| Abstract [eng] |
INTRODUCTION Research relevance. A mental disorder is a highly complex illness affecting not only one’s emotional wellbeing (feelings and comprehension of various matters) but also one’s behavior, communication, quality of life, etc. According to the Mental Health Foundation (2020), 1 out of 6 people are possibly experiencing mental health problems once a week. Depression is believed to be the second main cause of disability across the world. An analysis of the statistical databases of Lithuania and Ukraine was carried out. According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine (2018), a total of 961 thousand people were registered at medical institutions as having mental illnesses in Ukraine in 2017. Based on the data of the Hygiene Institute (2019), around 235 thousand people were diagnosed with mental and behavioral disorders in the Republic of Lithuania in 2019. On should note that any type of mental disorder can affect the quality of life of an individual one way or the other. According to Gruževskis and Orlova (2012), the concept of the quality of life is an important one in many scientific areas (sociology, political science, etc.). It is said that the frequently mentioned concept of the quality of life could be applied on an individual, local community and/or entire society level. Studies into the quality of life are developed in several most tangible directions, i.e., researches are done into the quality of life directly related to health, the quality of life is assessed in a cultural context, and correlations between the ethnic / moral values and the quality of life of an individual are observed. According to Dabkevičienė and Kazakevičienė (2016), the wellness of a man is very closely related to his own health (physical, mental, etc.). Ensuring the said areas and social wellbeing provides and individual with the optimum possibilities to live in a social environment, take part in public life, work and gain personal accomplishments. However, to understand the seriousness of the situation, one must first find out what mental disorders are in general, and which diseases and/or disorders are attributed to it. The society has a variety of controversial opinions about (in)sufficient publicization of mental health problems, information spread, its accessibility and prevention. According to Mačiulis, Buginytė et al (2015) and Ritchie and Roser (2018), the most common mental disorders are the following: depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia), schizophrenia, alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and mental retardation. As said by Mačiulis, Buginytė et al (2015), behavioral disorders that are most often under scrutiny, are none other than consequences of genetic and environmental effects, i.e., consequences of the interplay of biological, psychological and social factors. One should also note that the disorders of people diagnosed with mental illnesses are always defined in certain symptoms and/or syndromes that encompass changes in human perception, emotions, will, cognition and other noticeable changes. However, there are people who can adapt and engage in social activities even when affected my mental illnesses. According to Becker and Drake (2003), people who are diagnosed with a severe mental condition after they have acquired higher education and had successful careers might find it difficult to return to work at the same level as before their diagnosis. However, a huge role here is played by occupancy specialists and other teams providing aid to people with mental disorders. They are the ones with the key objective of giving hope that people can achieve their goals. Naturally, an assumption is made that timely assistance of specialists and diagnosis of mental illnesses can ensure its proper treatment and create quality life and living conditions as much as it is possible for those who are living with mental disorders. Research questions: How do mental disorders affect one’s quality of life? What measures could be taken to improve the quality of life of people with mental disorders living in Lithuania and Ukraine? The research object is the quality of life of people with mental disorders. Research hypothesis: People with mental disorders are possibly satisfied with their quality of live, with respect to the assessment of the entirety of their quality of life criteria. The goal of the study is to reveal the need of people with mental disorders to improve their quality of life in the social context of Lithuania and Ukraine, based on the analysis of the quality of life of people with mental disorders. Research objectives: 1. To apply the method of theoretical analysis to analyze the theoretical and legal concepts of the quality of life of people with mental disorders. 2. To apply the quantitative research method to reveal the satisfaction of people with mental disorders with their quality of life in the Lithuanian social context by determining the correlation of the quality of life of said people with demographic, physical health, psychological and other quality of life areas in Lithuania. 3. To apply the qualitative research method to highlight the similarities and differences of Lithuanian and Ukrainian institutions housing people with mental disorders. 4. To develop a social assistance plan intended to improve the quality of life of people with mental disorders based on the analysis of the quantitative and qualitative research results. Research sample. To assess the quality of life of people with mental disorders who are institutionalized in Lithuania, a survey involving 163 institutionalized respondents with mental disorders was carried out with the help of social workers employed in the respective institutions. A sample size calculator was used to determine the research sample. The target and probability selection methods were employed to select the respondents. The following were the key criteria for selecting respondents: the respondent must be over 21 years of age; the respondent must have a mental disorder; the respondent must be institutionalized. The questionnaires were sent using the personal account of www.gmail.com and the interactive online survey platform at www.apklausa.lt (such a method of survey distribution was chosen due to the current situation in the country that has been brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic). On the request of the manager of several institutions, the surveys printed and hard copies were given upon the agreement of collecting the completed surveys some time later. The surveys were sent to a total of 59 Lithuanian institutions taking care of people with mental disorders. The written survey was completed from March to November 2020. Research methodology and methods. An analysis of scientific literature and legal basis was carried out to achieve the research goal and objectives. The said analysis helped to conceptualize the concept of quality of life and prepare the operationalization of the research object (see Annex 1). Empirical data collection methods: A questionnaire-based survey was used for the quantitative research. The structured written survey was prepared based on the Lithuanian version of WHOQOL – Brief Quality of Life Questionnaire comprised of 26 questions prepared by Goštautaitė Midttun, N., Goštautas, A. (2000) and generated on the basis of WHOQOL-100 questionnaire of 100 questions (see Annex 3). The questionnaire-based survey was used to reveal the need for the improvement of quality of life of people with mental disorders in the Lithuanian social context. The following statistical analysis methods were used to process the statistical data: descriptive statistical method (mean, standard deviation, statistical relevance determined by the one-way ANOVA parametric test; statistical relevance level of p = 0.05). The research data were processed using the PSPP (Public Sector Purchase Programme) software. The visual and graphic representation of the data was generated using Microsoft Excel. The ethnographic research method was used to carry out the qualitative research. The ethnographic research was intended to highlight the differences between the Lithuanian and Ukrainian institutions housing people with mental disorders. During the ethnographic research, the narrative was analyzed, the social work practices in Ukraine were studied, and document analysis was carried out when collecting data about Lithuanian institutions. The collected information was analyzed using the comparison method. Key concepts: Quality of life is individual self-assessment with respect to cultural and value system contexts, which is directly related to one’s personal goals, interests, etc. The quality of life directly interacts with health, mental condition and social environment (Stonkus, S., 2002). Mental disorders encompass all diagnosed mental health disorders related to significant changes in thinking, emotions and/or behavior, anxiety and/or social, work or family-related problems (Parekh, R., 2018). Structure of the paper: abstract in the Lithuanian language, table of contents, introduction, explanation of the key concepts, two chapters, conclusions, social assistance plan for the improvement of the quality of life of people with mental disorders, references (64 sources), abstract in the English language and annexes. A total of eight tables are used to illustrate the research data. The operationalization of the research object, the research tool, the qualitative research information collection tool and narrative of the Ukrainian institutions are presented in the annexes. |
