SynthesisBMJ open2022
Subjective experiences of the first response to mental health crises in the community: a qualitative systematic review.
Synthesis in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluating the implementation of a mental health joint response with young people and families: protocol for the care responders study, a realist and health economic evaluation.Frontiers in health services · 2026Article
- First responders' experiences and training needs at the scene of a suspected suicide in Ireland: A mixed methods study.PloS one · 2026Article
- Measuring the trend in police tasks concerning people with mental health challenges in Denmark, 2008-2022.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Exploring competence in mental health crisis management: a qualitative study of Norwegian prehospital emergency medical personnel.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Realist review protocol for understanding young people's experiences of engaging with police-mental health practitioner collaboration in emergency responses to mental health crises.Systematic reviews · 2025Article
- Patterns of police interactions with people experiencing homelessness and mental illness.The police journal · 2025Article
- If not police, then who? Building a new workforce for community behavioral health crisis response.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- A trans-disciplinary approach to assessing police responses to mental heath crisis: development of the de-escalating persons in crisis competencies tool (DePICT).Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Digital Strategies to Accelerate Help-Seeking in Youth With Psychiatric Concerns in New York State.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo review and synthesise qualitative studies that have explored subjective experiences of people with lived experience of mental health-related illness/crisis (MHC), their families and first responders.
designA systematic review of qualitative evidence was conducted. English-language articles exploring the content of interactions and participants' experiences were included. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL; Google Scholar, SAGE journals, Science Direct and PubMed. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers read and systematically extracted data from the included papers. Papers were appraised for methodological rigour using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Checklist. Data were thematically analysed.
resultsWe identified 3483 unique records, 404 full-texts were assessed against the inclusion criteria and 79 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. First responders (FRs) identified in studies were police and ambulance staff. Main factors influencing response are persistent stigmatised attitudes among FRs, arbitrary training and the triadic interactions between FRs, people with mental illness and third parties present at the crisis. In addition, FR personal experience of mental illness and focused training can help create a more empathetic response, however lack of resources in mental health services continues to be a barrier where 'frequent attenders' are repeatedly let down by mental health services.
conclusionLack of resources in mental healthcare and rise in mental illness suggest that FR response to MHC is inevitable. Inconsistent training, complexity of procedures and persistent stigmatisation make this a very challenging task. Improving communication with family carers and colleagues could make a difference. Broader issues of legitimacy and procedural barriers should be considered in order to reduce criminalisation and ensure an empathetic response.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.