GP blog: The importance of mental health research

Importance of mental health research

Mental health research is essential in driving innovation in current mental healthcare treatments and practices, and in bringing hope for future responses to the mental health needs of the population. First and foremost, research improves our understanding of the causes and risk factors for mental health difficulties, but it also supports promotion and prevention initiatives to help people to stay well. High-quality research can also support the development of new types of mental health interventions and provide evidence on how to implement innovative approaches in practice.

While mental health research saves lives, relieves significant distress and improves quality of life, it also benefits the whole of our society by generating social and economic benefits that contribute to more resilient communities with reduced levels of mental ill-health.

While significant research and public campaigns in Ireland have aimed to challenge mental health stigma, it remains an issue. In our own 2023 Annual Attitudes to Mental Health and Stigma Survey, it was found that the Irish public are more likely to treat friends and loved ones experiencing mental health difficulties with compassion and understanding than they would themselves. 91% of survey respondents would not see it as a sign of weakness if a friend, colleague or family member sought help for a mental health difficulty; however, only 78% would not consider it a sign of weakness if they themselves sought treatment for a mental health difficulty. This reveals a higher prevalence of self-stigma, which refers to feelings of self-criticism or shame associated with mental health difficulties.

Aware’s 2023 national survey revealed high rates of depression and anxiety amongst our population, with 60% of those surveyed experiencing depression and 80% experiencing anxiety. An earlier study in 2022 found that 42% of Irish adults have a mental health disorder and more than one in ten have attempted suicide (people in the population most likely to have a mental health disorder were younger in age, working in a job requiring shift work, and had experienced a traumatic life event). There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on mental health as well as physical health, and has served to further highlight how important it is that we focus on mental health research and delivery, whether as GPs, mental health professionals, service users or at a population level. 

Research at SPMHS

The Academic Institute at SPMHS aims to play a crucial role in exploring how best to deliver and improve mental health treatment and evidence-based practice. The research agenda of the institute is shaped and monitored by a service user and carer-led steering group, with input from and co-operation with Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and other academic institutions. It is a priority for SPMHS that people with lived experience are at the heart of all our research endeavours; shaping our research strategy and broadening dissemination of research beyond traditional academic boundaries. 

The Academic Institute aims to proactively work to promote research and to build a strong research culture in SPMHS. It also has oversight of hospital-based research activity to ensure that the wellbeing and rights of service users, their families and staff, as well as SPMHS’ resources, are safeguarded at all times. The Academic Institute also aims to promote and raise awareness of the importance of research to our service users and other stakeholders.

SPMHS, in conjunction with the TCD School of Psychiatry, the School of Nursing and Midwifery at TCD and the School of Psychology at University College Dublin (UCD), has developed a vigorous and broad-based programme of clinical research, particularly in the investigation of innovative practices in mental health.

Professor Declan McLoughlin, Research Professor of Psychiatry at SPMHS and TCD, has built a substantial portfolio of research, including:

• The KARMA-DEP (2) Trial, which explores the use of ketamine as an adjunctive therapy for people with severe depression
• The CARE-Dep Study aims to identify clinical characteristics that may predict a good therapeutic response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
• The Profile Study aims to better predict in advance who is more likely to benefit from ECT and could help us target treatment delivery to those patients most likely to benefit and avoid side effects. 

Our Psychology Department has led on investigations into novel treatments such as Compassion-Focused Therapy, Group Radical Openness and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy. Members of the department have also recently published on:

• parenting interventions
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and homework
• multifamily group for adolescents with emotion regulation difficulties
• psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Additionally, our Pharmacy Department has recently published work relating to antipsychotic-induced weight gain in first episode psychosis and polypharmacy in older adults in an inpatient psychiatric setting.

Our Nursing Department has led on the investigations into the remotely-accessed Homecare service at SPMHS, exploring the views of the first cohort of people who used the service. They also recently published a paper exploring the experiences of service users transitioning from inpatient care for eating disorders to our day care programme. Highlighting our commitment to prioritise service user participation in our research agenda, a paper was recently written by a SPMHS service user, in collaboration with the Nursing Department, detailing a lived narrative account of recovery from mental illness.

Our Occupational Therapy Department has recently published on a lifestyle lecture intervention for people in treatment for addiction, and our Social Work Department contributed to a position paper on mental health and housing.

Queries

If you would like further information on any of research publications or current projects, please contact our Academic Institute Programme Manager by emailing gdonohue@stpatricks.ie