SCENE - Work Package 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
ASSESSING SOCIAL CONTACTS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES OF PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOSIS.
IRAS ID
228169
Contact name
Stefan Priebe
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 30 days
Research summary
Psychosis affects a large number of people (1-2% of the population), can last for decades and cause much distress to patients and carers. Although patients receive medication, practical support and sometimes talking therapies, these treatments have limited benefit and many patients remain socially isolated. Previous studies have shown that small social networks are associated with poor quality of life.
We would like to devise an intervention to expand patients’ social networks and consequently improve their quality of life. To help the development of this intervention, this study will aim to establish what are the current social contacts and activities of people with psychosis across different areas and how many of them wish to increase their social contacts.
In this study, we will interview 300 patients using a brief survey to find out what their social networks look like and whether they may be willing to expand them and participate in an intervention and a trial for this purpose. The survey will include both closed and open questions, which is usually referred to as a “mixed methods approach”.
The study will be carried out at different sites in order to assess social contacts and activities of people of psychosis living in different (urban and rural) areas. The study sites will be East London, Luton, Bedfordshire, North East, and Devon.Research Summary
Background:
People with psychosis often experience the world differently from others, which can make them feel disconnected and lead to social withdrawal. Psychosis can last for many years and can result in significant social isolation. People with psychosis who are socially isolated often have poorer mental health, more hospital visits, and a lower quality of life than those who are not.
In this study, we wanted to learn more about how social isolation affects people with psychosis. We contacted individuals diagnosed with psychosis through their mental health care teams and invited them to take part in a survey. We made sure to include people living in cities as well as more rural areas in England. A total of 548 people took part in the survey. They were asked about their social lives, including how many people they meet, what activities they do, whether they would like to socialise more, and why they do or do not want to. We also asked about their mental health, their quality of life, and where they live.
Key Findings:
- Social Isolation: Most of the people we surveyed had only met one person outside of their household or health professionals in the past week. Despite this, 68% said they wanted more social contact. People who wanted to socialise more, often reported a lower quality of life and did not feel confident about their ability to interact with others. Those who didn't want to socialise either felt happy with their current situation or wanted to prioritise other concerns related to their physical or mental health.
- Living in Urban vs. Rural Areas: We found that people with psychosis who live in cities or very populated areas were more socially isolated than those living in less crowded areas. This is surprising because, for people without psychosis, those living in rural areas usually experience more isolation than people in cities.
- Physical Activity: Most people with psychosis do very little exercise or sports. In fact, 80% of those we surveyed did not meet the minimum activity level recommended by the World Health Organization.
- Leisure Activities and Quality of Life: People with psychosis who take part in leisure activities (like hobbies, sports, or social events) reported a better quality of life. The more leisure activities someone participated in, the better they felt about their overall life.
Conclusion:
Our research suggests that helping people with psychosis to have more opportunities to socialise and engage in leisure activities could improve their well-being and quality of life.REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0191
Date of REC Opinion
31 May 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion