An exploration of patient and family carers’ views of dietary intervention for psychosis care and management

Psychosis greatly impacts affected individuals and their families. Current pharmacological treatments are not fully efficacious and are associated with a range of metabolic side-effects. As a result, patients and their families seek alternative interventions, including managing their diet. Psychosis treatment guidelines recommend dietetic support as part of psychosis treatment, however this has not become embedded within routine practice. The aim of this study was to determine the views of patients and their families on the value of dietary intervention in their psychosis care and management. Study participants (n = 14) were either accessing psychosis treatment services (n = 8) or were familial carers (n = 6). Data were collected via individual semi-structured interviews and were thematically analysed resulting in four themes: 1) ‘What constitutes a healthy diet?’, 2) ‘The connection between diet, the brain and symptoms’, 3) ‘Empowerment gained from finding my own self-management strategies’ and 4) ‘How we envision dietary management for psychosis’. Findings suggest participants would value having access to a diet intervention to aid their management of psychosis, delivered by knowledgeable health care practitioners within mental health services. Participants wanted the dietary intervention to be evidence-based, accessible and have outcomes which including improved dietary knowledge and skills. The principal recommendation following this research is to further develop a dietary intervention for psychosis care and management that is co-designed with health staff, people with psychosis and their familial carers, mental health service commissioners and academics responsible for educating health care practitioners' curricula.