Peer-led self-management for people with severe mental disorders: an economic evaluation
The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice
ISSN: 1755-6228
Article publication date: 9 March 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a peer-led self-management intervention for people with severe mental disorders.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a one-arm longitudinal study without control group. In all, 262 adults with (self-reported) severe mental disorders, who have used secondary mental health services and were living in the community were evaluated at three time points (baseline, six and 12 months). Socio-demographic data were collected at baseline. Wellbeing (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale), functional living skills (Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II) and service use (Client Service Receipt Inventory) data were assessed over time.
Findings
Self-management for people with severe mental disorders improved wellbeing and health-promoting lifestyles. After an increase in the short term, costs appeared to decrease in the longer term, although this change was not statistically significant. Due to the lack of a control group, the authors are unable to attribute those changes to the intervention only. Nevertheless, the self-management intervention appears to warrant further attention on both wellbeing and economic grounds.
Originality/value
Self-management may facilitate recovery, helping to support people with severe mental disorders at no additional cost. Given recent emphasis on recovery, peer workers and self-management, this peer-led self-management approach for people with severe mental disorders appears to have potential.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This project was funded by the Big Lottery Fund, Wales. The economic evaluation was made possible by a grant from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Social Care Research. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR School for Social Care Research or the Department of Health/NIHR. The authors are grateful to Annette Bauer, Jennifer Beecham, Eva Bonin, Francesco D’Amico and Derek King for advice during the analysis.
Citation
Iemmi, V., Crepaz-Keay, D., Cyhlarova, E. and Knapp, M. (2015), "Peer-led self-management for people with severe mental disorders: an economic evaluation", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 14-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-08-2014-0019
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited