Men's mental health : what helps or hinders men's access to a community mental health team

Abstract

This research seeks to identify what helps or hinders men's access to a community mental health team. Chapter one introduces the topic of mental health, providing a Global, National, and Regional overview in the current New Zealand context, in which this study is placed.

Chapter two provides a current review of the literature both nationally and internationally that explains current health care problems for men. It describes the theoretical positioning of the research and outlines the perspectives used in the research. Also discussed is the impact and importance of gender in researching men and men's interests. It outlines the impact of a gendered approach to men's health and discusses how a repositioning is needed at the Macro, Meso, and Micro levels to assist in developing a useful context at these levels for men's health. It also examines and describes the impact that current and historical power relations (at the micro, meso, and macro level) have on men's health, and possible ways of developing a new power relation for men's health.

Chapter three describes the Methodology outlining the tools used in this qualitative research project these include Action Research and Narrative Inquiry. It describes the design of the research and how the data was collected. It also tests the validity and reliability of the research by identifying dilemmas and rigorous ethical standards and processes gone through for the research to be initiated. It finishes by identifying approaches needed to be able to successfully research men's health.

Chapter four presents the findings from the Client Data elicited from interviews with male participants. These are centred on seven meta-themes that arose out of the literature review they included; Access, Barriers, Community Mental Health Team, Legitimate Others, Masculinity, Power Differentials, and Sites of Risk. It finishes with information about the men's focus group.

Chapter five outlines findings from the Clinician Data that was elicited from both the interviews and focus groups. Similarly, it centres on the same seven meta-themes identified in the literature review and includes data from focus groups of both male and female clinicians. It finishes with a comparison between data collected from both clients and clinicians.

Chapter six provides an analysis of the findings from the data. It identities and outlines the tools used in this analysis and applies these tools to the findings. It also identifies and explores the types of power relations that currently exist in health and their impact on men's health. It finishes by identifying what is needed and the types of power relations needed in men's health.

Chapter seven provides a conclusion and summary of the research project It discusses the results of the research and what is needed at the macro policy level in New Zealand, the meso and service level, and lastly what needs to occur at the micro and client clinician level for successful men's mental health initiatives in New Zealand. It also discusses the implications of these findings for men's health services in general. [Preface]