The core DH-funded programme includes work exploring the links between childhood mental health problems and adulthood economic implications, and what can be done to address the problem; links between employment and mental health; and evaluations of a number of policy initiatives.
Recent or current work has included an evaluation of the Choose Life suicide prevention programme in Scotland. An examination of income-related inequalities in prevalence and service use is underway. A long-term theme has been the link between mental health problems and social exclusion, working collaboratively with the Centre for the Analysis of Social Exclusion at LSE.
Mental Health problems in old age have been studied in three projects: the impacts of unrecognised depression, the prevalence and costs of dementia, and the impact of needs assessments on care patterns and performance. A major study of medium secure units is coming to an end.
Cluster lead: Martin Knapp
Research team: Jennifer Beecham, Derek King, David McDaid
Contact: Pssru@lse.ac.uk|
Current projects
Changing Practice in Dementia Care in the Community: Developing and Testing Evidenced-Based Interventions, from Timely Diagnosis to End of Life
This programme of work comprises five projects (see http://www.evidem.org.uk/|). The contribution of PSSRU at LSE is to build economic components into each of these streams of work in order to understand the cost and other resource implications of needs and responses to them, and to explore the cost-effectiveness of interventions.
Further information| (PDF)
Evaluation of a System of Structured, Pro-active Care for Chronic Depression in Primary Care
LSE's component of this project aims to conduct an economic evaluation from the societal perspective, covering the service receipt and productivity losses.
Financial incentives to improve adherence to anti-psychotic maintenance medication in non-adherent patients (FIAT)
The study aims to provide new evidence on the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of offering financial incentives to patients with psychotic disorders to adhere to antipsychotic maintenance medication. If financial incentives improve adherence and lead to better health and social outcomes, they may be recommended as one option to improve the treatment of non-adherent patients with psychotic disorders.
Mental Health Promotion and Prevention
The scarcity of resources relative to needs and demands leads inevitably to some difficult choices which economic analysis aims to support. Techniques such as cost-effectiveness analysis are concerned with the link between human and other resources expended and subsequent problems averted and outcomes achieved. A long-term theme of the Mental Health Economics and Policy programme at PSSRU has been the exploration of the cost-effectiveness of treatments, service arrangements and policy approaches. An increasing amount of our work is focusing on promotion and prevention.
National Trends and Local Delivery in Old Age Mental Health Services: Towards an Evidence Base
Led by the University of Manchester, this programme of work aims to identify more cost-effective ways of structuring and delivering services for older people with mental health problems, focusing on three areas of importance at different levels: the balance and mix of care and services; the effective working of community mental health teams for older people; and the effectiveness of services for older people with depression in care homes. Each area of work will involve detailed evaluations alongside the collection of national data to benchmark services.
Support at Home - Interventions to Enhance Life in Dementia (SHIELD)
Led by the North East London NHS Foundation Trust and University College London, this aim of this applied research programme is to prevent excess disability, promote social inclusion, improve health outcomes, and enhance the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers. The aim will be achieved by a rigorous 5 year programme of psychosocial research building on existing work by the applicant team; in cognitive stimulation, reminiscence work, and carer support, and also by a new initiative developing intensive home support to manage crises at home, and prevent admission to hospital for people with dementia.
Completed projects
Age Discrimination in Mental Health Services
This project explored the extent of age discrimination in mental health services in the UK.
View Final Report| (PDF)
Assessing the Economic Impact of Health Visiting in Post-natal Depression
This project examined the economic benefits of health visiting.
Further information| (PDF)
CANE
This study aimed to evaluate whether the provision of better information on residents' needs improves effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of care in care homes.
Further information| (PDF)
Costs of Schizophrenia in England
This project aimed to estimate the wide-ranging financial and social burdens associated with schizophrenia in England.
Further information| (PDF)
Dementia UK
This project aimed to get up-to-date estimates of the prevalence and costs of dementia, and patterns of service provision across the UK.
View Final Report|
Economic Analysis based on STAR trial
This project aimed to examine the cost and cost-effectiveness of schizophrenia treatment.
Further information| (PDF)
Economics and Mental Health: Cost-effectiveness Evidence Review and Economic Implications of Stigma
This project entailed a review of evidence on the cost-effectiveness of specific interventions in mental health care and the production of a model to assess the economic impact of initiatives aimed at reducing stigma and discrimination experienced by people with mental health issues.
Further information| (PDF)
The Economic Impact of Crisis Resolution Teams
The purpose of this work was to model the economic costs of CRHT teams over a period of five years with the model being representative of CRHTs across the country.
View Final Report| (PDF)
Economics of Early Intervention Services: Scoping Study
Further information| (PDF)
Equity and Mental Health
This project aimed to develop standard methods for empirical analysis of equity so as to examine the distribution of psychiatric services.
Further information| (PDF)
Evaluation of the First Phase of Choose Life
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the first phase of 'Choose Life' the national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide in Scotland.
View Final Report| (PDF)
GAIN: outcome and costs for group and individual CBT for depression
Housing Services for People with Mental Health Problems
The costing of service use and data analysis in general, using various statistical and econometric methods.
Further information| (PDF)
Maintaining Good Health for Older People with Dementia who Suffer a Neck of Femur Fracture
The purpose of this project was to develop a cell-based macrosimulation model which analyses the cost of delayed discharge in people with dementia who suffer a neck of femur fracture.
View Research Summary| (PDF)
View Final Report| (PDF)
Medication Adherence
Further information| (PDF)
Mental Health to 2026
Further information| (PDF)
MHIP: the costs of a national pilot programme to improve quality in mental health care
Secure Units: Long-term Outcomes and Costs
This project aimed to examine cost-effectiveness of forensic team support for people leaving medium secure units.
Further information| (PDF)
Social Exclusion and Mental Health
This project aimed to explore the inter-relationship between dimensions of social exclusion and mental health.
Further information| (PDF)
Social Exclusion, Mental Health and Social Policy: A Systematic Review
The purpose of this study was to review the evidence on social exclusion, mental health and social policy.
Further information| (PDF)
Spatial Patterns
This study aimed to provide theoretical foundations and empirical evidence of possible underlying spatial patterns of mental health spending in England.
Further information| (PDF)
Trends and Medication Choice in Antipsychotic Prescribing
This project aimed to examine patterns of use of antipsychotic medication in the context of UK policy.
Further information| (PDF)