We are looking for people with lived experience to be involved in our research!

We are looking for people with lived experience to be invovled in our competence group or scientific advisory board!

What's it all about?

Mental illness is the most common complication during and after pregnancy. About one in five mothers and more than one in ten fathers are affected. Since mental illness not only affects the parents' health and quality of life, but also can have long-term consequences on the development of the child itself, it is important to focus on early intervention and preventive measures.
 
Who are we?

Within the context of our research project "Healthy Minds - Mental Health around Birth" at the Medical University of Innsbruck, the current situation of expectant and new parents in Tyrol will be examined. In doing so, we try to develop an approach to improve early intervention and prevention in cooperation with experts from different fields (e.g. health and psychosocial professionals as well as decision makers) and affected parents - based on the principle of Open Innovation in Science.
 
As part of the preparation for our project, we conducted workshops in which we identified gaps in mental health education around childbirth and in prevention and support services. Through cooperation with experts, but also with people with lived experience, we want to improve the situation of expectant parents, but also expand the general support offer, so that services for mental health problems are more easily accessible and mental well-being is effectively promoted. In order to implement this project, so-called competence groups will be built consisting of people with lived experience, who will actively participate in the research process by contributing their individual perspectives.

What exactly is a Competence Group? 
The Competence Group is a group consisting of 3-5 members with people with lived personal experience. It advises the research team and is involved in the following areas:
 

• consulting and reflecting with the research group on the planned interventions and research activities regarding mental illness
• Feedback on the research design, implementation, and interpretation of results from the perspective of people with lived experience
• Ensuring that the needs, priorities, and experiences of patients and their families are considered in the research process
• Providing feedback on research materials such as study protocols, information sheets, and participant consent forms
• Communicating the research project and its results within the mental health professional community and to other stakeholders

How does it work? 
The Competence Group will meet with the Research Group at least every two months to discuss ongoing research activities and provide feedback. During these meetings, the Competence Group will regularly present its activities and recommendations, which will, of course, subsequently be mentioned in all research publications and presentations. Apart from the meetings, there will also be other communication channels to stay in touch. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the project leader.
 

What are the benefits?
As a member of our Competence Group, you would have the opportunity to contribute your own perspective and experience regarding perinatal mental health and help us to bring our research closer to practice. By collaborating with experts and affected individuals, we aim to improve the situation of expectant and new parents by adapting services in the mental health area to meet the needs of those affected in Tyrol more effectively. The Competence Group plays a crucial role in involving public opinion and giving a voice to those affected as well as their families! The financial compensation will be 50,00€ per session.

 

What exactly is a Scientific Advisory Board?

The Advisory Board (AB) is an independent advisory body that provides advice to the research group "Healthy Minds" based on their research activities and aims to consider the (scientific) quality of the research projects. The project scope and funding conditions should be kept in mind by the AB in discussion with the research team. The AB should support the research group using participatory research methods (such as; Open Innovation in Science, Patient Public Involvement and Engagement, Co-Design, Action Research) to improve perinatal mental health supports in Tyrol. The AB is also expected to ensure that the research activities reflect and address the needs of the local community

The objectives of the scientific advisory board are to advise on the following suggested topics:

• Scientific quality

• Progress of the research activities

• Involvement of the community in research processes

• Strategies, milestones and deliverables

• Communication and dissemination activities

• Research design and implementation

• Developments in the field of perinatal mental health

• Ethical considerations related to the research

• Communication and collaboration between the research group and relevant stakeholders

The meetings are limited to the duration of the research project, take place once a year and are held in English.

Members of the AB will not receive any remuneration for their participation on the board. Travel and other necessary expenses incurred in relation to AB activities will be reimbursed in accordance with the project budget.

Having said that, we would be very pleased if you could support us in this important project with your personal experience by becoming part of our competence group and thus helping us to sustainably improve the support services in Tyrol!

If you're interested, please contact us: 
philipp.schoech@i-med.ac.at
+43 676 8716 72 242