PeerJ (Oct 2022)

Effectiveness of a community-based peer support service among persons suffering severe mental illness in China

  • Yunge Fan,
  • Ning Ma,
  • Aili Ouyang,
  • Wufang Zhang,
  • Manxi He,
  • Yong Chen,
  • Jin Liu,
  • Zhongxiang Li,
  • Junlan Yang,
  • Liang Ma,
  • Eric D. Caine

DOI
https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14091
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10
p. e14091

Abstract

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Background Community-based peer support service is widely and effectively deployed for persons suffering severe mental illness (SMI) in countries with well-developed outpatient mental health systems. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a 1-year peer service project among persons with SMI implemented in China. Methods A total of 101 consumers (service recipients) and 66 family caregivers were recruited at baseline from communities located in Beijing and Chengdu. Severity of psychiatric symptoms, personal and social functioning, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and medication adherence were evaluated among consumers. Self-esteem, life satisfaction, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were assessed among family caregivers. Participants were reevaluated at 1 year with the same measures. Changes in outcomes from baseline to 1-year follow-up were examined using paired sample t tests or Stuart-Maxwell tests. Results Consumers’ psychiatric symptoms were decreased at 1 year (p < 0.001). Their personal and social functioning (p = 0.003) and life satisfaction (p < 0.001) were increased. There were no improvements in self-esteem (p = 0.108) and medication adherence (ps ≥ 0.827) among consumers. For caregivers, no increases were presented in outcomes at the 1-year assessment (ps ≥ 0.164). Conclusions The findings suggest that peer support services could be sustainably implemented across China, with positive impacts on the psychiatric symptoms, social functioning, and life satisfaction of participants suffering SMI.

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