Peer support for forced migrants with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions: development and feasibility of a co-produced intervention addressing mental health

Research problem and specific questionsForced migrants with diverse gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations tell impactful stories of persecution, oppression, social disadvantages and distress.

Through a longitudinal process involving exploratory studies and public contribution, we have identified a need for intervention research delivering peer support promoting mental health.

The goals are to: Co-produce and refine a peer support intervention that corresponds to the needs and preferences within the target population.Investigate the acceptability and usability of the intervention.a.

Assess the impact of the intervention to improve general mental health, depression, anxiety, wellbeing, and loneliness.b. Examine the methodological feasibility of study procedures.a. Explore how the target population and researchers experienced the process of co-producing the intervention.b.

Explore attitudes, benefits, challenges, and barriers of user participation and public contrubution in social services and research.Data and methodThe project is based on public contribution throughout all stages.

Public contributors with lived experience will collaborate with researchers to develop a peer support intervention, plan feasibility studies, deliver the intervention, analyze data, and report results.

Methods include participatory action research, qualitative interview studies, and a single-arm multi-methods feasibility study.

Collaboration is planned with clinical services for forced migrants and the Center for Civic Orientation, a joint office serving all the municipalities in the County of Stockholm and Håbo municipality.Societal relevance and utilisationSociety has a responsibility to support forced migrants.

Peer support has the potential to serve as a pragmatic intervention in social- and health services, promoting the health of individuals as well as their possibility of establishing themselves in the host country.Plan for project realisationThe project will span over four years.

A board of public contributors, project coordinator, community recruiter,  and peer supporters - all with lived experience - will throughout be actively involved.

The project will be structured in four phases:Co-develop the intervention and train peer supporters (months 0-12).Investigate the acceptability and usability (months 12-24).Assess the feasibility and clinical impact (months 24-48).Explore experiences of, and opportunities for, co-production (months 36-48).