Adaptation of the Neuman systems model for support of people with mental illness offered by public health nurses in Japan

Aim: In Japan, ongoing changes to national mental health policies require public health nurses to consider playing a role in providing support to people with mental illness among mental healthcare teams in the community. Using the Neuman systems model (NSM), we attempted to develop a model of public health nurses’ support for people with mental illness. This study aimed to explore whether the NSM could be used in providing support to people with mental illness in the community. Methods: First, we adapted the NSM to make a draft support model. Second, we conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey of expert public health nurses experienced in providing individual support to people with mental illness (N = 75). Results: The draft support model was verified by asking the nurses to comment on the appropriateness and their agreement of the model using 20 ideas from the NSM. The nurses supported the appropriateness of the draft support model and agreed with the ideas, each with a score of >80%. Conclusions: This approval rate indicated that the draft support model could be applied to the support offered by public health nurses to people with mental illness in Japan.