NIHR Programme: The Peer Mental Health Network: Connections to advance culturally inclusive mental health intervention for minority ethnic people living with long-term conditions

Project Description

Background to the research: People from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities are more likely to be affected by certain long-term physical health conditions. For example, kidney disease, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Looking after mental health when living with one or more physical conditions is a challenge. Research suggests that minority ethnic people in particular experience more difficulty accessing relevant mental health support. We need to work collaboratively to address this issue so that more people can be helped to live well whilst managing physical health conditions. Aims of the research: In this project, we will work with patients and community organisations who focus on minority ethnic health to identify how best to work in partnership in future. We will use this learning to establish the ‘peer mental health network’ which will act as a collaborative of patients, researchers, and community groups united to drive future research on mental health in long-term conditions that aims to address equity in access to support. Methods: Our research will involve a series of roadshows hosted in community settings to engage with a wide range of minority ethnic people living with long term conditions. We will aim to include at least 15 people recruited from these roadshows in further workshops where we will use a methodology called ‘Photovoice’ to understand what members believe equal partnership in research looks and feels like, and how it can be achieved. This will offer a framework for collaboration that is based on inclusion, equal voice, and shared ownership. We will use the co-created framework to understand community priorities for mental health support in future. After this project: It is hoped that the research will provide the groundwork for projects where we can use the model of working in partnership to develop and test culturally relevant mental health support for minority ethnic people living with long-term conditions. Patient and Public Involvement: The research has been co-deigned with minority ethnic people alongside community groups advocating for minority ethnic health. This partnership is embedded throughout all stages of our project from the mix of the research team to the methods designed to learn from and with each other. Patients and community groups will be important in sharing the findings of this research in ways that are relevant to those intended to benefit from what we find. This will include in languages of origin. We want all people to have equal opportunity to hear about our research and to be motivated to get involved in future.