Relationships among Structures, Team Processes, and Outcomes for Service Users in Quebec Mental Health Service Networks
Few studies have identified and compared profiles of mental health service networks (MHSN) in terms of structures, processes, and outcomes, based on cluster analyses and perceptions of team managers, mental health professionals and service users.
This study aimed to understand how different configurations of mental health service networks and teams impact on service user outcomes, by identifying through cluster analyses specific categories of associated variables within three Quebec MHSN, based on interrelationships among:
1) Mental health settings, including territorial and organizational features (structures);
2) Characteristics of mental health professionals, including team process variables (e.g., team support, team autonomy);
3) Service user characteristics, including socio-demographic variables, clinical characteristics, and outcomes (e.g., QOL, recovery).
Based on the Donabedian model, the authors hypothesized that more positive structures would relate to better team processes in MHSN and in turn to more positive outcomes for service users.