People Power series: Exclusion and the importance of involving groups that are marginalized – Olga Kalina, Georgia

Olga was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2005 at the age of 21 years. On three separate occasions she was involuntarily hospitalized in a psychiatric facility. During her first period of psychosis, Olga lost touch with reality. She stopped communicating with her family and engaging with the world around her. Confused and afraid, Olga’s family sought medical help at a psychiatric institution. Despite being calm due to her psychosis, she was excluded from discussions about her care and gave no informed consent for her hospitalization.

Through Olga, we learn how stigma and a lack of meaningful engagement by her health care providers can lead to disempowerment.

This article is an excerpt from the publication ‘People power - Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of noncommunicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’, which includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.

The case studies were developed using participatory research through focus groups with people with lived experience of NCDs, mental health conditions and neurological conditions.