Health Professionals Working on Patient-Oriented Research
NL SUPPORT offers a funding program for health professional-led research, the purpose of which is to develop patient-oriented research and evaluation capacity amongst health professionals. Earlier in 2022, two health professionals from the fields of psychiatry/nursing and pharmacy were funded.
Integrating Physical and Mental Health Care for Individuals with Mental Illness: A Mixed Methods Study to Test a Lifestyle Intervention that Supports a Recovery Oriented Approach within Mental Health Services
Kellie LeDrew, MD FRCPC, Eastern Health PIER Program, Discipline of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University & Jill Bruneau, PhD, NP, Faculty of Nursing, Memorial University
There is a lack of focus on the physical health of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI), and these individuals have a shortened lifespan by between 7 and 25 years compared to the general population. This growing inequity in individuals with SMI rises from the adverse effect profiles of psychiatric pharmacotherapies and the ensuing lifestyle behaviours (e.g. tobacco and other substance use, physical inactivity, poor dietary habits, and sleep disturbances) and often difficult life circumstances which contribute to the prevalence of high cardiometabolic risk factors and associated conditions (e.g., obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases). Evidence of the population’s struggle in accessing primary care, has resulted in repeated calls to integrate physical and mental health care for those with SMI.
This exploratory-sequential mixed methods study will identify, design and pilot a contextually relevant, evidence-informed, multimodal interprofessional intervention to reduce cardiometabolic risk and to improve quality of life for individuals in this target population. The electronic Cardiovascular Assessment Screening Program (CASP) successfully tested in communities across our province with health providers and at-risk patients and funded by a different research grant from NL SUPPORT, will be adapted for use within the SMI population. The CASP intervention will be modified specifically for younger individuals with SMI and then tested within the Psychosis Intervention and Early Recovery (PIER) Program of Eastern Health. The Mental Health and Addictions Program of Eastern Health developed a Patient and Family Advisory Council to help guide the work of the program. The council will provide up to four members for our research team and the council members will have the opportunity to participate in study development, implementation and dissemination. Creation of this customized intervention will require significant input and knowledge from research team members with lived experience of mental illness.
This study aims to improve select physical and mental health outcomes for individuals within the SMI population.
Risk Perception of Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Lactation: A Patient-Informed Survey
Dr. Tiffany Lee, Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, Memorial University and Clinical Pharmacist, Eastern Health
The legalization of cannabis in Canada has shifted public perception regarding risks associated with its use. Cannabis use by pregnant and lactating people is between 5–35%, and this number is increasing. The lack of targeted information on cannabis use for pregnant and lactating people, and guidance for health care professionals has been identified as a priority by the Baby-Friendly Council of NL, the Perinatal Program of NL, health care professionals, CHERP (Cannabis Health Evaluation and Research Partnership), and breastfeeding support groups in the province. This study will seek to fill that gap by more fully understanding current risk perceptions in this Canadian population to inform future patient-centered education strategies.
This study will use an experimental vignette design to assess outcomes related to cannabis knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions as they relate to use during pregnancy and lactation. Participants include individuals between the ages of 19 and 55 who are either planning pregnancy, pregnant, or have been pregnant in the last 5 years. Participants will be eligible regardless of experience with cannabis. Two patient partners have been identified who are members of our target population and also have lived-experience using cannabis for non-medical purposes. Patient partners will be engaged at the Collaborate level of the patient engagement scale (read more about engaging with patients here), will serve as co-investigators and will have equal vote for project decisions. They will help to identify risk perception measures, provide survey design input, help recruit pilot survey testers, inform recruitment strategy, help interpret findings, and inform the team on effective knowledge dissemination activities for patient populations.
Participants’ attitudes and perceptions towards cannabis will be quantitatively evaluated through the use of vignettes. This information will help to inform the development of community-based harm reduction supports for individuals in the target population, including education and resources for cannabis retailers and dispensaries. It will also help health care providers address common misconceptions using harm reduction strategies to facilitate conversations on cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation.
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