Health

30 Nov 09

Dr Ann McPherson, medical director of the Health Experiences Research Group, and Jon Snow, patron of the DIPEx charity that supports the websites.

Three new sections of Healthtalkonline.org and Youthhealthtalk.org, the award-winning websites of patient experiences based on Oxford University research, are now available.

The online resources will allow those who have suffered bereavement from a traumatic death, young people affected by depression, and older people who are experiencing sleep problems in later life, to share and benefit from the experiences of others who have been in the same position.

Each of the new sections is based on interviews with a wide range of different people. They include video and audio clips of people discussing their experiences and various issues that confronted them, in order to help others in the same situation.

The websites aim to help those immediately affected, their family and friends, and also help doctors, nurses and other professionals understand what people are going through. The material is based on qualitative research carried out by the Health Experiences Research Group at the University of Oxford.

The site for those bereaved by a traumatic death includes interviews with people bereaved by a traumatic death, for example in a car crash, murder, fire, or bomb blast. Richard Taylor, father of Damilola Taylor and Government Special Envoy on youth violence, said he hoped that the experiences of a wide variety of people on Healthtalkonline.org would provide comfort and support to others.

Ann Oakes-Odger, founder of Knifecrimes.org, said: ‘To find your family suddenly thrust into a bewildering world following the murder of a child or loved-one is an overwhelming and frightening experience. The level of emotional pain is indescribable ... Healthtalkonline will enable bereaved families to gain immediate reassurance that their feelings, no matter how desperate are normal! This resource is an important tool to aid the recovery of bereaved victims and the understanding of those professionals dealing with victim support.’

Youthhealthtalk.org now includes a section on young people’s experiences of depression and low mood. Ulla Raisanen, the senior researcher who led the research behind the resource, explained: ‘One in ten young people in the UK experiences depression, persistent low mood or anxiety. Many find it hard to talk about these experiences to their parents, friends, teachers or health professionals. While it is not possible to just “snap out of” depression, people can get through it with the right help and support.’

‘I am delighted that Youthhealthtalk is providing young people, their carers and health professionals with the information and support they need,’ said Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer.

The third new section covers older people’s experiences of sleep problems in later life. Older people are more likely to report poorer sleep, and poor sleep is known to affect quality of life, inhibit recovery following illness, and is a risk factor for falls and depression. Healthtalkonline.org has video and audio interviews with men and women aged between 65 and 95 years old talking about their experiences of poor sleep, and strategies they used to improve their sleep.

The Healthtalkonline.org website now includes sections on almost 50 different illnesses and health conditions, including cancers, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, autism, HIV, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and mental health. Youthhealthtalk.org is a dedicated website for young people’s experiences, including experiences of epilepsy, sexual health, and teenage cancer.