Literature Collection

INTRODUCTION: Ethnic minorities (also called racialised groups) are more likely to experience severe mental illness (SMI). People with SMI are more likely to experience multimorbidity (MM), making psychosis among racialised groups more likely to lead to MM, poor outcomes, disability and premature mortality. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This National Institute for Health and Care Research-funded study (151887) seeks to use innovative participatory methods including photovoice and biographical narrative interviews in urban and rural areas of England to assemble experience data. These data will be subjected to polytextual thematic analysis, and alongside pictures and captions, will inform an experienced-based co-design of interventions, the implementation of which will be evaluated. There will be an economic analysis and a process evaluation of the implementation. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This programme of work has received ethical (IRAS 322421; Newcastle North Tyneside Research Ethics Committee 23/NE/0143) and sponsor approval. The findings will be disseminated in galleries showing the creative work, as lay and academic summaries and infographics; as practice briefings for practitioners, commissioners and policy makers; peer-reviewed publications. 

Postpartum psychosis (PP) affects one to two per 1,000 women and requires urgent intervention. Whilst PP primarily impacts women, it can place significant strain on partners, who often play a pivotal role throughout postnatal care and recovery. Little is known about how mental health services engage with and support partners during a PP episode. Therefore, this study aims to explore partners' experiences of mental health services to better understand their experiences and needs and inform service provision. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 partners of women who received support for psychosis following childbirth. Findings were analysed thematically. Three main themes were identified: 'understanding and responding to PP', 'partners' involvement in PP care' and 'the responsibilities undertaken and partner wellbeing'. Partners struggled to recognise PP and reported variability in healthcare professionals' knowledge of the condition. They urged for greater information and awareness of PP for partners, professionals and society. Most took on advocacy roles yet reported inconsistent involvement from services. Their ongoing responsibilities and PP related experiences significantly impacted their emotional wellbeing, with many finding services unresponsive to their needs. Some felt lucky to receive tailored support from charities and general practitioners. Many highlighted the need for improvements in integrated care frameworks for partners. These findings call for more inclusive and consistent care frameworks that actively involve, inform, and support partners with recognising and responding to symptoms of PP, involvement in care and supporting their wellbeing throughout. Further efforts are required to raise awareness of PP, improve staff training, and explore partners' needs from varying backgrounds, time points, and circumstances.

Team-based models of care delivery are increasingly utilized to address co-occurring mental health and/or substance use conditions. However, little is known about how team-based models function among primary care teams delivering treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). The research team conducted qualitative interviews with a sample of multidisciplinary, primary care team members delivering OUD treatment using the collaborative care model (CoCM). Providers were recruited from 13 diverse United States (U.S.) clinics participating in a multisite hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial. Interviews were audio recorded and professionally transcribed. All transcripts were double-coded using a coding schema informed by relational coordination theory. Thirty-five team members completed an interview, including 14 primary care providers (PCPs), 13 behavioral health care managers (BHCM), and eight consulting psychiatric providers (CPP). Four themes emerged: (1) team-based work increases shared knowledge about patients; (2) team members leverage one another's relationships with patients to increase treatment engagement; (3) team collaboration is enhanced when BHCMs have opportunities and space to connect informally with PCPs; and (4) increased mutual respect between team members is needed to maximize patient engagement efforts. Team-based models may enhance patient engagement in OUD care by increasing the volume of patient contacts and augmenting therapeutic alliances.