceived sense of control is identified as important for the well-being and mental health of nurses [ 53 ]. Previous studies state that the more nurses are exposed to stressful situations, the more likely it is that it will drain their psychological resources and they will experience stress-related outcomes, i.e., their job demands exceed their job resources and the result can be poor mental health [ 54 , 55 ].

Rest and recuperation are important to the individual’s health and vital in a sustainable working life [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. In the “work pace, work time, recuperation area” in the analysis, it was a “lack of time to perform work duties” that showed a high association in 2017 and it was still significant in the regression analysis in 2020; however, in 2020, it was the “accumulation of work tasks” that seemed to have a stronger association. Not having enough time for work tasks or feeling like the work tasks are piling up can cause frustration and ultimately lead to certain work tasks not being carried out and a wish to leave the profession [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. A recent study found a strong negative association between high work time demands and emotional exhaustion [ 56 ]. A worst-case scenario is that lack of time can affect quality of care and/or affect nurses’ health [ 57 , 58 ]. A British survey [ 59 ] showed that, in some cases, this time constraint can result in malpractice and the neglect of patients. Recuperation between work shifts is important for all aspects of an individual’s well-being. Recovery is necessary for the body to reverse changes in the psychobiological system (such as increased heartrate from stressful work situations) [ 60 ].

In the impact and determinant area of “private social environment for a sustainable working life”, it was interesting that it was the “need to work more from home/care for relatives” that was statistically significant in 2017, whereas “wanting to spend more time enjoying leisure activities” showed as not being significant; however, in 2020, the roles were reversed. The balance between the work and the private social situation is important for employees’ sustainable working life [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. Sweden, as a country, did not enforce lock-down during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were restrictions as to how and when you could go to gyms, for example, and a lot of activities were held on-line instead of in person. However, could the fact that there were restrictions in place influence the respondents’ feelings? A recent study showed that nurses felt it was important to leave all their experiences from working during the pandemic behind at work and when at home to focus on being at home cooking and cleaning as well as practicing self-care by exercising, walking, or spending time in nature [ 61 ].

Concerning the social environment at work, the organization and leadership are very important factors for a healthy and sustainable working life. In our study, the data from 2017 showed that lack of support from managers and co-workers seemed to have the least connection with nurses’ work-related mental health diagnoses. However, in 2020, lack of support from co-workers had one of the highest connections. Our study did not show any statistical significance regarding lack of support from managers in 2017 or in 2020. It is interesting that lack of support from co-workers changed from a low connection to having one of the highest connections with work-related mental health diagnoses. Is this due to the fact that nurses relied on support from colleagues more during the COVID-19 pandemic or has the pandemic simply put the spotlight on what was always there? Previous studies have shown that collegial support affects communication, organizational commitment, teamwork, stress, negative interaction, human relations, job satisfaction and the hierarchy in the workplace [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 62 ]. Positive social relations at work can ease the burden of emotional demands and work time demands [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 63 ].

Motivation and satisfaction regarding work tasks are important in order to have a healthy and sustainable working life. Our results show that in 2017, both lack of joy in the daily work as well as having no job satisfaction seemed to have high associations with mental health and work-related diagnoses. Lack of joy in the daily work continues to have increased association with work-related diagnoses both in the 2017 and the 2020 multivariate model. According to a study [ 64 ], experiencing joy at work is important both for the nurse and for healthcare in general. Several studies [ 65 , 66 , 67 ] show that job satisfaction is a vital component in nursing and that it is strongly related to factors such as job stress [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 67 ], intention to leave [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 65 , 67 , 68 ], quality of care [ 69 ] and patient satisfaction [ 67 ]. Studies have shown that nurses reported higher levels of job satisfaction when they felt high levels of support from their manager [ 17 , 70 ].

When it came to the impact and determinant area “knowledge and competency”, only the feeling of not having their competencies utilized showed to be statistically significant to nurses´ work-related mental health diagnoses. An earlier study [ 71 ] showed that good interaction between colleagues was a resource for high quality of care, which allowed everyone to use their competence well. Additionally, not being able to use their skills could most likely affect nurses’ willingness to stay in their workplace.

4.2. Multivariate Analysis of the Total Complexity in the Nurses’ Work Situation in Association with Work-Related Mental Diagnoses in 2017 and in 2020

In reality, each impact and determinant area is not operated separately. Therefore, all impact and determinant areas involved in this investigation were analyzed together in a total multivariate model to investigate the association between nurses’ work situations and nurses´ mental health diagnoses. Out of the original seven included impact and determinant areas, only five remained statistically significant and were, therefore, included in the final multivariate models for 2017 and 2020. The included areas were ”mental work environment”, ”work time, work pace, recuperation”, “private social environment”, “work social environment, organization, leadership” and “motivation and satisfaction of and to work tasks”. Only three statements showed an association with nurses’ work-related mental health diagnoses in both 2017 and 2020, they were “My work involves many psychologically heavy work tasks”, “My work tasks usually clump together to the extent that I get frustrated” and “I do not experience joy in my daily work”. Two additional statements showed significance in the 2020 model, which were “I do not feel that I get enough rest/recuperation between work shifts” and “I do not feel enough support from my co-workers”. Feeling that you are unable to provide proper care to patients can lead to ethical and moral stress among nurses, which, in turn, can affect their health and psychological well-being [ 72 , 73 ] and cause job dissatisfaction [ 73 ]. Nurses and other healthcare workers’ mental health diagnoses have been shown to threaten the quality of care and patient safety [ 74 , 75 , 76 ]; this adds further importance to the fact that healthcare organizations must take the nurses’ work situation very seriously.

4.3. The COVID-19 Pandemics Effect on Nurses’ Work Situation

Several studies have shown that many healthcare workers have experienced anxiety, depression [ 77 , 78 , 79 ] and burnout [ 79 ] during the COVID-19 pandemic. The final multivariate model showed that anxiety over being seriously ill can be associated with nurses’ work-related mental health diagnosis. The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the healthcare organizations, with many millions of people, including nurses, becoming infected by the virus, thus, causing an increased workload for nurses [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Being at risk of being infected by COVID-19, becoming seriously ill, dying or infecting others has been cited as a major risk for work-related mental illness for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this investigation, some of the variables have not shown a change between 2017 and 2020, most likely indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic did not impact these particular variables. The result in the final multivariate model did show that the nurses‘ increased risk of being infected by COVID-19 in their workplace was associated with work-related mental health illness. However, issues related to personal protective equipment was not statistically significant. Instead, the result showed that especially lack of support from co-workers, lack of joy in their daily work as well as an increased workload and the accumulation of work tasks showed increased associations with nurses’ work-related mental health diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A previous systematic review stated that the COVID-19 pandemic forced nurses to have a greater workload, but also that many nurses had trouble falling asleep and/or not getting enough sleep, which they attributed to lack of time to decompress mentally between work shifts [ 10 ]. Additionally, nurses felt like their competencies were not utilized in a satisfactory way. Not being given the opportunity to use their skills or feeling that the organization does not utilize or appreciate the skills and knowledge that the employees possess has, in previous studies, been associated with a lack of job satisfaction and motivation and could lead to employees not wanting to continue working at the workplace [ 16 , 17 , 18 ].

The pandemic put the spotlight on nurses’ work situations, but is the spotlight pointing in the right place? Many healthcare organizations had problems in their work environment prior to the pandemic (including lack of staff and the work situation). Have certain aspects of the nurses’ work situation become more important during the COVID-19 pandemic or has the pandemic simply shown cracks in the façade? Perhaps only the future can tell since we are still living with the pandemic.

4.4. Limitations

One limitation of the study is that we had a large percentage of non-responders, the answer rate was 50.1% and 40.1% in 2017 and 2020, respectively. However, considering that it was a survey, the low response rate was expected, and we are very grateful to those nurses who took the time and answered the survey, especially in 2020 when there was an on-going pandemic. Another limitation is that when you use dichotomization, there is always a risk of losing valuable information. The dichotomization was made by an experienced researcher who thoroughly made considerations in which response choice dichotomization was used. The fifth impact and determinate area, i.e., "personal finances” was not included in the study since there was no data on the nurses’ private economic situation related to the work situation that could be used in the analysis. However, this area could have an impact on the results, for instance, if nurses went to work despite being sick due to not being able to afford the loss in pay. This, in turn, could contribute an added stress. In this study, we have used the respondents’ self-reported doctors’ diagnoses that they felt were caused by their work. One opportunity could have been to use registers with reported work-related illnesses. However, in these registers there are only those diagnoses that have been deemed as work injuries and, therefore, the diagnoses in our study would probably not have been reported. It is also well known that the number of reported work-related illnesses is underreported [ 80 ]. Therefore, we found it more valuable to ask the nurses about which of their diagnoses they felt had been caused by their work. One limitation is the possibility of responders misunderstanding the questions regarding their current mental health diagnoses since no specific timeframe was given, i.e., “I was diagnosed with exhaustion/stress or depression/anxiety within the last six months”. Another limitation is the low score on Wilks´Λ, which would mean that we cannot rule out the possibility of other factors influencing nurses’ work-related mental health other than those we have presented.

5. Conclusions

Based on the results of this survey, there were some differences in what was associated with the nurses’ work-related mental health diagnoses in 2017 and in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic put nurses’ working situations to a severe test. The result from this comparative analysis, where we examined the work situations and work-related mental health diagnoses before and during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, showed that increased workload and experiencing a lack of joy in the nurses´ daily work as well as experiencing a perceived lack support from their co-workers had the strongest association with nurses’ work-related mental health diagnoses in 2020. It is hard to get around the fact that nurses will continue to face psychologically and physically heavy work tasks, but it is important for organizations to have an open climate so that nurses can talk about their experiences. For nurses to have more opportunities to determine how to perform their work tasks, it is important that they feel like they have a safe work environment and that they have adequate staff and resources and feel involved in decision-making. This study’s analysis model is based on theories about factors that influence a healthy and sustainable working life, and the results are consistent with what the SwAge-model has previously shown [ 16 , 17 , 18 ].

Nurses and other healthcare workers’ mental health diagnoses have been shown to threaten the quality of care and patient safety [ 74 , 75 ]. Therefore, the result from this study investigating nurses’ work-related mental health diagnoses could be important knowledge for the future development of healthcare organizations. The results from this study could also be used by hospitals and ministries of health, etc. as a template to improve the working conditions and quality of life at work for nurses. If these two things improve, perhaps nurses would be more inclined to remain in their current workplace/profession. Future research regarding the long-term impact from COVID-19 on all areas of nurses’ professional and personal lives is needed.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the valuable input given to us by Lars Rylander, Jens Peter Ellekilde Bonde, Sandra Sögaard Töttenborg, Esben Meulengracht Flachs, Kajsa Kirstine Ugelvig Petersen and Christel Nielsen.

Funding Statement

This research was funded by Interreg (European Regional Development Fund, EU), grant number NYPS20303383; FORTE FORMAS, grant number 2020-02746 and the Research Platform for Collaboration for Health, Kristianstad University, Sweden, funding number 9/2021.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, C.N. and K.N.; methodology, C.N. and K.N.; software, C.N.; formal analysis, C.N.; writing—original draft preparation, C.N.; writing—review and editing, All authors; supervision, K.N.; project administration, K.N.; funding acquisition, K.N. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Agency (2016/867 approved 07 December 2016 and 2020-01897 approved 29 April 2020).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

Conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses.

Información en español

Celebrating 75 Years! Learn More >>

• About the Director
• Advisory Boards and Groups
• Strategic Plan
• Offices and Divisions
• Careers at NIMH
• Staff Directories
• Getting to NIMH

The Importance of Lived Experience Perspectives – Insights From the IACC

Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., and Susan Daniels, Ph.D., HHS National Autism Coordinator and Director of the NIMH Office of National Autism Coordination

April 4, 2024

Follow the NIMH Director on

During National Autism Acceptance Month, NIMH and the NIMH Office of National Autism Coordination  celebrate the important contributions of autistic people in our families and our society, and we reaffirm our support for their acceptance, inclusion, and full participation in all aspects of community life. This April, we would like to highlight NIMH’s unique role in federal autism coordination efforts and reflect on how the lived experiences of autistic people and their families have shaped federal autism research, services, and policy.

We have the privilege of serving as the Chair and Executive Secretary of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)  . The IACC is a federal advisory committee established by Congress and currently authorized under the Autism CARES Act of 2019. The committee includes federal officials from agencies that support autism research and vital services for people with disabilities, as well as public members, including autistic adults, family members, advocates, researchers, and service providers from diverse communities around the country.

The IACC serves as a forum for community engagement and provides an important point of convergence and collaboration. Federal agency members and public members work together to develop and provide advice that informs the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, federal agencies, Congress, and the President. This advice guides the activities of federal agencies and helps ensure that federal programs are responsive to the needs of the autism community.

Reflecting community needs

In working with the IACC, we have seen how community voices, reflecting the lived experiences of autistic people and their families, can contribute to important advances in federal autism activities. Public input on the co-occurring mental and physical health conditions often experienced by autistic individuals is one such example. These conditions can include seizure disorders, gastrointestinal problems, and disruptions in sleep. They can also include mental disorders and mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), self-injury, and suicidal ideation. Many autistic individuals also have learning disabilities or additional developmental conditions and disabilities.

For many people with autism, co-occurring conditions can contribute to lost opportunities and decreased productivity, poor health outcomes, and, in some cases, premature death. Discussions initiated by public members of the IACC, along with public comments received at IACC meetings and at an IACC-sponsored town hall  , helped to shape the research objectives on co-occurring conditions in the inaugural 2009 IACC Strategic Plan   .

The topic of co-occurring conditions remains an IACC priority today. The 2021-2023 IACC Strategic Plan   includes comprehensive recommendations for research investigating the biology underlying co-occurring conditions and autism, as well as interventions and services to address these conditions across the lifespan. Just last year, the IACC issued a Request for Information  seeking additional community input on the topic and received responses from more than 1,200 people. Themes and priorities from these responses will be included in the forthcoming IACC Strategic Plan Update , which will focus on the impact of co-occurring conditions on the physical and mental health of people on the autism spectrum. The update aims to further identify opportunities for research and services to improve well-being for autistic people.

Representing diverse experiences

Hearing from people with lived experience has shed light on additional issues important to the autism community, including wandering and elopement, the needs of transition-age youth and adults, and autism in girls and women. Autistic people and family members have also emphasized the breadth of experiences and challenges across the spectrum of ability and disability and the need for a range of personalized tools, interventions, services, and supports rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Based on input from autistic people and families from diverse and underserved communities, the IACC has prioritized the need to increase equity and reduce disparities experienced by autistic individuals across race, ethnicity, culture, sex and gender, socioeconomic status, and geographic location, including rural and urban communities. This also includes the need for more researchers and service providers who come from diverse communities and have lived experience with autism and disability.

The 2021-2023 IACC Strategic Plan includes two cross-cutting recommendations – one on equity and disparities and one on sex and gender – to intensify focus on addressing gaps in these areas and increase equity for all autistic people. The committee also continues to support priorities to ensure that autism research and services meet the needs of individuals across the whole spectrum, including those with the highest support needs, and across the full lifespan into older adulthood. Importantly, the strategic plan emphasizes inclusion and acceptance of all autistic people and reducing barriers to their participation in every aspect of community life.

Prioritizing collaboration and inclusion

In all of this work, consideration of diverse viewpoints and experiences from across the autism community and a spirit of cooperation, collaboration, and civility have been crucial. As the autism landscape continues to evolve, collaboration between federal agencies and community members will remain a cornerstone of progress in improving the health and well-being of autistic people and their families.

Community engagement plays an important role across the broad portfolio of federal research, services, and policy activities related to disabilities, mental health, and physical health. Federal agencies gather public input through federal advisory committees; solicit public comments through formal requests for information; and engage individuals with lived experience in grant review panels, community engagement programs, and community-based participatory research. Lived experience perspectives strengthen federal programs and help ensure federal research and services address the issues most important to those whom they serve.

During Autism Acceptance Month, let us honor the contributions of autistic individuals and others with lived experience; strive to ensure that their voices, perspectives, and priorities are heard and represented in federal activities for research, services, and policy; and work toward a more inclusive society for all.