This week sees the launch of the latest research report from the Mesothelioma UK Research Centre at the University of Sheffield. Funded by Mesothelioma UK and running for the last 18 months, the MINNOW study aimed to understand the mental health impacts of living with mesothelioma on patients and their informal carers. It also aimed to explore the strategies patients and carers used to support their mental health and wellbeing, and to find out which ones were most helpful. The study included a survey, completed by 96 people, and interviews with 10 patients and 11 carers (both those currently caring for someone with mesothelioma and those who had been bereaved).
Aspects of mental health and wellbeing investigated included the levels of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression experienced by the participants. Many different helpful ways of supporting mental health and wellbeing were identified, and the research team collaborated with people affected by the illness to make suggestions for enhancing service provision.
The study’s findings are presented in a report, available to read here. They will also be presented in a talk by the Research Centre’s Professor Angela Tod and Dr Virginia Sherborne during the Mesothelioma UK Patient and Carer Day in Brighton on Thursday 5th October, where some hard copies of the report will also be available.
