Arts on prescription in Scandinavia: a review of current practice and future possibilities

Published evidence for the role of participatory art in supporting health and well‐being is growing. The Arts on Prescription model is one vehicle by which participatory art can be delivered. Much of the focus of Arts on Prescription has been on the provision of creative activities for people with mental health needs. This Arts on Prescription program, however, targeted community‐dwelling older people with a wide range of health and wellness needs. Older people were referred to the program by their healthcare practitioner. Professional artists led courses in visual arts, photography, dance and movement, drama, singing, or music. Classes were held weekly for 8–10 weeks, with six to eight participants per class, and culminated with a showing of work or a performance. Program evaluation involved pre‐ and postcourse questionnaires, and focus groups and individual interviews. Evaluation data on 127 participants aged 65 years and older were available for analysis. We found that Arts on Prescription had a positive impact on participants. Quantitative findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well‐being Scale (WEMWBS) as well as a statistically significant increase in the level of self‐reported creativity and frequency of creative activities. Qualitative findings indicated that the program provided challenging artistic activities which created a sense of purpose and direction, enabled personal growth and achievement, and empowered participants, in a setting which fostered the development of meaningful relationships with others. This evaluation adds to the evidence base in support of Arts on Prescription by expanding the application of the model to older people with a diverse range of health and wellness needs.

Objectives: To enable health professionals, in an outpatient care setting, to experience the group process of art therapy and to understand the meaning given by him/her to this experience. Method: A qualitative study, using Symbolic Interactionism and Qualitative Conventional Content Analysis as theoretical and methodological frameworks, respectively. Eight health professionals working in the outpatient clinic of a philanthropic institution participated in the art therapy process and later in semi-structured interviews. Results: For the professionals, art therapeutic workshop was an amazing and rewarding experience, a space of interaction that allowed them to know each other better, to respect and learn from their colleagues, to relax, relieve stress and express their emotions. It was defined as a therapeutic experience, promoter of health and well-being, prompting professionals to want the workshops to continue. Conclusions and implications for practice: The study contributes to the reflection and discussion about workers' health and to the need to create therapeutic resources, such as art therapy, as a support tool for their mental health and well-being. Innovative and creative interventions must be incorporated into health services to address the global clamor, emphasizing the need to promote mental health, especially for health professionals, which calls for urgent measures.

Aim To investigate how participants in the Active Care education programme experienced using their obtained knowledge in practice. Design A narrative inquiry as described by Clandinin and Connelly. Method A thematic analysis of 20 narratives written by participants in the education programme from 2015–2017. Results Three themes appeared to be dominant: the consequences of activity, relationships and positive emotions. These elements reflect the notion of flourishing.