Mark Hong
Research Mentor: Viktoryia Kalesnikava
Mentor Department: RCGD, ISR
Author(s): Mark Hong, Viktoryia Kalesnikava, Alicia Carmichael
Session: Session 3 (11:00 AM – 11:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 24
Abstract
Teams in clinical and behavioral research at the University of Michigan are not fully prepared to address mental health crises (MHC) among their participants. MHC is defined by severe displays of symptoms related to depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. One cause of barriers in handling MHCs is the lack of institutional support, such as standardized protocols and clear IRB reporting guidelines. This study uses a mixed-methods approach to identify common barriers, supports, and proposed solutions for MHC response and develop a framework to better ensure the safety of future research participants. To pinpoint patterns in the quality of MHC response, we developed and administered a needs assessment survey sent to PIs and research coordinators of research teams that have reported any MHC within a 10-year period. Among participants with complete survey responses, we conducted 12 1-hour in-depth interviews and examined interview transcripts through qualitative data analysis with the goal of identifying specific institutional barriers and supports for handling MHCs in researchers’ experiences. Results showed that common barriers included the desire for IRB reporting specialists or clinicians experienced in MHCs, standardized guidelines when the project is associated with multiple IRBs, and unclear boundaries between researcher and clinician roles. These data were presented to a UM Psychiatry Department consultation group to propose a development of a prototype systemic framework that supports researchers when handling MHCs. This framework would include an on-call team of clinicians and IRB specialists with varying tiers of availability depending on the level of MHC anticipation a study presents. Two focus groups were formed from interviewees to provide feedback on the validity and feasibility of implementation. Next steps include further collaboration with UM IRBs to implement the short-term solution of sharing MHC protocols from experienced researchers with other study teams and to refine the long-term solution of implementing the proposed framework.
