IMPULSE is a successfully completed 45 month-long mental health research project. The project improved knowledge of psychosis, contributed to the evidence-base of effective treatment for psychosis, contributed to research methodology during public health crisis, contributed to the methodology of hybrid trials, and advanced understanding of service user involvement.
Major advances and successes include:
• IMPULSE clearly showed that individuals with psychosis and health care professionals can successfully engage in a digital psychosocial intervention which is a step toward providing collaborative and holistic care. The DIALOG + intervention can be delivered with high fidelity in mental health services with limited budgets. The intervention can significantly improve the quality of life of individuals with psychosis after four sessions. The intervention now has strong evidence base for improving the quality of life of patients with psychosis in mental health services.
• The IMPULSE clinical trial is the largest ever non-pharmacological randomised-controlled trial involving individuals with psychosis conducted in SEE, and among few such trials globally. Implementation barriers were successfully addressed through a data-driven implementation strategy and continued stakeholders’ engagement. This approach remains rare in mental health research and findings from IMPULSE can be used to guide future developments. The trial was successfully completed during the COVID-19 pandemic, thus allowing insights into delivering complex research under public health crisis restrictions.
• IMPULSE allowed new insights into clinical presentations of individuals with psychosis in SEE, prescribing strategies in SEE countries, use of clinical guidelines, and utilisation of services and associated economic costs. One important insight is that women’s mental health care is unmet in SEE countries which should be addressed in future work.
• IMPULSE improved service user involvement in SEE by setting up standards for including service users in research; training service users and professionals in effective service users involvement in mental health research/service delivery/policies; and increasing awareness of the importance of a collaborative approach.
• IMPULSE improved research capacity. Researchers attended training linked to key project’s objectives (i.e. hybrid trial methodology, implementation science, mixed methods) as well as the general skillset (i.e. academic writing, dissemination and public engagement, research integrity).
• IMPULSE employed innovative and effective dissemination and public engagement by continued involvement of service users, carers, clinicians, and policy makers. The social media strategy, multi-media presentation of key project findings and multi-language approach allowed good reach and communication with a wide audience.
• IMPULSE facilitated research networks across Europe and links with organisations such WHO, GACD, EC to disseminate the findings and facilitated future collaborations.
