The CO-ACT Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The CO-ACT Study: Understanding CO-occurring AlCohol and menTal health problems amongst older people, and developing holistic, age-tailored and integrated approaches in local primary care and community alcohol and mental health services
IRAS ID
308817
Contact name
Beth Bareham
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
This study aims to understand how primary care and community alcohol and mental health services can support older people (aged 55+) with co-existing and mental health problems, and their informal caregivers. To do this, we need to understand the support needs of this patient group and their informal caregivers, and consider how these can be met within services. Most older people using alcohol at harmful levels have mental health problems; where common stresses in old age such as retirement, widowhood, and ill health can trigger anxiety and depression, and drinking to cope. Stresses experienced by older people during COVID-19 have driven further increases in alcohol and mental health problems. Tailored support to meet the specific needs of older people with co-existing alcohol and mental health problems is needed, as these patients currently fall between primary care, alcohol and mental health services, which are ill-equipped to meet their complex support needs. Supporting somebody with unmet, complex needs is also challenging, therefore the informal caregivers’ own support needs must also be considered in developing holistic support for the patient group.
This National Institute for Health Research funded qualitative study, conducted March 2022-March 2024, will give older people with co-occurring alcohol and mental health problems, and their informal caregivers an opportunity to contribute to developing services that will support them and their peers in the North East and North Cumbria.
To address our aims, we will:
Conduct one-to-one interviews with older people with co-occurring alcohol and mental health problems; informal caregivers; and commissioners and practitioners working in supporting primary care, alcohol and mental health services, to understand older people’s experiences of co-existing alcohol and mental health problems, and their support needs.
Conduct workshops with these patients, informal caregivers and supporting primary care and community alcohol and mental health practitioners, to develop holistic and age-appropriate approaches to support older people with co-existing alcohol and mental health problems within these services.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/NW/0143
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jul 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion