Patients with Medical Comorbidities
The observation of the mental health needs of patients with comorbidities has shown the necessity of proper attention that needs to be paid to this population’s care. A lot of research has been conducted to investigate the relations between physical health issues and mental conditions (Alamri, 2015; Evon et al., 2018; Naughton & Weaver, 2015; Prescott, 2006). Patients with chronic diseases and incurable illnesses are often exposed to psychiatric disorders and need special therapy.
In my practice, I will apply a multifaceted approach to view the mental health issues of my clients not in isolation but in a close connection with their physical health to help them cope with the stressors and maintain a healthier life.
The problem of mental health issues among patients with medical comorbidities is addressed in many resources that are available in the community. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017) provide numerous resources aimed at helping specialists to treat patients with serious diseases. The addressed population might access various informational resources and therapy sessions when seeking professional help. However, due to the diversity in the illnesses and their relation to mental health, many particular illnesses need more investigation. The services available for patients with comorbidities are numerous, but the population does not seem to use them to the fullest. It is essential to fill in the gap of mental health treatment promotion for these individuals to enhance their recovery rates.
To improve the quality of my service, I need to know the specific features of particular diseases and their linkages with mental health issues that need to be diagnosed and treated. I also need to research the achievements of existing practice to adopt some practical techniques for work with this population. I will need to study the legal and professional considerations of end-of-life therapy since it is a complicated issue. The investigation of the specific characteristics and statistical data concerning particular disease cases will contribute to my expertise.
Research About Patients with Comorbidities
Relevance
The connection between physical and mental health conditions is crucial and has been studied sufficiently during the latest decades. Chronic diseases are often accompanied by psychiatric issues such as depression, isolation connected with an inability to work and socialize, and other physical limitations. However, both, chronic illnesses and mental health disorders are treatable and preventable.
Reducing the number of stressors and eliminating the risk factors might reduce the occurrence of chronic medical and mental health problems (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). People experiencing severe mental disorders combined with medical comorbidities are highly exposed to early death (Zolezzi, Abdulrhim, Isleem, Zahrah, & Eltorki, 2017). That is why it is relevant to identify the roots of problems to provide quality services.
Both social and medical burden complicates the recovery process of severely ill patients. For example, the majority of patients with hepatitis C show a high rate of mental disorder symptoms that arise on the background of unemployment, insurance, and low-income concerns (Evon et al., 2018). The investigation of the influence of such illnesses as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and other chronic health issues on the mental conditions of a patient shows the specific areas that therapists need to address for proper treatment (Alamri, 2015; Naughton & Weaver, 2015; U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011).
Also, it is essential to apply specifically designed therapy for the end-of-life category of patients who need professional help in dealing with the dying process (Vazquez & Santone, 2011). Thus, the research is relevant to patients with psychiatric and medical comorbidities because the connection between the two dimensions of human health is crucial and needs precision in treatment.
Influence
The topic under discussion in this research is extensive and complex. It provides an insight into the complicated nature of human health and the possible ways to prevent and treat adverse outcomes of one dimension (mental or physical) for the other. This research will contribute a significant theoretical background for my practice with this population and will provide a perspective on the more in-depth investigation of the causes of the problems. Research shows that the incidence of depression and anxiety in chronically ill patients is much higher than in the general population (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011).
Many care providers state that the reasons for some severe illnesses might be tied to prior “cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine use” (Prescott, 2006, p. 33). Substance abuse disorder also has its causes which might contribute to the overall psychotherapeutic effect when thoroughly investigated and addressed. In my practice, I will study the health histories of my clients to receive a full picture of their health influencers.
A person who is exposed to both intensive medical and psychotherapeutic treatments is more vulnerable and shows more complicated symptoms. Moreover, each disease might aggravate the symptoms of another one, thus threatening the overall quality of the patient’s life (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). Therefore, in my care, I will provide a multifaceted therapy aimed at numerous issues my patients might encounter. When working with individuals who have cancer, Parkinson’s disease, or the ones submitted to end-of-life facilities, I would need to research and apply specific considerations valid for these patient groups.
To avoid confusion in end-of-life therapy with cancer and Parkinson’s disease individuals, I will examine the existing cases and study legal literature (Alarmi, 2015; Vazquez & Santone, 2011). Also, when working with severe illness survivors, I will apply the approaches aimed at positive psychological adjustment and dealing with the burden of an experienced problem. Overall, this research will be a significant contribution to my competence in work with difficult patients.
References
Alamri, Y. A. (2015). Mental health and Parkinson’s disease: From the cradle to the grave. The British Journal of General Practice, 65(634), 258-259.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Mental health and chronic diseases. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Provider education training to improve mental health care of cancer survivors. Web.
Evon, D. M., Stewart, P. W., Amador, J., Serper, M., Lok, A. S., Sterling, R. K. … Fried, M. W. (2018). A comprehensive assessment of patient reported symptom burden, medical comorbidities, and functional well being in patients initiating direct acting antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C: Results from a large US multi-center observational study. PLoS One, 13(8), e0196908.
Naughton, M. J., & Weaver, K. E. (2015). Physical and mental health among cancer survivors: Considerations for long-term care and quality of life. North Carolina Medical Journal, 75(4), 283-286.
Prescott, M. (2006). Managing mental illness in the dialysis treatment environment: A team approach. Nephrology News & Issues, 2006, 32-41.
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2011). Depression and Parkinson’s disease. Web.
Vazquez, L. D., & Santone, M. D. (2011). Psychosocial end-of-life considerations for healthcare providers. The Ochsner Journal, 11(4), 317-324.
Zolezzi, M., Abdulrhim, S., Isleem, N., Zahrah, F., & Eltorki, Y. (2017). Medical comorbidities in patients with serious mental illness: A retrospective study of mental health patients attending an outpatient clinic in Qatar. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 13, 2411-2418.