The situation is complex: more and more young people in Switzerland and around the world are reporting mental health issues. At the same time, existing prevention and treatment services are underutilised. Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is a promising approach to designing programmes that are more tailored to the target group, thereby potentially increasing their use. PPI refers to the active and equal involvement of patients and the public in clinical research. This means that research is conducted not about the target group, but with them. The aim is to ensure that research is shaped by the perspectives, experiences and needs of those who are to benefit from it.
This pilot project is investigating the feasibility, acceptance and effectiveness of PPI in the Youth Mental Health Department at the University of Basel. Eight young people between the ages of 14 and 18, with and without mental illness, will participate as equal co-researchers in the department’s projects for two years – from the development of research questions to the dissemination of results. Both the young people and the department’s researchers will be trained for this task by experts, and implementation will be continuously evaluated. The materials used will be processed and made available to the public.
An interdisciplinary advisory board will provide technical support for the project and assist in transferring the findings from research into practice and the public sphere.
