Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35042496›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2022

Staff perceptions of the management of mental health presentations to the emergency department of a rural Australian hospital: qualitative study.

Rishaan Pawaskar, Neha Mahajan, Eklavya Wangoo, Wafa Khan, Jannine Bailey, Robyn Vines

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
4.6field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Improving prehospital and emergency care for patients with mental dysregulation: a comprehensive research agenda.Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine · 2026
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Rishaan Pawaskar *Bathurst Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, PO Box 9008, Bathurst, NSW, 2795, Australia.
Neha Mahajan *Bathurst Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, PO Box 9008, Bathurst, NSW, 2795, Australia.
Eklavya Wangoo *Bathurst Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, PO Box 9008, Bathurst, NSW, 2795, Australia.
Wafa Khan *Bathurst Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, PO Box 9008, Bathurst, NSW, 2795, Australia.
Jannine BaileyBathurst Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, PO Box 9008, Bathurst, NSW, 2795, Australia. jannine.bailey@westernsydney.edu.au.
Robyn VinesBathurst Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, PO Box 9008, Bathurst, NSW, 2795, Australia.
Western Sydney University · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCurrent research demonstrates higher prevalence of mental health related emergency department (ED) presentations in rural areas, despite similar overall prevalence of these conditions in rural and metropolitan contexts. This stems from shortages in availability of specialised mental health professionals, greater stigma against mental illness, greater socioeconomic disadvantages, and access to means of self-harm in rural regions. Little is known, however, about the specific characteristics of mental health presentations to rural emergency departments (EDs) in Australia. Additionally, studies have shown that ED staff feel uncomfortable managing mental health presentations to ED due to factors such as lack of confidence and stigma against mental illnesses.

aimThis qualitative study sought to examine ED staff perceptions regarding the management of mental health presentations in a rural Australian ED.

methodsA qualitative study design was used, incorporating semi-structured interviews of current ED staff. Ten interviews were conducted in person or over the phone by two researchers and thematically analysed to draw out key themes from the data.

resultsStaff perceived deficiencies in availability of mental health expertise, de-escalation, and referral pathways as major barriers to effective patient management. These factors contributed to increased retention of mental health patients in ED due to uncertainties regarding their definitive care. Despite acknowledging the value of practical experience with mental health presentations as the best way of increasing clinician confidence, staff expressed a desire for more face-to-face training to better equip them to respond to mental health presentations.

conclusionA combination of departmental and hospital-wide issues in conjunction with individual staff attitudes regarding mental health conditions contributes to issues in mental health patient care in this ED. In particular, limited training in mental health and resources available to ED staff affects confidence in managing mental health presentations and contributes to prolonged time to definitive treatment.

Indexed as

Emergency Service, HospitalMental HealthAustraliaHospitals, RuralHumansQualitative ResearchClinician ConfidenceEmergency DepartmentMental healthRuralTreatment

Identifiers

PMID35042496
PMCPMC8764646
OpenAlexW4205811728

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.