Project title
Description of initiative
Arts on Prescription (AoP) is a complementary intervention used to support people who are on sick leave due to stress, anxiety and depression and/or musculoskeletal pain.
Patients are identified and referred to AoP by professionals in primary health care and outpatient psychiatric care. AoR is performed beyond healthcare and coordinated by a person from the municipality. AoR was defined as participating in arts activities in closed groups, for 2.5 hours twice a week for ten weeks including i.e. song, crafts, drama and concert.
Themes: Culture and...
Keywords
Target group
Cultural field
Budget
Timeframe
Sources of funding
Results, benefits, impact and lessons learnt
Four themes were identified: 1) place of belonging - participants descriptions of fellowship and feelings of being understood and accepted; 2) relief from demands - narratives of AoR as a safe place without demands of achievement and narratives about experiences of being absorbed in the creative arts activities; 3) arts activities offering challenge and reward - participants´ experiences of both positive and negative effects of AoR such as improved mental health, albeit experiences of increased fatigue and pain; 4) contributing to health-promoting changes - narratives about how participants developed new ways of thinking of themselves, their abilities and their future.