Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39880451›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Acceptability and feasibility of shared medical appointments to support self-management of anxiety and depression in primary care in England: a qualitative study of service user/patient perspectives.

Megan Hanrahan, Fiona Graham, Mei Yee Tang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

3 authors.

Megan HanrahanSchool of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.ORCID 0009-0006-1800-7042
Fiona GrahamNIHR Policy Research Unit in Behavioural Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5828-0955
Mei Yee TangSchool of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK m.tang@leeds.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-3116-6025

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveShared medical appointments (SMAs) are an innovative care delivery method that provides delivery of clinical care while also supporting self-management. Their usefulness for mental health conditions has only briefly been explored, though early evidence demonstrates their utility for supporting mental health management. Therefore, this study set out to better understand the views that adults with anxiety and depression have towards SMAs as a way of receiving care to support self-management in primary care. DESIGN AND

methodsA qualitative study using 1:1 semi-structured interviews which were analysed thematically following Braun and Clarke's six-phase reiterative process. We employed a deductive, theory-informed approach to thematically analyse the data.

participantsThe final sample consisted of 17 predominantly White ethnic adults with a clinical diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression from five different regions in England. Participants represented a broad age group (22-74 years) and a range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

resultsThree main themes were established: (1) motivation to attend an SMA, (2) barriers and challenges to SMA engagement and (3) implementation preferences. The concept of SMAs was largely acceptable to participants, although participants reported several factors that would influence their decision to attend an SMA. Participants held some reservations but were on the whole receptive to the idea. The main benefits reported were peer support, support for self-management and quicker access to care. Drawbacks reported included risks to patient confidentiality, negative impact on emotional well-being and the unsuitability of the group setting for some patients. Some salient preferences identified included face-to-face/hybrid delivery formatting and mental health specialist involvement.

conclusionsSMAs in primary care to support anxiety and depression self-management would be acceptable to patients, contingent on the mode of delivery of the SMAs. Future acceptability research should explore SMA appropriateness for diverse patient populations of different ethnic backgrounds, to inform their potential wider roll-out in English primary care.

Indexed as

AnxietyDepressionPatient Acceptance of Health CarePrimary Health CareSelf-ManagementShared Medical AppointmentsAdultAgedEnglandFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchAnxiety disordersDepression & mood disordersPrimary Care

Identifiers

PMID39880451
PMCPMC11784318

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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.