A research study in Colombia to test an intervention called Volunteer Support, designed to improve care for people living in the community with severe mental illness

Conditions

Patients with severe mental illness (including psychosis) Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Stefan Priebe, Catherine Fung, Luis Ignacio Brusco, Fernando Luis Carbonetti, Carlos Gómez–Restrepo et al. (15 authors)

BMJ Open2021-09-0139 citations

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052339

Experiences and outcomes of group volunteer befriending with patients with severe mental illness: an exploratory mixed-methods study in Colombia

Felipe Botero‐Rodríguez, María Camila Hernandez, José Miguel Uribe-Restrepo, Camilo Cabariqe, Catherine Fung et al. (7 authors)

BMC Psychiatry2021-05-0617 citations

10.1186/s12888-021-03232-z

Resource-oriented interventions for patients with severe mental illnesses in low- and middle-income countries: trials in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia and Uganda.

Priebe S, Fung C, Sajun SZ, Alinaitwe R, Giacco D, Gómez-Restrepo C, Kulenoviĉ AD, Nakasujja N, Ramírez SM, Slatina S, Sewankambo NK, Sikira H, Uribe M, Bird VJ.

2019-06-1426 citations

10.1186/s12888-019-2148-x

Interventions

30 patients will be recruited and will receive the Volunteer Support intervention, where 2 volunteers will meet small groups of 3-6 patients every 2 weeks for 6 months. The focus of this intervention

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Primary diagnosis of severe mental illness (ICD-10 F20-29, F31, F32) 2. Aged 18-65 years 3. Capacity to provide informed consent 4. Willing to engage with a volunteer 5. Scores 5 or below on the MANSA scale 6. Illness of over 6 months

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Primary diagnosis of substance-use disorder 2. Diagnosis of dementia or organic psychosis; 3. An inpatient at the time of recruitment 4. Participating in another study conducted by this or another research group

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Quality of Life, measured using the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA) at baseline, 6 months and 12 months.	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Symptoms, measured using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) at baseline, 6 and 12 months 2. Objective social situation, measured using the Objective Social Outcomes Index (SIX) at baseline, 6 and 12 months 3. Service use, measured using adapted Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI) at baseline, 6 and 12 months. 4. Stigma, measured using the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Inventory (ISMI) at baseline, 6 and 12 months.	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Symptoms, measured using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) at baseline, 6 and 12 months 2. Objective social situation, measured using the Objective Social Outcomes Index (SIX) at baseline, 6 and 12 months 3. Service use, measured using adapted Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI) at baseline, 6 and 12 months. 4. Stigma, measured using the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Inventory (ISMI) at baseline, 6 and 12 months.

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Countries

Colombia

Contacts

Public ContactFrancois van Loggerenberg

f.vanloggerenberg@qmul.ac.uk+44 (0)207 540 4380 Ext: 2339

Outcome results

None listed