Researchers from the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, Wellington, have released the results of a study that explored what NZ mental-health service-users and tangata whai ora view as priority research areas. Lived experience perspectives on research are important because they help to ensure that the human sciences are studying what matters most to those who are most affected by the research results.
The present document (link below) provides a summary of the results of the study. This includes the demographics of the 153 participants who responded, the top rated and reported general areas of mental health research, the top rated topics of mental health research overall and the highest rated topic within each area. The responses of Māori participants have been analysed and reported as part of the full dataset and as a separate Māori specific dataset. Participants made the most of the option to comment in their own words throughout the questionnaire and this provides a real richness to the data. Hence, through this summary document we have reported a significant amount of that material in support of the descriptive results. We encourage you to disseminate this results summary widely, including through the communication channels of consumer and tāngata whai ora networks specifically, and to promote them whenever, wherever and however you can.
