Abstract

SAMPAIO, Francisco; CARVALHO, José Carlos; ARAUJO, Odete  and  ROCHA, Olga Cunha. Research in mental health and psychiatric nursing: A documentary research. Revista Portuguesa de Enfermagem de Saúde Mental [online]. 2014, n.spe1, pp.71-75. ISSN 1647-2160.

BACKGROUND: Research is a strategic action area, defined as such in National Mental Health Plan 2007-2016. Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing is a significant research field, considering the insidious emergence of pathologies such as depression or dementia. AIM: Considering the importance attached to research in Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, the present study aimed to understand the prominent research trends in Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, over the past five years, in the context of Portugal. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It was conducted a documental analysis of scientific articles’ titles and abstracts, published between 2009 and 2013 (included) in the Portuguese Journal of Mental Health Nursing. Both for the analyse of research paradigm used as the subject area, was performed a content analysis lato sensu with subsequent categorization. Completed the categorization, a quantitative descriptive analysis of the data was developed. RESULTS: There was a clear predominance of the quantitative research paradigm (46%). As for the research areas, there was a significant predominance of research themes included in «Psychotherapeutic interventions» (40%), followed by «Experiences in Mental Health" (15%) and "Mental Health and Family/Caregiver" (13%). CONCLUSIONS: Over the years there has been an increase in the number and quality of research papers published about Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing. However, there is a recognised need to develop more articulated research and, therefore, with more significant results for nursing.

Keywords : Research; Nursing; Mental health; Psychiatry.

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