About Co-PICS study

What is the aim of the study?

People living with psychosis experience more long-term physical conditions and a shorter life expectancy. Black and minoritised ethnic backgrounds experience higher levels of psychosis, multiple disadvantages, less GP care, more coercive care and dissatisfaction with care compared with White British people. 

Our study aims to improve the care of diverse people living with psychosis and at least two physical long-term conditions by first learning about their experiences and then co-designing clinical and training resources based on their experiences to support greater integration of care and services.  

Marginalised populations are under-represented in research, and so novel methods of recruitment, engagement, and conducting research are needed.  

HOW WILL PARTICIPANTS BE INVOLVED?

We asked patients, carers and health care professionals with experience of psychosis and multimorbidity to share their experiences using a creative approach called ‘photovoice’. 'Photovoice' involves taking or collecting photos which say something about their experiences to a workshop facilitated by the study researchers, followed by reflective discussions. Some participants also took part in biographical story-telling interviews. 

These methods have been useful in previous work to facilitate people to contribute to research who may not usually take part. We also collected information on demographics and patient health service use. We aim to learn how multiple illnesses evolve in the context of trauma, discrimination, other disadvantage; and how these affect care experiences. 

How will participant stories be used?

Based on their anonymous and aggregated stories, stakeholders will co-design resources or actions for use in practice, training and policy, to improve the care of people with psychosis and multimorbidity and reduce health inequalities. We will evaluate the use and impact of these resources or actions in six NHS sites in England.  

We asked people working on the study what their hopes were for the Co-PICS project.