A University of Hertfordshire-led research team has won more than half a million in funding to evaluate a new faith-based mental health intervention aimed at supporting young Muslim women.
The team, formed of researchers from the universities of Hertfordshire, East Anglia, Leeds and Birmingham City, plus representatives from the charities Inspirited Minds and C3 Collaborating for Health, were awarded the funding by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to fund the “IM-Adapted Trial” (NIHR156425). The project will also be supported by public advisors with relevant lived experience.
The study will explore whether a new mental health programme for young Muslim women aged 18-24 in Birmingham and East London can be successfully evaluated. The programme integrates culturally meaningful activities, such as reflecting on learnings from the Quran, into a mental health support programme, building on the one currently offered by the NHS.
Long-term mental health conditions among young people continue to increase, with young women three times more likely to be affected than men. Research shows mental health issues affect minority ethnic populations differently, with evidence of increased long-term depression among Muslims compared to others. British Muslims are also less likely to access mental health services due to the belief that “many don’t understand or address their cultural needs”.
While it is hoped that culturally tailored interventions could improve mental health and well-being if they are more meaningful to those needing them, evidence is needed on whether they work.
