A qualitative evaluation of a co‐design process involving young people at risk of suicide

Abstract Background Co‐design is becoming common practice in the development of mental health services, however, little is known about the experience of such practices, particularly when young people are involved. Objective The aim of this study was to conduct a process evaluation of the co‐design w...

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Main Authors: Michelle Kehoe, Rick Whitehead, Kathleen deBoer, Denny Meyer, Liza Hopkins, Maja Nedeljkovic
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-02-01
Series:Health Expectations
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13986
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author Michelle Kehoe
Rick Whitehead
Kathleen deBoer
Denny Meyer
Liza Hopkins
Maja Nedeljkovic
author_facet Michelle Kehoe
Rick Whitehead
Kathleen deBoer
Denny Meyer
Liza Hopkins
Maja Nedeljkovic
author_sort Michelle Kehoe
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Co‐design is becoming common practice in the development of mental health services, however, little is known about the experience of such practices, particularly when young people are involved. Objective The aim of this study was to conduct a process evaluation of the co‐design which was undertaken for the development of an intervention for youth and adolescents at risk of suicide. This paper briefly outlines the co‐design process undertaken during a COVID‐19 lockdown and then focuses on a qualitative evaluation of the experience of taking part in a co‐design process. Setting and Participants The evaluation involved young consumers of a public youth mental health service, their carers/parents and service delivery staff who had taken part in the co‐design process. Method This study used follow‐up semistructured interviews with the co‐design participants to explore their experience of the co‐design process. Inductive thematic analysis was used to draw out common themes from the qualitative data. Results It was found that despite the practical efforts of the project team to minimise known issues in co‐design, challenges centred around perceptions regarding power imbalance, the need for extensive consultation and time constraints still arose. Discussion Despite these challenges, the study found that the co‐design provided a human‐centred, accessible and rewarding process for young people, parents and staff members, leaving them with the feeling that they had made a worthwhile contribution to the design of the new service, as well as contributing to changing practice in service design. Conclusion With sensitivity and adaptation to usual practice, it is possible to include young people with suicidal ideation, their parents/carers and professional staff in a safe and effective co‐design process. Patient and Public Contribution The authors would like to thank and acknowledge the young people with a lived experience and their carers who participated in the co‐design process and research evaluation component of this study. We also wish to thank the clinical staff, peer workers and family peer workers who participated in this research.
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spelling doaj-art-cae950d285e84a1590987d4eb6d4e6702025-08-23T11:53:03ZengWileyHealth Expectations1369-65131369-76252024-02-01271n/an/a10.1111/hex.13986A qualitative evaluation of a co‐design process involving young people at risk of suicideMichelle Kehoe0Rick Whitehead1Kathleen deBoer2Denny Meyer3Liza Hopkins4Maja Nedeljkovic5Department of Occupational Therapy Monash University Clayton AustraliaAlfred Mental and Addiction Health Melbourne AustraliaCentre for Mental Health and Brain Science Swinburne University Hawthorn AustraliaCentre for Mental Health and Brain Science Swinburne University Hawthorn AustraliaAlfred Mental and Addiction Health Melbourne AustraliaCentre for Mental Health and Brain Science Swinburne University Hawthorn AustraliaAbstract Background Co‐design is becoming common practice in the development of mental health services, however, little is known about the experience of such practices, particularly when young people are involved. Objective The aim of this study was to conduct a process evaluation of the co‐design which was undertaken for the development of an intervention for youth and adolescents at risk of suicide. This paper briefly outlines the co‐design process undertaken during a COVID‐19 lockdown and then focuses on a qualitative evaluation of the experience of taking part in a co‐design process. Setting and Participants The evaluation involved young consumers of a public youth mental health service, their carers/parents and service delivery staff who had taken part in the co‐design process. Method This study used follow‐up semistructured interviews with the co‐design participants to explore their experience of the co‐design process. Inductive thematic analysis was used to draw out common themes from the qualitative data. Results It was found that despite the practical efforts of the project team to minimise known issues in co‐design, challenges centred around perceptions regarding power imbalance, the need for extensive consultation and time constraints still arose. Discussion Despite these challenges, the study found that the co‐design provided a human‐centred, accessible and rewarding process for young people, parents and staff members, leaving them with the feeling that they had made a worthwhile contribution to the design of the new service, as well as contributing to changing practice in service design. Conclusion With sensitivity and adaptation to usual practice, it is possible to include young people with suicidal ideation, their parents/carers and professional staff in a safe and effective co‐design process. Patient and Public Contribution The authors would like to thank and acknowledge the young people with a lived experience and their carers who participated in the co‐design process and research evaluation component of this study. We also wish to thank the clinical staff, peer workers and family peer workers who participated in this research.https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13986co‐designprocess evaluationyouth suicide
spellingShingle Michelle Kehoe
Rick Whitehead
Kathleen deBoer
Denny Meyer
Liza Hopkins
Maja Nedeljkovic
A qualitative evaluation of a co‐design process involving young people at risk of suicide
Health Expectations
co‐design
process evaluation
youth suicide
title A qualitative evaluation of a co‐design process involving young people at risk of suicide
title_full A qualitative evaluation of a co‐design process involving young people at risk of suicide
title_fullStr A qualitative evaluation of a co‐design process involving young people at risk of suicide
title_full_unstemmed A qualitative evaluation of a co‐design process involving young people at risk of suicide
title_short A qualitative evaluation of a co‐design process involving young people at risk of suicide
title_sort qualitative evaluation of a co design process involving young people at risk of suicide
topic co‐design
process evaluation
youth suicide
url https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13986
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