Existentiell hälsa i svensk psykiatrisk vård: ett begränsat forskningsfält : En systematisk litteraturöversikt utifrån Världshälsoorganisationens hälsobegrepp enligt WHOQOL-SRPB

Sammanfattning

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), spiritual and existential health constitutes an integral dimension of human health and quality of life. The relevance of this area has also come to be acknowledged in Swedish national guidelines aimed at strengthening mental health; however it’s role within Swedish psychiatric care remains largely underexplored. The aim of this study was to map existing research on existential health within a Swedish psychiatric context through a systematic literature review, based on the WHO’s conceptualization of health and the WHOQOL-SRPB instrument. The study was conducted as a systematic literature review in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were carried out in the databases PubMed, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, Scopus, SwePub and DiVA. Inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2025, conducted in a Swedish context, and focusing on psychiatric care or mental ill-health in relation to existential dimensions of health. The results showed that only one (1) scientific study met all inclusion criteria. The included study demonstrated a significant association between health literacity and both mental and existential well-being among women experiencing homelessness. At the same time, it became evident that the WHOQOL-SRPB has not yet been established as a validated measurement instrument within a Swedish psychiatric context, which limits the possibility of studying existential health in alignment with the WHO’s holistic framework. Instead, the included study employed another instrument, FACIT-Sp-12, which can be considered to conceptually overlap with the WHOQOL-SRPB in certain respects, albeit in a limited manner. The conclusion is that existential health is an area of clear relevance for psychiatric care, but there is a substantial lack of empirical research in Sweden. The study highlights the need for further research, including methodological development and validation of relevant measurement instruments, in order to enable more person-centred and holistic psychiatric care within a Swedish context.