How Service Users Perceive the Concept of Participation, Specifically in Interprofessional Practice

This paper reports on empirical research exploring and describing the variations in service users' conceptions of service user participation (SUP), specifically in interprofessional practice. The social work practices in which front line workers were using interprofessional teamwork were explored at three Swedish welfare institutions. Service users included individuals with chronic pain disorders, obesity conditions or in need of short-term placement in elder care facilities. The qualitative study design was informed by a phenomenographical approach and conducted as semi-structured individual interviews with twenty-two service users. The main findings suggest five qualitative variations of service user's conceptions of SUP: (i) information transmission; (ii) choices and decisions among resources; (iii) comfortable relationship and communication; (iv) interaction for increased understanding; and (v) conditions for service user participation. The findings highlight the importance for the interprofessional team of social workers and other professionals to recognise the various ways of experiencing SUP by service users. The findings thereby support the possibilities to understand and to take into consideration the individual service user's conceptions of SUP in interprofessional practice.