Supporting Mental Wellbeing (SMW), v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Supporting Mental Wellbeing (SMW) Study: Developing a relevant, acceptable and evidence-based intervention that facilitates mutual support for mental wellbeing among people living with chronic physical conditions and their supporters.
IRAS ID
215929
Contact name
Gemma-Claire Ali
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 31 days
Research summary
1. Background
Mental wellbeing issues are highly prevalent and worsen outcomes among people living with chronic physical conditions and their supporters. Studies of unmet needs in these groups have identified a thirst for strategies to help understand and manage mental wellbeing. Most studies of mental wellbeing interventions for people living with chronic physical conditions and their supporters have been conducted in narrowly defined populations, and few help with mutual support.2. Aim
To develop a relevant, acceptable and evidence-based intervention facilitating mutual support for mental wellbeing among people living with chronic physical conditions and their supporters.3. Methods
Qualitative interviews (phase 1) and focus groups (phase 2) will be conducted with people living with one or more of five chronic physical conditions (cancer, chronic pain, coronary heart disease, dementia and stroke) and their supporters.Phase 1: The study will involve fifty interviewees. For each of the five conditions, two individual service users, two individual supporters and three dyads comprising one of each will be recruited. For the dyadic interviews, dyad partners will be interviewed first together, then separately but simultaneously. There will therefore be a total of 65 interviews. All participants will be recruited through primary care practices throughout Cambridegshire, with support from the NIHR Clinical Research Network. Participants will have the option to be interviewed in their own homes or at University of Cambridge premises.
After the interviews, participants will be asked to complete a simple demographic information sheet and brief validated questionnaires on mental wellbeing and relationships. Complete involvement will last no longer than two hours.
Phase 2: Ideas for a prototype intervention generated from phase 1 will be taken to half day focus groups involving people living with chronic conditions and their supporters. Participants will have the opportunity to explore planned intervention components and provide feedback on their experience, facilitating intervention refinement.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/2227
Date of REC Opinion
3 Feb 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion