Knowledge of and attitudes to the health outcomes approach among community mental health professionals.

Abstract

A focus on health outcomes has significant potential for increasing health gain if adopted by health care staff as part of their professional practice. Understanding health care staff attitudes and receptiveness towards health outcomes may facilitate uptake of this workplace innovation. Community mental health clinicians (n = 101) were sent a questionnaire assessing their knowledge of and attitudes to the health outcomes approach, their expectations as to its likely impact on them, as well as features of their workplace in general. Analysis of the 65 returned questionnaires identified some pessimism about what focusing on health outcomes would achieve for community mental health clinicians or their clients. Training in practical applications of health outcomes measures, involvement in and ownership of health outcomes projects and recognition of health outcomes achievements would facilitate adoption of a health outcomes approach by community mental health clinicians.