Creative methods of communicating to inform women’s health research in primary care - Blackpool

We recently held the first of two workshops for which we were awarded funding through the NIHR SPCR enablement fund for involvement, engagement and dissemination. Our project, ‘Creative methods of communicating to inform women’s health research in primary care: workshops from Blackbird Leys and Blackpool’ considers the facts that:

• socioeconomic deprivation is a major cause of poor health
• women are likely to live longer than men
• women spend longer in poor health
• women are less likely to be included in research, which we know is essential for care to be equitable and effective.

We wanted to get people thinking about different, more creative ways to do PPI with women experiencing socioeconomic deprivation. Traditional PPI activities such as discussion groups, meetings and interviews can feel intimidating or simply alien if you have never had anything to do with research. Arts-based approaches may be able help more people feel that PPI could be something for them.

For our Blackpool workshop, we worked with creative facilitator Natalie Kheirkhah, and Siobhean McCarthy-Perham, Blackpool, Fylde &Wyre Lead, Director of National Maternity Voices, Service User Voice.

Natalie uses art as a therapeutic tool, and to help people express themselves, overcome barriers, increase confidence and achieve goals, and explains a little about her involvement here: 

Natalie Kheirkhah talking to the group

'When I first got involved in this project, I was introduced to Siobhean and we met for planning meetings for the women’s health workshop.

Siobhean was very clever and knowledgeable on this subject and I felt a bit out of my depth but she, Polly and Rebekah soon helped me feel included, valued and listened to. I can imagine many people may feel the same as I did, as if they may have no use or not be clever enough to participate in the research projects.

I was so pleased to be asked to give the presentation as well as doing the art workshop. I was very, very nervous but again the others put me at ease. I managed to give the presentation and workshop on the day with support from my partner Thomas who was a huge help.

I was so pleased how the presentation and art workshop went and was given great feedback from the participants. I’d definitely love to do this again and feel it was very useful in encouraging researchers to engage with participants from all kinds of backgrounds.'

Natalie talked about some barriers to PPI that although not necessarily new to attendees, were more powerful when described by someone with lived experience. She then introduced the idea of ‘gratitude jars’ – a jam jar which we were invited to decorate and put in thoughts and reminders, but more importantly, spend time while doing so talking with colleagues and friends about anything the presentation had prompted.

Rebekah Burrow reflected on her experience of the workshop:

‘While I was making my gratitude jar I learned some other very useful lessons:

• The creative method we choose does not need to be too complicated. In fact, less complicated might be ideal, to help people who don’t feel comfortable being creative to join in.
• The art we make does not have to be perfect or fancy. And, what is fancy for me might not be for someone else. Items have the value that people give to them.
• The chance to meet people and the conversations we have with them can be enhanced by using a creative method. But some people will prefer to talk without the distraction.

Getting the balance right is a skill I will learn by working with lived experience partners, and practising.’

The feedback from this workshop will be instrumental in what we do in our second ‘Blackbird Leys’ workshop. We learned that attendees appreciated the many efforts to create a relaxing, pleasant space, and that they recognised the difference this made to how they felt. They would have liked more time to reflect and discuss, to apply the creative method, and would have welcomed the chance to share thoughts after the creative activity. We also accept that this workshop did not meet the expectations of a couple of people who felt it lacked focus or didn’t teach them anything new.

We will take all the comments on board as we plan the next workshop which will be held in the autumn.