Healthcare Professionals’ Perspectives on Schizophrenia Recovery: A Literature Review
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Background
Recovery is a key concept in mental health care and contributes to improving clinical practice and the quality of life of individuals living with schizophrenia. However, mental health professionals do not yet share a unified perspective and understanding of the recovery process. The aim of this study was to review healthcare professionals’ perspectives on schizophrenia recovery.
Methods
A literature search was conducted using electronic databases including PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCO), ProQuest, and ScienceDirect, covering the years 2009 to 2019. The search employed the following keyword combinations: “Perceptions” AND “Health Workers” OR “Nursing” OR “Doctor” OR “Psychiatrists” AND “Recovery” AND “Schizophrenia . ” Eligible studies included original articles with healthcare professionals as participants that examined perspectives on schizophrenia recovery.
Results
Out of 439 studies screened, eight met the inclusion criteria: four qualitative studies (n = 79), three quantitative studies (n = 756), and one mixed-methods study (n = 174). Two major themes emerged: positive and negative perspectives. Positive perspectives emphasized that patients could achieve full recovery without long-term medication, engage in daily activities and employment, and experience reduced symptoms. In contrast, negative perspectives conceptualized recovery within a biomedical framework, highlighting barriers such as the impossibility of full recovery, medication dependence, and relapse.
Conclusion
Healthcare professionals hold diverse perspectives on schizophrenia recovery. These varying viewpoints may influence both the recovery process of individuals with schizophrenia and decision-making in mental health services. Findings from this review may serve as guidance for healthcare professionals to enhance their understanding of schizophrenia recovery.
