title: Short-term effects of a peer co-led educational programme delivered before mental health treatment: A randomised controlled trial.
abstract: To investigate the 1-month effects of an educational programme co-led by peers delivered before treatment on treatment preferences, self-management knowledge and motivation in comparison to usual care.
  
  
  
  Adults referred to a community mental health centre were randomised to either a control group (n=48) or a peer co-led educational programme (intervention group, n=45). The programme consisted of an 8-hour group education session followed by an individual pretreatment planning session. The main topics of the educational programme were treatment options, patients' rights, self-management, the importance of patient activation and participation.
  
  
  
  At 1-month follow-up, a significantly larger proportion of the patients in the intervention group knew which type of treatment they preferred (76.7% vs. 32.5%, p<0.001). The intervention group had significantly higher self-management knowledge (p<0.001). There was no effect on treatment motivation (p=0.543).
  
  
  
  At 1-month following the delivery of a pretreatment educational programme, we found that participants' knowledge of treatment preferences and self-management had improved.
  
  
  
  Educational interventions co-led by peers can optimise the process of informing and educating outpatients, thereby helping patients to clarify their treatment preferences.
authors.affiliation: Tiller Community Mental Health Centre, Division for Mental Health, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: mariela.lara@stolav.no.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lara-Cabrera
authors.affiliation: Tiller Community Mental Health Centre, Division for Mental Health, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gjerden
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Clinic of Substance Use and Addiction Medicine, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Gråwe
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Research and Development, Division of Psychiatry, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Linaker
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinsbekk
mesh_terms: D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D009042:Motivation; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010379:Peer Group; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012648:Self Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Community mental health services; Patient education; Patient participation; Patient-centred care; Peer co-led education; Randomised controlled trial; Self-management knowledge