Social integration for people with mental health problems

Modern community mental health care considers socialintegration vital for improving mental health.However efforts to reach this goal have not been assuccessful as anticipated. The study wants to achievea deeper understanding of the phenomenon of socialintegration of people with mental health problems inthe community and develop the healthcareprofessionals' insight into this phenomenon by meansof co-operative inquiry. The data was interviews withneighbours of group homes for people with mentalhealth problems and focus groups interviews withusers. The neighbours reported frightening behavioursas well as complications in their contact with peoplewho had mental health problems. The reaction of theneighbourhood was exclusion. The user perspectiverevealed that when meeting people the participantsexperienced shame and fear of exclusion due to lackof acceptance and loss of autonomy. Integrity proveda necessary quality for the possibility to be treatedas an equal. Those working in community mental healthcare must ensure that people suffering from mentalhealth problems experience a sense of belonging inthe community.