Service user involvement in times of covid-19. Examining experiences of mental health user organizations

The organized user movement is a key stakeholder in promoting user influence and in the development of democratic and efficient service and support systems.

User organisations also appears as the prerequisite for the development of user-focused monitoring, which our ongoing project address. During the pandemic new methods for user involvement has emerged, informed by digital work procedures.

Current conditions imply better access to collective forums for some groups and declined accessibility for others.While distanced ways of working have the potential of strengthening user involvement, issues need to be addressed to secure that digital platforms enable broadened participation, rather than them contributing to a digital divide.

As an added sub-study to an ongoing project concerning new forms of participation in the community mental health field, the current study aims at examining how the work of local user organizations has been affected by the pandemic.

By exploring adaptions made, challenges and opportunities can be identified that may inform strengthened user involvement in post-corona times.

The close collaboration established with NSPH in the ongoing project will continue in the current project.A collective case study will be conducted, in which 10 local Swedish user associations (all members of NSPH) will participate. Mental health service user organizations differ in their political orientation and target groups.

A strategic selection will be made with the aim of capturing a variety of action repertoires and experiences of user involvement during the pandemic. In total, 10 focus group interviews and 15-20 individual interviews with key actors will be performed. Data will be approached abductively with qualitative content analysis.

Theoretical perspectives on participation, knowledge and power will be applied.