PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Faraz Mughal
AU  - Lisa Dikomitis
AU  - Opeyemi Babatunde
AU  - Carolyn A Chew-Graham
TI  - Experiences of general practice care for self-harm: a qualitative study of young people's perspectives
AID  - 10.3399/BJGP.2021.0091
DP  - 2021 Apr 29
TA  - British Journal of General Practice
PG  - BJGP.2021.0091
4099  - http://bjgp.org/content/early/2021/04/29/BJGP.2021.0091.short
4100  - http://bjgp.org/content/early/2021/04/29/BJGP.2021.0091.full
AB  - Background: Self-harm is a growing concern and rates of self-harm in young people presenting to general practice are rising. There is however an absence of evidence on young people’s experiences of GP care and on accessing general practice. Aim: To explore the help-seeking behaviours, experiences of GP care, and access to general practice for young people who self-harm. Design and setting: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with young people aged 16-25 from England with previous self-harm behaviour. Method: Interviews with 13 young people occurred between April and November 2019. Young people were recruited from the community, third-sector organisation, and Twitter. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis with principles of constant comparison. A patient and public involvement advisory group informed recruitment strategies and supported interpretation of findings. Results: Young people described avenues of help-seeking they employ and reflected on mixed experiences of seeing GPs which can influence future help-seeking. Preconceptions and a lack of knowledge on accessing general practice were found to be barriers to help-seeking. GPs who attempted to understand the young person and establishing relationship-based care can facilitate young people accessing general practice care for self-harm. Conclusion: It is therefore important young people are aware how to access general practice care and that GPs listen, understand, and proactively follow-up young people who self-harm. Supporting young people with self-harm behaviour requires continuity of care.