Accessibility statement

CLAHRC Yorkshire and Humber: Mental Health and Comorbidity Theme‌

‌The Mental Health and Comorbidity Theme is one of the nine themes in CLAHRC Yorkshire and Humber, led by Professor Simon Gilbody, exploring the interface between mental and physical ill-health.

The starting point of this work is the repeated observation that people with severe mental illness also frequently have the added morbidity-burden of longer-term conditions. Severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar illness and chronic depression have some of the worst indices of mortality of any section of the population.

The purpose of this theme is to identify, prioritise and develop interventions to address this major health inequality. Researchers will target unhealthy behaviours and lifestyle such as poor diet, smoking and alcohol. They will also target problems in accessing good healthcare and in the management of co-existing physical health problems such as diabetes, respiratory illness and ischaemic heart disease and seek to promote physical health and wellbeing.

Areas of active research for the Mental Health and Comorbidity Theme, CLAHRC Yorkshire and Humber include:

  • improving primary physical care for people with mental ill health and addictions
  • improving care for long-term health conditions associated with mental illness, such as diabetes and respiratory illness
  • promoting healthier lifestyles and behaviour change, for example, smoking cessation and sexual health
  • trans-cultural aspects of physical and mental ill health
  • implementation evaluation.

The aim is to present findings to NHS partners and national NHS decision makers, and engage with users and carers both locally and nationally. An evidence base for strategies to improve physical health amongst those with mental ill health and addictions will be produced. NHS partners will benefit from the participation and engagement in service innovation and evaluation.

Funding

Funder(s): National Institute for Health Research
Start Date: 01-Jan-2014
End Date: 31-Dec-2018

Members

Internal staff

PhD Students

External collaborators

  • Michael Barkham
  • Jan Boehnke
  • Laura Bojke
  • John Brazier
  • Suzanne Heywood-Everett
  • Elizabeth Hughes
  • Rebecca Hutten
  • Sarah Kirkland
  • Moira Leahy
  • Caroline Mitchell
  • Steve Palmer
  • Gerry Richardson
  • Tom Ricketts
  • Dave Saxon
  • Rob Smith
  • John Soady
  • Simon Walker

Mental Health and Addiction Research in the Department of Health Sciences