In this project, we asked groups of young people to tell us which questions about youth mental health they think are most important for research to explore using linked datasets. We also asked how we can share research findings in ways that are clear, easy to understand, and accessible for young people.
Background
About one in five young people in the UK experience mental health difficulties, and the number has been rising over the past 20 years. These issues often come from a complicated mix of personal and social factors that change over time. It’s really important that we find better ways to understand why young people struggle with their mental health and figure out which types of support and interventions actually work. Using large linked datasets gives us a valuable chance to explore these questions on a bigger scale. By bringing together information from different sources — like health, education, and social data — researchers can spot patterns, see how things change over time, and understand what puts young people at risk or helps protect their mental wellbeing.
Project Aims
- We asked young people in our PPI (Patient and Public Involvement) groups which research questions and topics they think we should focus on when using linked data.
- We want to know what matters most to young people when it comes to mental health research.
- We also asked how we should share and present research findings so they are clear, understandable, and accessible to young people.
Project Activity
We ran four focus groups with 26 young people aged 11-18 from across the UK, including people from a range of backgrounds. Some of the groups met in person, and some met online. Each group lasted about an hour and included a short presentation from researchers about how linked data could be used in mental health research.
After that, the group took part in an activity to come up with a list of research topics that matter most to young people and then rank them in order of importance. We also showed the groups examples of how research findings could be shared and who might share them, and we asked the young people to tell us which formats they find most accessible and interesting. Everyone who took part received a £25 shopping voucher as a thank you for their time.
Findings
Before the PPI sessions began, the research team had identified 10 topics that are important to young people’s mental health. These included age, gender, school, employment, COVID, substances, sources of help, criminal justice involvement, specific mental health disorders and financial stress. As a result of the PPI sessions, young people advocated for the investigation of 7 additional topics. These included home and family life, social media, social life, the definition of mental health, current events, peer pressure and culture. They also identified potential causal pathways and relationships between these different factors, such as how social media can exacerbate financial stress and how the effects of COVID may be mediated by age.
We also received feedback on how best to share research findings. Young people emphasised that reports of research findings should be tailored to their intended audience, highlighting the importance of using multiple formats to meet diverse needs and learning preferences. They valued concise written summaries and visually engaging graphs and infographics, as well as podcasts and videos presented in accessible language. Participants also stressed the importance of considering learning difficulties to ensure accessibility.
Outputs
PCIEP Impact Case Study Linked Data_2.pdf
Next Steps
The findings will help shape future mental health research using linked datasets to explore youth mental health and how findings should be communicated so that young people can understand and use them.
Who was involved?
- Dr. Jo Reid, University of Cambridge
- Dr. Judi Kidger, University of Bristol
- Hayley Gains, University of Cambridge
- Chloe Forte, University of Bristol
Contact
Jo Reid, jpa44@cam.ac.uk
