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What’s in a Name? Terms Preferred by Service Recipients

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Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In a large (n = 1,827) multi-site study examining effectiveness of consumer operated service programs as an adjunct to traditional mental health services, we examined individuals’ preferred term describing their status as service recipients, and we applied logistic regression to examine whether preference varied by gender, race or diagnosis. Preferred terms were client (39%), patient (22%), consumer (16%), survivor (11%), other (11%) and ex-patient (1%), varying by site. Controlling for site, preferences did not vary by gender, race, or diagnosis. The lack of consensus suggests clinicians, researchers, program administrators, and policymakers should be sensitive to individuals’ preferences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Division of Health Services Research, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Nancy H. Covell

  2. Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Research Division, 410 Capitol Avenue, MS#14RSD, 341431, Hartford, CT, 06134, USA

    Nancy H. Covell

  3. Center for the Study of Religion and Psychology, The Albert and Jessie Danielsen Institute, Boston University, Boston, USA

    Brian H. McCorkle

  4. Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical System, Bronx, NY, USA

    Ellen M. Weissman

  5. Center for Health and the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Tom Summerfelt

  6. Department of Mental Health Services and Policy Research, Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA

    Susan M. Essock

Authors
  1. Nancy H. Covell
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  2. Brian H. McCorkle
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  3. Ellen M. Weissman
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  4. Tom Summerfelt
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  5. Susan M. Essock
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nancy H. Covell.

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Covell, N.H., McCorkle, B.H., Weissman, E.M. et al. What’s in a Name? Terms Preferred by Service Recipients. Adm Policy Ment Health 34, 443–447 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-007-0123-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-007-0123-1

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