Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy
Open Access

Abstract

The Experience of Accessing Physical Healthcare When You Have a Diagnosis of a ?Personality Disorder?: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis

Connor Clarke* , Sarah Rowe, Sahra Tekin, Omaya Kharboutli

Living with a diagnosis of a personality disorder presents a host of significant physical health challenges. Specifically, those with personality disorders may face inequities in their experiences of physical healthcare in comparison to the general population. The aim of this review was to investigate the experiences and the potential barriers or facilitators those with personality disorders encounter when accessing physical healthcare. Three articles examining these experiences were included. Four meta-themes were identifies: a) General disregard from physical healthcare professionals, b) Identity and self-perception of personality disorder as a barrier to treatment, c) Stigma and lack of awareness around personality disorder in healthcare settings, d) Physical problems viewed through the lens of patient’s personality disorder. Each of these themes highlighted the extensive barriers that individuals with personality disorders face when accessing physical healthcare. The findings suggest that people with personality disorders largely have negative experiences when attempting to access physical health care. No facilitators to accessing physical healthcare were identified within the existing qualitative literature. These findings present implications for future healthcare policies and suggest that there is a greater need for specialist training for healthcare professionals in managing the physical problems that individuals with personality disorders present with in healthcare settings. The scarcity of qualitative research in this area indicates that further research is needed in this area to explore these experiences in greater depth.

Published Date: 2025-01-09; Received Date: 2023-11-02