[The six dimensions of positive health valued by different stakeholders within mental health care]

Abstract

Background: In recent years a new concept of health, 'positive health', has been developed, which focusses on a person's resilience instead of merely the absence of disease. A previous survey among a variety of stakeholders in general health care showed that there are differences in how dimensions of positive health are valued. Patients valued the spiritual and societal participation dimension higher than physicians and policymakers.

Aim: To investigate how the six dimensions of positive health are valued by patients, health care professionals and policymakers in mental health care in the Netherlands, and to test whether these values differ from such stakeholders in general healthcare.

Method: In a cross-sectional survey patients (N= 458), healthcare professionals (N=250) and policy makers (N=47) of two mental health care institutions in the Netherlands filled in an online survey. The results were compared to the results of the study by Huber e.a. (2016) by ANCOVA, paired T-tests and cohens' d.

Results: Respondents valued all dimensions equally high. No significant differences between groups were found, except for a significant difference on daily functioning. Patients rated this dimension significantly higher than other stakeholders. The equal significance of the six dimensions is in contrast with the findings of a previous survey among stakeholders in general health care.

Conclusion: In contrast to stakeholders in general health care, those in mental health care valued all dimensions of health of equal and high importance. Only daily functioning was rated lower by professionals and policymakers than by patients.