scholarly journals Users’ perceptions about receiving personalized depression risk information: findings from a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Eccles ◽  
Doaa Nadouri ◽  
Molly Nannarone ◽  
Bonnie Lashewicz ◽  
Norbert Schmitz ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To understand users’ perceptions about receiving their personalized depression risk score and to gain an understanding about how to improve the efficiency of risk communication from the user perspective. Methods A qualitative study embedded in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) on evaluating the impact of providing personalized depression risk information on psychological harms and benefits. The participants (20 males and 20 females) were randomly selected from the intervention arm of the RCT after the 12-month assessment. The qualitative interviews were conducted through telephone, audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. We conducted a content analysis to describe the content and contextual meaning of data collected from participants. Results The first theme explained the motivation for receiving a risk score. Most participants chose to receive their personalised depression risk score with the goal of improving their self-awareness. The results revealed three sub-themes surrounding perceptions and implication of receiving their risk score: positive, negative, and neutral. Most participants found that receiving their score was positive because it improved their awareness of their mental health, but some participants could see that some people would have negative feelings when getting the score causing them to be more likely to get depression. The final theme focussed on improvements including: the best delivery methods, having resources and strategies, and targeting younger people. Conclusion The most significant motivation for, and benefit of receiving one’s personalized depression risk score was improved awareness of one’s mental health. A comprehensive risk communication program may improve the uptake and maximize the impact on behavior changes and risk reduction.

Trials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally O’Keeffe ◽  
Katharina Weitkamp ◽  
Danny Isaacs ◽  
Mary Target ◽  
Virginia Eatough ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Little is known about why parents agree to take part in randomized controlled trials for adolescent mental health. This study aimed to investigate parents’ perspectives on participating in a trial for psychological treatment of depression. The study explored parents’ motivations, understanding of the trial and perspectives on the acceptability of the trial. Methods Sixty-five parents took part in this qualitative study. Their adolescent children had been randomly allocated to one of three active psychological treatments for depression as part of the IMPACT trial and were interviewed about their experiences of participating in the study. Semi-structured interviews were analysed using framework analysis. Results For seven of the sixty-five parents, their experience of taking part in the trial was not covered in their interview so they were excluded from the analysis. The analysis was therefore based on the data from the parents of 58 adolescents taking part in the trial. The most commonly cited motivation for taking part in the study reported by parents was a desire to help others going through similar difficulties. Parents generally reported finding trial participation acceptable, although there were aspects that some reported finding less acceptable, including randomization and the burden of research assessments. Others spoke positively about the experience of trial participation and found it enjoyable or even therapeutic. Importantly, some did not appear to have a good understanding of the trial design, including randomization and treatment allocation. Conclusions This study indicates that trial participation can be a positive experience for parents, yet it raises concerns about how trialists can ensure that consent is fully informed, given that some parents appeared to have a poor understanding of the trial. Future studies should seek to explore how communication with trial participants can be improved, to ensure that trial participation is fully informed. Patient and public involvement will be crucial in ensuring this communication is accessible to stakeholders. Trial registration ISRCTN registry ISRCTN83033550. Registered on 15 October 2009


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. e041667
Author(s):  
Darren J Edwards ◽  
Andrew H Kemp

IntroductionIn recent years, serious video games have been used to promote emotional regulation in individuals with mental health issues. Although these therapeutic strategies are innovative, they are limited with respect to scope of treatment, often focusing on specific cognitive skills, to help remediate a specific mental health disorder.ObjectiveHere, we propose a protocol for assessing the feasibility of a novel acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based video game for young adults.Methods and analysisThe Medical Research Council (MRC) framework will be used for developing a complex intervention to design and test the feasibility of an ACT-based video game intervention using a mixed-methods approach involving qualitative and quantitative data. The primary outcomes will include feasibility testing of recruitment processes and the acceptability of the intervention through qualitative interviews, attendance and rates of attrition. Secondary outcomes will involve a series of quantitative questionnaires to obtain effect sizes for power analysis, allowing for the ideal sample size for an appropriately powered, randomised controlled trial to be determined.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Psychology Department Research Ethics Committee (2020-4929-3923) at Swansea University in the UK. Dissemination activities will involve publications in peer-reviewed journals, presentations at local and national conferences and promotion through social media.Trial registration numberNCT04566042.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachelle Ashcroft ◽  
Catherine Donnelly ◽  
Maya Dancey ◽  
Sandeep Gill ◽  
Simon Lam ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Integrated primary care teams are ideally positioned to support the mental health care needs arising during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how COVID-19 has affected mental health care delivery within primary care settings will be critical to inform future policy and practice decisions during the later phases of the pandemic and beyond. The objective of our study was to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care teams’ delivery of mental health care. Methods A qualitative study using focus groups conducted with primary care teams in Ontario, Canada. Focus group data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results We conducted 11 focus groups with 10 primary care teams and a total of 48 participants. With respect to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health care in primary care teams, we identified three key themes: i) the high demand for mental health care, ii) the rapid transformation to virtual care, and iii) the impact on providers. Conclusions From the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, primary care quickly responded to the rising mental health care demands of their patients. Despite the numerous challenges they faced with the rapid transition to virtual care, primary care teams have persevered. It is essential that policy and decision-makers take note of the toll that these demands have placed on providers. There is an immediate need to enhance primary care’s capacity for mental health care for the duration of the pandemic and beyond.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Devroe ◽  
K Peeraer ◽  
T D’Hooghe ◽  
J Boivin ◽  
J Vriens ◽  
...  

Abstract Study question What is the impact of providing couples with their IVF-prognosis on expectations and anxiety in women and men on the day of embryo transfer? Summary answer Only couples with a less than average IVF-prognosis updated their high expectations and IVF-prognosis was negatively associated with anxiety, especially in women. What is known already Female IVF-patients are known to expect a pregnancy rate per IVF-cycle of no less than 49-55%. Qualitative interviews and a survey showed that well informed women expect unrealistically high pregnancy rates as they think that their (family’s) fertility and their clinic is better than average. Several prognostic models have recently been published. The adapted van Loendersloot model including clinical and laboratory characteristics proved performant for our clinic (AUC=0.74) and was validated internally (Devroe et al, BMJ Open, 2020). The impact of providing couples with their IVF-prognosis on expectations and wellbeing of female and male patients has yet to be studied. Study design, size, duration A prospective survey, questioning a final sample of 148 partnered individuals, completing their 2nd-6th IVF-cycle (2019-2020) in a University clinic, on the days of oocyte aspiration (OA) and fresh embryo transfer (ET). Thirty other partnered individuals declined participation (participation rate=85%) and 26 were excluded due to ET-cancellation. The IVF-prognosis (live birth rate, LBR, per completed IVF-cycle including fresh and frozen ETs from the same ovarian stimulation) was calculated with the adapted van Loendersloot model. Participants/materials, setting, methods Each partner reported their perception of their expected IVF-LBR on a visual analogue scale on the day OA. After being informed on their IVF-prognosis by gynaecologists, they re-rated their expected IVF-LBR and filled out the reliable ‘STAI-State-Anxiety Inventory’ on the day of fresh ET. Linear mixed models, taking account of partnering and assessing the association with gender, explored whether individuals updated their expected IVF-LBR after receiving their IVF-prognosis and whether IVF-prognosis and anxiety were associated. Main results and the role of chance The mean IVF-prognosis was 30.9% (±16.8). The 148 partnered individuals had a mean expected IVF-LBR of 59.1% (±20.0) on the day of OA (no gender effect; p = 0.079). After being informed on their IVF-prognosis (day of ET), women’s and men’s mean expected IVF-LBR was 50.9% (±24.5) and 58.1% (±22.1), respectively (gender effect; p = 0.002). Linear mixed models, including couple and time as random factors, did not show an effect of time on expected IVF-LBRs (p = 0.15). Although women were more likely than men to update their expected IVF-LBR (p = 0.002), the updates were not significantly different from the IVF-LBR expected on the day of OA (p = 0.10). Women were more anxious than men (41.5±10.6 and 21.9±7.2, respectively, p < 0.001) after being given their IVF-prognosis. Linear mixed models, including couple as a random factor, showed an association between IVF-prognosis and anxiety (p = 0.016), especially in women (gender effect; p = 0.004). Subgroup analysis showed that partnered individuals with lower than average prognoses (n = 78) did update their expected IVF-LBR (p = 0.036) while others (n = 70) did not update their expected IVF-LBR (p = 0.761). Among the subgroup with lower prognoses women were more likely to update their expected IVF-LBR than men (p = 0.013), while no gender effect was observed among the subgroup with higher IVF-prognoses (p = 0.078). Limitations, reasons for caution This is an explorative study in preparation of an adequately powered randomized controlled trial, testing whether couples who are informed on their IVF-prognosis update their expected IVF-LBR and whether this causes anxiety, as compared to care as usual in which couples are not informed on their IVF-prognosis. Wider implications of the findings Men and especially women with a less than average prognosis update their IVF-expectations after having received this prognosis which may trigger anxious reactions. These findings should be re-examined in an RCT. Following up the effect of sharing IVF-prognoses on longer-term distress and IVF-discontinuation would be interesting. Trial registration number not applicable


2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Gilbert ◽  
Kathryn Miller ◽  
Lesley Berk ◽  
Velma Ho ◽  
David Castle

Objectives: The psychosocial needs of people with psychotic disorders are not being addressed adequately. The present paper outlines a proposed framework that will help to meet some of this deficit and deliver psychosocial treatments for these individuals, as part of routine clinical practice. Conclusions: The recent Australian study on low prevalence (psychotic) disorders found that, although most Australians (91%) with a psychotic illness were taking medication, few were receiving adequate psychosocial support from mental health services; fully 47% of these saw the need for a particular type of service that was not able to be accessed by them, either because of it simply not being available or not being affordable. The programme described herein will develop, evaluate and disseminate comprehensive modular treatment packages addressing the psychosocial needs of people with psychotic disorders. It is novel in terms of the comprehensiveness of the approach, the rigour of the evaluation (using a controlled experimental design), and the extent of intersectoral and multidisciplinary involvement in mapping needs, developing the interventions, and dissemination. The potential impact for mental health consumers with psychosis is enormous because currently there is no coherent and consistent approach to addressing their psychosocial needs. The impact for the scientific community will be great because there is currently very little by way of controlled trial data in this important area of activity.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Gillard ◽  
Ceri Dare ◽  
Jackie Hardy ◽  
Patrick Nyikavaranda ◽  
Rachel Rowan Olive ◽  
...  

AbstractPurposeResearch is beginning to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on people with pre-existing mental health conditions. Our paper addresses a lack of in-depth qualitative research exploring their experiences and perceptions of how life has changed at this time.MethodsWe used qualitative interviews (N=49) to explore experiences of the pandemic for people with pre-existing mental health conditions. In a participatory, coproduced approach, researchers with lived experiences of mental health conditions conducted interviews and analysed data as part of a multi-disciplinary research team.ResultsExisting mental health difficulties were exacerbated for many people. People experienced specific psychological impacts of the pandemic, struggles with social connectedness, and inadequate access to mental health services, while some found new ways to cope and connect to community. New remote ways to access mental health care, including digital solutions, provided continuity of care for some but presented substantial barriers for others. People from black and ethnic minority (BAME) communities experienced heightened anxiety, stigma and racism associated with the pandemic, further impacting their mental health.ConclusionThere is a need for evidence-based solutions to achieve accessible and effective mental health care in response to the pandemic, especially remote approaches to care. Further research should explore the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on people with pre-existing mental health conditions. Particular attention should be paid to understanding inequalities of impact on mental health, especially for people from BAME communities.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (06) ◽  
pp. 869-876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoe Cashin ◽  
Stephanie Daley ◽  
Molly Hebditch ◽  
Leila Hughes ◽  
Sube Banerjee

ABSTRACTBackground:There is a need to improve dementia education to prepare future generations of healthcare professionals to deal with the increasing challenges they will face. Time for Dementia is an innovative undergraduate education program for medical, nursing, and paramedic students in the south of England. Success of the program is dependent upon the participation of families (people with dementia and their carers). This qualitative study seeks to explore the motivation and experiences of the families taking part in the program.Methods:A topic guide was developed to understand factors influencing motivation and retention. A purposeful sample of participant families, who had at least 12 months of involvement in the program, were selected from a cohort of 282 families and were invited to take part in an in-depth qualitative interview. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. This was subsequently refined in an on-going process of analysis aided by the use of Nvivo 11. Interviewing stopped when thematic saturation was reached.Results:Eighteen families took part in an in-depth qualitative interviews. Four themes were identified from the analysis. These themes were motivators, value to family, value to the person with dementia, and student factors.Conclusions:This study identifies underpinning factors that motivate families to join dementia education programs and the impact of such programs upon them. We found that engagement in such programs can have therapeutic benefits to participants, and do not cause harm. These findings can be used to strengthen recruitment and enhance family involvement in similar programs.


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