Projects aimed at reducing health inequalities in Black communities have been awarded £300,000 of funding.
Bipolar disorder can deeply affect lives, but African and Caribbean communities in the UK are often underrepresented in research and face barriers like stigma, discrimination, and a lack of culturally sensitive care.
The CAPE project (Culturally adapted Psychoeducation for African and Caribbean persons with bipolar disorder in the UK) aims to change that.
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) has received £300,169 from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit Programme.
Led by Psychologist Dr Dung Jidong, with LSCFT Research Operations Manager Farah Lunat as co-applicant, the project is seen as a step forward in making mental health care more inclusive and responsive to Black communities.
People with bipolar disorder have higher suicide rates and a life expectancy of 10 to 20 years shorter than the general population.
In the UK, bipolar disorder has an economic burden of £6.4billion annually and Black people are 173 times more likely than their White counterparts to receive a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is under-researched, particularly within African/Caribbean communities.
This research focuses on African/Caribbean individuals who self-identity as Black British, Black African, Caribbean, or of mixed African or Caribbean heritage.
Farah said: “Through education and engagement, previous research has shown that communities are not only willing but are often eager to contribute to shaping the future of care.
“This project will give people an opportunity to do just that. Here at LSCFT we do more to be inclusive and we’re proud to be part of research that makes a real difference in reducing health inequalities and aiming for equity.”
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Participants in the Lancashire-based trial will be randomly assigned to two groups. One group will receive the CAPE intervention alongside NHS treatment as usual, while the other will receive only the usual treatment.
The approach will involve 12 hour-long online sessions covering bipolar disorder, cultural beliefs, stigma, medications, side effects, recurrence factors, and management strategies while promoting a productive lifestyle and healthy practices.
Trained therapists will deliver the intervention remotely, supervised by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists.
One participant said: “I believe that this CAPE intervention will reduce stigma in our communities and increase service uptake for people with bipolar disorder.”
The research team includes a co-investigator with lived experience of bipolar disorder, and the project aligns with the NIHR’s strategy to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion through inclusive research and healthcare.
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