hEARD: help Exploring At-Risk Disengagement

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Exploring and addressing At Risk Mental State (ARMS) disengagement in collaboration with service-users (hEARD: help Exploring At-Risk Disengagement)

  • IRAS ID

    313868

  • Contact name

    Lauren Ashton Cox

  • Contact email

    lauren.cox@gmmh.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    The University of Manchester

  • Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

    n/a, n/a

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 11 months, 0 days

  • Research summary

    Psychosis is a psychological condition whereby people may experience distressing thoughts and experiences. This can negatively affect important areas of a persons life such as family and social relationships, education or work. NHS mental health services and treatments to prevent the onset of psychosis have been developed for those who might be at risk of psychosis, and these use the term ‘at risk mental state’ or ARMS. Despite these services existing, ARMS users often disengage from support. This may lead to negative outcomes such as developing psychosis or other mental health problems.
    There is therefore a need to better understand disengagement from services among 'at-risk' individuals to understand how services can meet their needs to prevent long term health problems. The study aims to explore reasons and impact of disengagement, and how to address this in NHS services with service users. This is of relevance and importance, as there are no studies which specifically explore disengagement and how to address this from a service-user perspective. It is part of a wider project aiming to develop a care model service-users value, which can be delivered in the NHS to reduce disengagement and improve overall outcomes.
    In this qualitative study, we intend to recruit 20 people who have been classed as having an ARMS who have disengaged from services within the last 12 months across Early Intervention in Psychosis teams providing ARMS care. They will take part in a single semi-structured qualitative interview exploring reasons for disengagement, the impacts, and perspectives on how this might be addressed.
    The research is funded by the National Institute of Health Research as part of a personal Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship. We will be recruiting across Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the North East and the Midlands.

  • REC name

    Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    22/YH/0164

  • Date of REC Opinion

    24 Aug 2022

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion