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Research grants: Consumer experiences of perinatal mental health and intervention for people with hoarding and squalor
21 Feb 2025
Grants & awards
The Beverley Raphael New Investigator Grant was recently awarded to five promising young researchers. Here, we profile two of the recipients.
Dr Joanna Blades
Project: Understanding consumer experiences of perinatal mental health outcomes
Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy is not only common but linked to poor physical and physiological outcomes for women and infants. Perinatal women and infants have unique needs, and generalised outcome measures used to assess mental health outcomes may not accurately reflect these or capture the clinical complexity of this group.
This qualitative study will analyse focus groups with patients and clinicians regarding their experience of perinatal mental health services and the relevance and accessibility of outcome measures. Results will guide the development and trial of new outcome measures identified as appropriate for use in the perinatal mental health settings.
By involving patients and clinicians in the co-design of potential outcome measures, this study aims to enable more meaningful assessments of perinatal mental health services, ultimately improving the quality of care tailored to the unique needs of this population.
Dr Blades is a Child and Adolescent Advanced Trainee at NSW Health, South West Sydney Local Health District and a Health and Education Institute (HETI) Fellow.
Dr Yun Ming Yong
Project: Evaluation of a novel intervention for people with hoarding and squalor
Hoarding and squalor are common but complex conditions. Approximately 1% of the general population live in domestic squalor, while 2% have hoarding disorder. These conditions are often linked to mental health, physical health, and cognitive challenges. Interventions are critical, as hoarding and squalor can lead to eviction, fire hazards and medical issues. Despite their prevalence and associated risks, evidence-based interventions for hoarding and squalor remain limited.
Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) has established a novel hoarding and squalor consultancy service to support referrers who work with people with hoarding and squalor issues. This grant will support a qualitative evaluation of this intervention by interviewing referrers and consumers about their experiences of engaging with the service. This study is part of Dr Yong's PhD, a mixed methods evaluation of the SLHD Hoarding and Squalor Consultancy Service, an intervention not previously described in the literature.
Dr Yong is an Advanced Trainee in Old Age Psychiatry at NSW Health, Sydney Local Health District.
“I am very thankful to the RANZCP Foundation for offering me a Beverley Raphael New Investigator Grant. With the support of this grant, I hope to contribute to an important area of psychiatry where there is currently very little evidence for effective and resource-efficient interventions".
Dr Yun Ming Yong
The Beverley Raphael New Investigator Grant is designed to encourage those who are new to research and require funding to conduct a small-scale study.
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