Quantity and quality of participation and outcomes of participation in mental health consumer-run organizations

Background: Mental health consumer-run organizations are becoming more prominent in mental health systems, but little is known about their nature or impacts.Aims: The objectives were to determine the nature of member participation in consumer-run organizations and how participation is related to outcomes.Method: We prospectively studied 79 new members of four consumer-run organizations in Ontario over an 18-month period.Results: Members participated most often in internal activities (e.g., social-recreational, committees) and least often in external activities (e.g., advocacy, planning, education), with an average of three activities per month. Participation did not change over time, but participation in self-help groups and external activities did vary by setting. The quality, but not the amount, of participation was significantly related to social support at 9 and 18 months and to community integration, quality of life (daily activities), and employment/education at 9 months, over and above the effects of demographic variables and baseline measures of these variables.Conclusion: The findings suggest that member participation in consumer-run organizations is both diverse and stable, and that the quality of participation does enhance short-term outcomes.Declaration of interest: This research was one of several projects funded under the Community Mental Health Evaluation Initiative (CMHEI) by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through the Ontario Mental Health Foundation.