Reports indicate a decrease in youth mental health in Sweden but at the same time research suggests that what is interpreted as mental ill-health could be considered everyday challenges by young people themselves. The distribution of mental health and illness among young people is uneven based on inequities related to factors such as race, gender and socioeconomic status. Sweden in particular is a country with large socioeconomic inequities in youth mental health and in school results, compared to other European countries. The aim of this study was to explore young people's experiences of the role of race, gender and socioeconomic status in relation to everyday challenges. Sixty-five young people aged 13–15 years old were recruited by student health services and participated in focus group discussions at schools in the southernmost part of Sweden. Data were analysed by secondary analysis with deductive qualitative content analysis using Ecosocial theory of disease distribution as theoretical framework. The analysis resulted in one main theme; Navigating inequities to gain and keep social status, with three underlying themes; Guided by social norms, Negative impact in everyday life and Importance of family influence. Participants were aware and critical of norms and expectations related to race, gender and socioeconomic status. Experiences of prejudice and unfairness was both own lived experiences by the participants as well as observed through friends and classmates. Young people spontaneously identify everyday challenges related to race, gender and socioeconomic status, even when not asked directly about these issues. Conforming to sexist, racist and classist, expectations is a way to lose and gain status in a school setting. Many of the inequities discussed related to socioeconomic status and the direct consequences of having or not having money. Young people's everyday experience of inequities is important to consider in youth mental health promotion aiming to tackle health inequities. Further research is needed on those experiences and how this affects mental health.

BACKGROUND: Close relatives of people with severe mental illness (SMI) experience problems known as family burdens. In addition, they may have their own needs for support, something often overlooked by the healthcare system. Meta-syntheses in this area may help explore the meaning of the experience of living with someone who has a SMI. AIM: Our aim was to describe the burdens experienced and needs perceived on a daily basis by relatives to someone who has a SMI. METHODS: The databases PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychInfo were searched using a systematic search strategy. Studies were screened for relevance and quality was appraised. A meta-synthesis of nine qualitative studies was then conducted. RESULTS: The nine studies discerned the following themes. Burden themes; Forced to carry a sometimes unbearable burden; Burdened by own ill-health and disrupted relationships; Distressed and stigmatized by society. Needs themes; strengthening protective factors; Skills and practical support greatly appreciated. CONCLUSIONS: The burdens and needs of relatives of persons with SMI strongly influence their lives. They require relief from both practical and emotional burdens. Family interventions and other programs to support relatives should be encouraged with this knowledge in mind

Treatment and support of people diagnosed with severe mental illness in Sweden takes place in out-patient psychiatric services or municipality services. Most of the responsibility for support in daily life are provided by the close family. One crucial matter is how to support these families. This research project aimed to investigate the Swedish construction with shared responsibility between county psychiatric care and municipality social care for consumers with severe mental illness affects actions in municipalities in relation to family support. Ten representatives from five municipality settings were interviewed. Five semi-structured interviews were analysed using a thematic analysis. The following themes emerged; One overarching theme, "a mismatch of paradigms", and sub-themes: (a) "accentuating differences", (b) "doubts about including the entire family in the same session" and (c) "lack of a uniform family support policy". We conclude that a shared mandate needs a dialogue between psychiatric and municipality services concerning this mismatch.

Background: Supporting families where one person suffers from long-term severe mental illness (SMI) is essential, but seems hard to reach. The aim of this study was to examine professionals’ views of supporting relatives of persons with SMI. Material: Individual interviews mirroring personal narratives and group interviews reflecting group-processed answers were conducted among 23 professionals and analyzed thematically. Results: Three themes emerged: (a) information and group interaction reduces stigma and increases well-being, (b) professionals need to feel secure and confident about how the support structure works and (c) collaboration is difficult but required on several levels. Conclusion: Trusting relationships with families were considered important, although seldom achieved; professionals wished to feel secure in their role toward relatives of a person with SMI; and professionals wanted to feel confident when working together with other services to support families.

Socialpsykiatri har utvecklats åt olika håll runt om i världen. I Sverige har begreppet socialpsykiatri framför allt avsett socialtjänstens utbud av stöd och service för personer med psykiska funktionsnedsättningar. Den här boken tar sig an socialpsykiatri som vetenskapligt område och syftar till att avtäcka socialpsykiatrins grunder som ett multidisciplinärt forskningsfält, där ämnen som filosofi, medicin, psykologi, antropologi och socialt arbete ingår. Oavsett utgångspunkt står det sociala perspektivet i fokus och utgör bakgrunden till forskning kring psykisk ohälsa.

Severe mental illness causes suffering for the patient as well as the patientâ s immediate family. The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare has recommended the implementation of multifamily psychoeducation in order to assist patient and family in the recovery process. The aim of this study was to determine how introducing multifamily psychoeducation in Sweden has been viewed by professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 service providers, who were involved in evaluating multifamily psychoeducation. Our main findings fell under the headings of defensive culture and unsuitable model. Resistance to introducing the new intervention was found on multiple levels. The model proposed was considered too rigid for both the target group and the organizations because it could not be adjusted to the needs of patients, families, or facilitators. Despite good evidence for the effectiveness of the intervention, there were difficulties introducing the multifamily psychoeducation model in clinical practice. The feasibility of an intervention needs to be evaluated before adopting it as a national guideline.

Family-based psycho-education – a model outmoded in psychiatric services today? Aim: To illuminate aspects of the resistance against a family based intervention a qualitative interview study with professionals was accomplished. Background: Family-based psycho-educational models, developed in the beginning of the 1970s, have in several Cochrane reviews shown evidence for a reduced rate of relapse and increased adherence to medication. Studies included in these meta-analyses all encompassed patients receiving in-patient care, and requiring relatives partaking in an extensive educational program. A multi-center randomised control study in Sweden, aimed to investigate the effects of a twelve-month long intervention of a psycho - educational model for people with severe mental illness, SMI, in psychiatric and community settings, showed a powerful resistance from primarily the professionals which had been well trained in the model and secondly the patients which had been offered the intervention. Method: In-depth interviews with 24 professions in psychiatric and community outpatient settings engaged in the RCT study. Results: The findings showed that both patients and professional partners are skeptical about treatment programs of family psycho-pedagogical nature and prefer pure patient perspective and more acute short interventions. A reason for this was according to the professions lack of resources, while their patients experienced a hindrance in bothering their loved ones. Conclusion: The findings might show that the model per se is outmoded, not fitting the new structures of support, with reduced inpatient care, for people with SMI. In worst case, the findings might indicate that family psycho education, notwithstanding evidence based, is unavailable to people with SMI and their relatives which might contribute to a structural stigmatization of this population. More research is needed to understand if our findings are consistent with findings in other international contexts.

BACKGROUND: : The literature concerning interpretation in research primarily concentrates on rigorous techniques to eliminate bias. This article analyses other significant issues that arise when interpreters participate in research. MATERIAL: : Empirical examples are drawn from a research project concerning mental ill health in a multicultural neighbourhood. DISCUSSION: : Interpreters influence interview data in ways commonly unnoticed by researchers. One often-overlooked factor is that languages are dynamic and interpreters are not instruments. CONCLUSION: : Research conducted with an interpreter is a complex undertaking. Solely relying on checklists to improve methodological rigour can result in a false sense of the material's validity.