Increasing ethnicity reporting to better understand cultural needs accessing a primary care talking therapy service.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the under-utilisation of statutory mental health care services by minority ethnic groups in the United Kingdom (UK). AIM: To improve ethnicity reporting to better understand the needs of patients accessing a primary care talking therapies service. METHOD: We conducted a clinical audit to observe outcomes from pre-COVID (2019), first wave of COVID-19 (2020) and 2021 for three broad ethnic categories: black African/Caribbean, Asian and white British. Intervention was conducted on staff to improve data recording of ethnicity. A patient survey was sent to those identified as dropped out from treatment from May 2020 to April 2021. A total of 229 patients responded to the survey. The survey asked for reasons that impacted on not continuing with sessions. RESULTS: Quantitative analysis showed a statistically significant difference on discharge outcome between white British and black African/Caribbean (p=<0.0001), with black African/Caribbean patients most likely to drop out of treatment, and in 2020 the Asian population was below the recovery target of 50%. Qualitative analysis revealed therapist factors included lack of confidence in therapist and not being listened to, patient factors included neurodiversity, being unsure whether it would be helpful and confidentiality concerns, and service factors included being notified of discharge from the service, remote delivery of therapy, treatment options, and treatment materials. DISCUSSIONS: Services must work towards improving service provision by capturing hidden disparities and socialising treatment to meet the needs of minority ethnic groups in the UK. The present study recommends culturally adapted treatment and co-producing therapy materials.

Burden and coping in caregivers of persons with schizophrenia.

Caring for a family member with schizophrenia is an enduring stressor and causes considerable amount of burden. The aim of the present study was to examine burden and coping in parents and spouses of persons with schizophrenia. The sample comprised of 24 parents and 24 spouses. Patients were assessed on the Global Assessment Scale (GAS), and caregivers were assessed on the Burden Assessment Schedule (BAS) and the Coping Checklist (CCL). Spouses reported greater emotional burden. Parents used more of denial as a coping strategy, while spouses used more of negative distraction strategies. On stepwise regression analysis, patient's age, educational level, and level of functioning and caregiver's use of denial as a coping strategy emerged as significant predictors of caregiver burden. The study highlights the fact that family intervention programs need to address the specific concerns of caregivers.