Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35650562›Full record

Trial reportBMC psychiatry2022

The impact of working as a peer worker in mental health services: a longitudinal mixed methods study.

Steve Gillard, Rhiannon Foster, Sarah White, Sally Barlow, Rahul Bhattacharya, Paul Binfield, Rachel Eborall, Alison Faulkner, Sarah Gibson, Lucy P Goldsmith and 10 more

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC psychiatry, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
23citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
10.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

23 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 44 citations in OpenAlex.

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  19. Exploring the working conditions of disabled employees: a scoping review.Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England) · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors at 9 institutions in 1 country.

Steve GillardCity, University of London, London, UK. steven.gillard@city.ac.uk.
Rhiannon FosterCity, University of London, London, UK.
Sarah WhiteSt George's, University of London, London, UK.
Sally BarlowCity, University of London, London, UK.
Rahul BhattacharyaEast London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Paul BinfieldEast London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Rachel EborallSouth London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Alison FaulknerIndependent Survivor Researcher, London, UK.
Sarah GibsonSt George's, University of London, London, UK.
Lucy P GoldsmithSt George's, University of London, London, UK.
Alan SimpsonKing's College London, London, UK.
Mike LucockUniversity of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
Jacqui MarksSt George's, University of London, London, UK.
Rosaleen MorsheadSt George's, University of London, London, UK.
Shalini PatelSouth West London & St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Stefan PriebeQueen Mary, University of London, London, UK.
Julie RepperImplementing Recovery through Organisational Change, Nottingham, UK.
Miles RinaldiSouth West London & St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Michael UssherSt George's, University of London, London, UK.
Jessica WornerNational Suicide Prevention Alliance, London, UK.
St George's, University of London · GBCity, University of London · GBEast London NHS Foundation Trust · GBSouth West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust · GBKing's College London · GBQueen Mary University of London · GBSouth London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust · GBUniversity of Huddersfield · GBUniversity of Stirling · GB

Funding

Department of Health
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeer workers are increasingly employed in mental health services to use their own experiences of mental distress in supporting others with similar experiences. While evidence is emerging of the benefits of peer support for people using services, the impact on peer workers is less clear. There is a lack of research that takes a longitudinal approach to exploring impact on both employment outcomes for peer workers, and their experiences of working in the peer worker role.

methodsIn a longitudinal mixed methods study, 32 peer workers providing peer support for discharge from inpatient to community mental health care - as part of a randomised controlled trial - undertook in-depth qualitative interviews conducted by service user researchers, and completed measures of wellbeing, burnout, job satisfaction and multi-disciplinary team working after completing training, and four and 12 months into the role. Questionnaire data were summarised and compared to outcomes for relevant population norms, and changes in outcomes were analysed using paired t-tests. Thematic analysis and interpretive workshops involving service user researchers were used to analysis interview transcripts. A critical interpretive synthesis approach was used to synthesise analyses of both datasets.

resultsFor the duration of the study, all questionnaire outcomes were comparable with population norms for health professionals or for the general population. There were small-to-medium decreases in wellbeing and aspects of job satisfaction, and increase in burnout after 4 months, but these changes were largely not maintained at 12 months. Peer workers felt valued, empowered and connected in the role, but could find it challenging to adjust to the demands of the job after initial optimism. Supervision and being part of a standalone peer worker team was supportive, although communication with clinical teams could be improved.

conclusionsPeer workers seem no more likely to experience negative impacts of working than other healthcare professionals but should be well supported as they settle into post, provided with in-work training and support around job insecurity. Research is needed to optimise working arrangements for peer workers alongside clinical teams.

Indexed as

Burnout, ProfessionalMental DisordersMental Health ServicesHumansJob SatisfactionPeer GroupSurveys and QuestionnairesBurnoutCommunity mental healthEmploymentInterdisciplinary team workingJob satisfactionMental health servicesMixed methods researchPeer supportPsychiatric inpatient careWellbeing

Identifiers

PMID35650562
PMCPMC9158348
OpenAlexW4281624452

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.