NHIP Lightning Talk – The mental-physical ill health interphase: An inherently complex area of research

16/01/2024 12:00 pm to 16/01/2024 12:30 pm

Event Details

** This event has now passed **

 

Mental health problems and illnesses are often found in people with physical illness, and vice versa.  This is seen in patients with Multiple Long-Term Conditions (MLTCs) where at least one of the conditions is commonly a mental health problem or illness. There are multiple reasons why this might be the case, which include shared biology, psychological impacts of experiencing a severe chronic illness and adverse behavioural or lifestyle patterns such as reduced activity.

Professor Hamish McAllister-Williams will present at the next NHIP Lightning Talk considering complexity in mental health research, particularly at the mental-physical health interphase. He will illustrate his talk with two current research studies – one regarding the comorbidity of depression in patients with heart failure and the other cardiac side effects of antidepressants. He will examine the many sources of complexity both at a scientific and operational level. He will also discuss why mental health can seem so much more complicated than physical illness and possible ways in which this might be address within an NHIP perspective.

Hamish is Professor of Affective Disorder and Senior Research Advisor at Newcastle University, and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist and Deputy Medical Director for Research at the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW). His academic and clinical interest is complex and difficult to treat mood disorders and their treatment.

Lightning Talks are designed to stimulate debate, questions, and curiosity from NHIP stakeholders. They also aim to raise awareness of the incredible work taking place across NHIP organisations for the benefit of patients and the population.

Typically, the events are a 30-minute virtual session, comprising a 15-minute presentation, and 15 minutes allocated for rapid response to questions or observations.