| Learning Objective #1: Understand and describe how individuals with co-occurring disorders of mental illness and subtance abuse construct the meanings of health and illnesses. | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Understand and describe the perceived impact of multiple illnesses within the lives of individuals with co-occurring disorders of mental illness and substance abuse. |
Purpose/Aims: The purpose of this interpretive study is to understand and describe: (a) how individuals with co-occurring disorders of mental illness, substance abuse, and other chronic medical illnesses (COD) construct the meanings of health and illness; (b) how individuals with COD manage their illnesses; and, (c) the perceived impact of multiple illnesses within the lives of individuals with COD.
Background/Significance: Approximately 20 million people suffer from substance abuse disorder in a given year and approximately 7-10 million of them will have co-occurring disorders of both mental illness and substance abuse. Moreover, 61 percent of those who have co-occurring disorders have not received treatment for either illness. To complicate matters, individuals with co-occurring disorders (COD) have higher rates of other chronic health problems (i.e. diabetes), multiple re-hospitalizations, and over utilizes emergent services. Despite their elevated risk for physical morbidities, there is a dearth of literature that focuses on the impact for those with COD of having multiple physical health disorders. Of concern is how this population copes with medical health issues while at the same time living with a psychiatric illness and substance abuse or dependence.
Methods/Analysis: Six individuals with COD were recruited from community-based residential treatment facilities. Narrative interviews, focused on meanings of health and management of illnesses, were conducted. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Interpretive narrative analysis was employed to examine common and distinct experiences of participants.
Results: Findings suggest that safety, spirituality, familial and medical support each played a significant role in health perceptions and management of illnesses by persons with COD. All identified turning points in the history of their condition that made their participation in structured care acceptable. Life threatening experiences and loss of family members constituted such turning points. Positive self-esteem enabled participants to maintain a balance in their physical, emotional and mental health.
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