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
Adebiyi AAMO
(2021)
Amplifying the voices of young people from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds in mental health research.
in Journal of mental health (Abingdon, England)
Onwumere J
(2023)
Amplifying the voices of Black racial minorities in mental health research through public involvement and engagement: The importance of advisory roles
in Health Expectations
| 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 |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| 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 | 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 | 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 |