Without doubt, lived experience of any mental health problem is challenging. Couple that experience with any additional medical or physical condition and you might expect treatment outcomes to be affected....they are! A startling example of this is in the case of people with diabetes who in addition have a psychiatric diagnosis.
"Diabetes mellitus (DM) also known as simply diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period" (Wikipedia) and approximately 3.2million people are affected in UK
Evidence suggests that "diabetes is more than twice as prevalent and has poorer outcomes in people" diagnosed with "schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression than those without. "Although behavioural interventions have proved very effective in the general population, it is not known how effective such interventions are in people" with the aforementioned psychiatric diagnosis, to that end
"Dr Najma Siddiqi is working with colleagues as part of the NHS Yorkshire & Humber Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) on an exciting new research project to help people with both diabetes and SMI (Serious Mental Illness) better manage their diabetes".
In addition ......
DIAMONDS, .Diabetes and Mental Illness:Improving Outcomes and Treatments, Stake Holder Group.of Bradford NHS Trust......are asking for the help and support of people with lived experience of mental illness/diabetes, and/or their carers to take part in the following, on-line questionnaire survey
and possibly for their attendance at.an initial consultation event to be held on
Thursday 4th September, 2014 11am – 1.00pm at
The Cellar Trust, The Old School, Farfield Road, Shipley BD18 4QP.
Tea and coffee will be served from 10.30 a.m. and lunch will be available after the meeting.
You can book on-line here