Authors (including presenting author) :
Lee PY (1), Jim CH(2), Ho CM(2)
Affiliation :
(1)Occupational Therapy Department, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, (2)Occupational Therapy Department, Tai Po Hospital
Introduction :
Successful community reintegration of patients with mental illness is crucial for reducing the burden on inpatient services and promoting patients’ quality of life. However, limited knowledge and exposure to these services hinders patients’ acceptance, leading to potential disengagement. To address this issue, the Seamless Transition and Early-Engagement Project (STEP) was developed in collaboration with the Integrated Community Centre for Mental Wellness (ICCMW) to enhance patients’ understanding and acceptance of ICCMW services.
Objectives :
This study evaluates STEP’s effectiveness in enhancing patients’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to ICCMW services.
Methodology :
Occupational Therapy Department, Tai Po Hospital collaborated with 4 ICCMWs in the New Territories East Cluster. The project involved 3 parts: 1) a preparation talk by Occupational Therapists enhancing patients’ motivation and knowledge of ICCMW services, 2) a roadshow by ICCMW staff introducing their centers and services, and 3) an experiential workshop by ICCMW peer support workers promoting familiarity with ICCMW through recovery story sharing and activity participation. Outcome measures included a pre-post knowledge quiz for preparation talk and satisfaction surveys after roadshow and experiential workshop (based on the KAP Model), using a 10-point (1-10) scale.
Result & Outcome :
From November 2023 to December 2024, 181 patients participated in the project. Of these, 119 completed the preparation talk knowledge quiz, demonstrating a significant increase in post-test scores (Z = 5.9, p < 0.01). Of 173 patients attending the roadshows, 34 also joined the experiential workshops. The majority of patients rated their improvement in self-perceived knowledge (78%, 80%) and attitudes towards ICCMW (74%, 75%) positively (ratings ≥ 7) in the satisfaction surveys. With further investigation on survey results, patients who attended both the roadshow and experimental workshop showed higher familiarity with ICCMW staff and willingness to engage in ICCMW services, compared to those participants who only joined roadshows. This could be attributed to the interactive activities that fostered engagement and rapport with staff. Additionally, the sharing of recovery stories by peer support workers provided relatable examples that helped build trust. 19 patients were successfully referred to ICCMW service after the project.
STEP indicated positive impacts on patients’ knowledge, acceptance, and engagement with ICCMW services. Expanding community collaboration networks, increasing experiential workshop participation and leveraging family support are recommended to enhance program effectiveness.
