Sonja Kuipers

46 Chapter 2 lia [27], which indicates that the high prevalence of abuse in these authors’ studies in patients after FEP is particularly notable. Therefore, we conclude that the sample used in this study is representative of patients who experienced FEP. However, in our findings, there was no particular difference between participants who used or did not use drugs regarding their oral health or other specific mental health-related issues. The implication is that the findings are more related to problems after FEP than they are related to problems after a drug-induced psychosis. Study limitations This research is a single-centre study in the northern of the Netherlands, and replication of this study in a multiple-centre design with a comparable population can be suggested. However, there are no direct indications to assume that there are substantial differences between the studied sample and the patients of other mental health organizations: the sample used in this study is not distinct in gender or age. Nevertheless, this research has given new insights into the experiences and needs of patients and research can be continued. Implications for mental health nursing For many years, research on oral health among patients diagnosed with SMI has been conducted. Interestingly, however, no research the poor oral health of patients after FEP is available, and poor oral health still remains a major forgotten problem. This phenomenological study gains insight into the experiences of patients after FEP regarding their oral health and demonstrates that oral health among patients after FEP is associated and linked with other phenomena and that there is a need for care. The problems in oral health in patients after FEP are enormous, and it is preferable to indicate this priority. For mental health nurses and other professionals, to assess patients’ oral health, the consideration of using an oral health assessment guide should be part of a somatic or lifestyle screening. The contribution of risk factors (financial problems

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