4D-UK Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Developing an inclusive approach to multidimensional assessment of people with mental health symptoms in people in UK primary care: A qualitative study
IRAS ID
313236
Contact name
Adam Geraghty
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 4 days
Research summary
Aim: We aim to explore how people think about and experience mental health symptoms in terms of ‘distress’, ‘depression’, ‘anxiety’ and ‘related physical symptoms’. We want to know whether this broad approach can be helpful.
Background: General Practitioners (GPs) care for the majority of people who approach health care services for support with mental health concerns. Part of their role is to decide when symptoms reflect clinical diagnoses such as depression and anxiety, and when they do not. They will offer ideas about symptoms and suggest treatment(s) on this basis. Deciding on diagnosis and treatment, however, can be complicated, particularly when patients face stressful life circumstances. Some people suggest that GPs provide treatment (such as antidepressants) that are unnecessary, whilst others worry that GPs miss people experiencing a problem like depression which then goes un-treated. Dutch GPs often use a specific questionnaire that can help to distinguish distress/stress from depression and anxiety. This is not currently used in the UK. In the present study we will explore what people think about the questionnaire and how its results can be used to understand mental health symptoms.
Methods: In this study we will interview about 35 people with a broad range of mental health experiences. We will recruit people who have been to see their GP to talk about how they are feeling, as well as recruiting people from the community via events we run, and adverts placed in both traditional and social media. As part of the study, we will ask people to complete the a questionnaire about symptoms (4DSQ). This questionnaire contains a range of questions about mental health symptoms. These questions help us to better understand their experience. In the interview study we will ask people to reflect on their answers to these questions and talk to us about whether they think they match how they are feeling and whether they think it is useful or not. We will ask a smaller number of people (up to 5) to take part in ‘cognitive interviews’ where people are asked to think aloud as they complete the questionnaire with a researcher. This will help us understand if people have difficulties interpreting the questions. All interviews will be recorded and transcribed in full. We will analyse data by drawing out common themes.
Discussion: This study will help us start to understand whether the 4DSQ might be a
useful approach for people using primary care in the UK for mental health problems. We aim to recruit a diverse range of people from different backgrounds. This will ensure what we learn can be applied to as many people as possible.REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SC/0125
Date of REC Opinion
30 May 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion