Abstract
BackgroundThe number of patients with mental illness living in the community has been increasing in Japan. Treatment goals for mental illness have expanded from hospital discharge and improved functioning to employment, living alone, and personal realization. These changes in treatment goals have also influenced mental health research. Recent studies have addressed the development of core outcome sets focusing on clinical aspects of mental illness such as depression and anxiety. However, a well-developed framework of essential outcomes for people with mental illness (service users) who live in the community is lacking. In addition, recent worldwide trends suggest more patient and public involvement (PPI) and the importance of considering multiple stakeholders’ views in the area of mental health research. Purpose of this study to explore consensus on high-priority outcome domains among multiple stakeholders such as service users, caregivers, service providers, governmental staff, and researchers in community mental health care and relevant fields in Japan. MethodsA three-step approach to developing an outcome list will be used. First, we will develop a long list of outcomes relevant to stakeholders through a literature review of outcomes reported in existing systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials, focus group interviews with key stakeholders, and two online questionnaire surveys of service users and caregivers. Second, the long list will be checked and revised in a two rounds of pilot study. Third, the long list will be shortened to the outcome list through the Delphi methodology with participation from multiple stakeholders. Three rounds of Delphi survey will be conducted and consensus reached if at least 70% of the participants considered at ‘very important’ or ‘important’. Outcome items that were indeterminate will be taken to the next round. All responses of survey will be feedback to participants in the next round.DiscussionIdentifying important common outcome domains through collaboration among service users, caregivers, and other stakeholders appears to contribute to the development of evidence for community mental health research in Japan. In addition, the study process itself may help promote PPI in education, practice, and research in the field of community mental health.
National funding for mental health research in Finland, France, Spain and the United Kingdom
