JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are not well served by current healthcare systems. Barriers include ineffective service utilization, system constraints, comorbid diagnoses, stigma, and high risk of suicide. Patients with BPD tend to get “lost to the system” or become frequent users of emergency departments and crisis teams. To better support individuals with severe emotion dysregulation, it is necessary to gain better understandings of patient, caregiver, and clinician perspectives and experiences with the healthcare system.

Objective:

To explore patient, caregiver, and clinician perspectives on the current care pathways for those with severe emotion dysregulation within a large Canadian metropolitan city (Edmonton, Alberta).

Methods:

Using qualitative methodology, 3-6 patients with a diagnosis of BPD, 3 caregivers of individuals with BPD, and 3 clinicians of patients diagnosed with BPD will be invited to share their experiences of the healthcare system’s response to individuals with BPD.

Results:

We expect that the findings of the study will illuminate the perspectives of patients with BPD, their caregivers, and their clinicians. We expect to gain a better understanding of the perceived gaps in services and potential solutions. The findings of the study are expected to be available in 12 months.

Conclusions:

The findings of the study have the potential to inform training, practice, policy, and future research in this area. The aim of this exploratory research is to develop better understandings that can lead to helpful action with this population.