COVID BAME highlight: A collaborative approach to understand and remediate the impact of COVID19 on mental health in BAME communities: A pilot study
Lead Research Organisation:
King's College London
Department Name: Psychological Medicine
Abstract
The COVID19 Pandemic has exacerbated societal differences, with its greatest negative impact on vulnerable groups, including people from a BAME background. Among other challenges, this population, and especially children and young adults, experiences mental health difficulties to a greater degree than people from white background and faces significant difficulties in accessing mental health services. This project will use a collaborative approach that will involve members of BAME communities, including people with mental health difficulties, mental health professionals and members of charities. The project aims are: (1) to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and service access in families of children/young adults from BAME backgrounds using qualitative methods, and (2) to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an online carers' skill-based training to improve mental health wellbeing in families from BAME backgrounds. It is acknowledged that there is great heterogeneity among BAME communities and therefore this pilot study will focus on adults of black ethnicity, with the longer-term goal of replicating findings in other ethnic minority groups. The output of aim 1 will be improved knowledge about the effects of COVID19 on mental health among adults of black ethnicity. The output of aim 2 will be the understanding of how an online carers' skill-based training could be adapted to the needs of this population to promote mental health wellbeing in families.
Publications
Onwumere J
(2024)
Amplifying the voices of Black racial minorities in mental health research through public involvement and engagement: The importance of advisory roles.
in Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy
| Description | This project generated a partnership between academics and an advisory group of carers of children from Black ethnic minorities. Through regular focus groups with the advisory group, sensitive topics related to mental health and access to services in ethnic minorities were discussed. The overall goal was to plan the development of self-management resources for carers of children from Black ethnic minorities who might be experiencing psychological distress. As a result of the focus groups, three videos to raise awareness about mental health issues in ethnic minorities were co-produced with members of the advisory group. The second main result of the project was the collection of a large amount of self-reported data from carers of children from Black ethnic minorities in the UK. Data describe the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the wellbeing, social functioning and access to care for mental health or physical difficulties among Black ethnic minorities. We are currently writing the manuscript describing and discussing these findings and their implications. |
| Exploitation Route | The research outcomes might inform the development of self-management resources to provide carers of children from Black ethnic minorities with knowledge and skills to identify and respond to children psychological distress and social difficulties. These resources might be hosted on platforms such as Future Learn (Massive Open Online Course) and could be shared with clinicians or through social media to raise awareness and access to care. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Education Healthcare |
| Description | The aims of the project have allowed for collaborative work with local stakeholders e.g., religious institutes. This enabled a conversation around mental wellbeing for communities where stigma may be prevalent and led to greater awareness and psychoeducation around mental wellbeing. For example, collaborative work being carried with Lewisham mosque has engaged an often neglected community within mental health services. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
| Title | Video clips |
| Description | The researchers filmed three brief videoclips featuring personal experiences of mental health issues and access to services from people from black ethnic groups in the UK and plan to develop five more videos featuring mental health clinicians working with people from black ethnic minorities. These clips will be aimed at providing principles of psychoeducation to recognise and intervene early on mental health difficulties in children from black ethnic minorities. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The researchers plan to develop five more videos featuring mental health clinicians working with people from black ethnic minorities. These clips will be aimed at providing principles of psychoeducation to recognise and intervene early on mental health difficulties in children from black ethnic minorities. |
| Description | Community engagement |
| Organisation | Lambeth College |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have established a collaboration with Lambeth College. The collaboration is aimed at discussing issues around mental health in black ethnic minorities and strategies which could be implemented to address these. Lambeth College will provide also an infrastructure for the recruitment of study participants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Active participation within the study through holding focus groups for parents/carers of Black children and facilitation of recruitment. |
| Impact | The collaboration has been established only recently. We have agreed on dates in April and May to hold focus groups with members of black ethnic groups who will be recruited through the College. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Laura Sudulich (Reader in Public Policy) |
| Organisation | University of Essex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| PI Contribution | Data collection from 2000 survey participants |
| Collaborator Contribution | Leading on quantitative data analyses from the survey |
| Impact | The outputs/outcomes that will result from this collaboration include a scientific manuscript submitted for publication in a medical journal. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Creation of video clip resources involving black patients with lived experience of mental health problems |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The researchers filmed 3 brief videoclips featuring personal experiences of mental health issues and access to services from people from black ethnic groups in the UK and plan to develop 5 more videos featuring mental health clinicians working with people from black ethnic minorities. These clips will be aimed at providing principles of psychoeducation to recognise and intervene early on mental health difficulties in children from black ethnic minorities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Exploring the unequal impacts of COVID-19 on the UK BAME population IPPO |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Roundtable discussion on the topic: Exploring the unequal impacts of COVID-19 on the UK BAME population. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Healthcare professionals workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a workshop for healthcare professionals willing to discuss culturally-based adaptations of standard and evidence-based psychological interventions for common psychological disorders. At the end of the workshop, professionals reported changes in their opinions and views with regards to the limitations of current psychological approaches. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO). Roundtable: Exploring the unequal impacts of COVID-19 on the UK Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic population' on |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The aim of this talk was to discuss the unequal impact of COVID-19 on racial minority groups in the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Lecture to mental health postgraduate students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This was a lecture given to postgraduate students in clinical psychology. The aim was to reflect on cultural adaptations needed to be made to evidence-based psychological treatments for common mental health disorders. The outcome was a change in opinions and attitudes and also interest in being involved in research projects aimed at exploring mental health distress in ethnic minorities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Regular meetings with the Advisory Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Since the start of the project, we have formed an advisory group, which includes people from black ethnic groups from the general public, with experience of providing care for a child or young adult from a black ethnic group, or patients (N=10-12 people). To date, we have had seven online meetings with the advisory group. The advisory group is providing regular input about the goals, methods and engagement activities related to the project. We are currently co-producing a manuscript to discuss the process of working with the advisory group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |