Social Health Cohort Study

Study objective

Social connectedness plays an important role in mental health and wellbeing. People living with severe mental illness can often experience loneliness, stigma, social exclusion, or difficulties maintaining social relationships and community connections. However, researchers still do not fully understand how social health affects mental health outcomes over time.

The Social Health Cohort Study aims to explore how social connectedness influences quality of life, daily functioning, and mental health symptoms among people living with severe mental illness. The study will also investigate how experiences such as stigma, discrimination, stress, and social support may influence wellbeing and recovery over time.

Primary aim and objectives

The primary aim of the study is to investigate how the size, makeup, and quality of people’s social networks predict changes in quality of life, day-to-day functioning, and mental health symptoms over a 12-month period.

Secondary aims and objectives

The study also aims to:

• explore how factors such as stigma, discrimination, social biases, and unhelpful thinking styles may influence the relationship between social connectedness and mental health outcomes,
• investigate how stress hormones and immune system markers may be linked to changes in social connectedness over time,
• understand how day-to-day social interactions relate to changes in mood, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, hope, and psychotic experiences,
• gather detailed insights into participants’ experiences of belonging, loneliness, trust, and connection within their local communities through neighbourhood tours,
• and securely link study data with routinely collected health and social care datasets for future research purposes.

Study design

This is a 12-month longitudinal cohort study involving 600 adults receiving secondary mental health care services across England, including a target of 120 participants from the Newcastle site. Participants will complete assessments at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months.

The study includes online questionnaires and study visits exploring areas such as social relationships, quality of life, mental health, daily activities, and wellbeing. Some participants may also choose to take part in additional optional components, including:

• mobile phone-based questionnaires completed over 7 days to explore day-to-day experiences and social interactions,
• blood and saliva sample collection to investigate stress and immune system markers,
• and participant-led neighbourhood tours exploring experiences of belonging, trust, loneliness, and connection within local communities.

Who can participate?

Participation is subject to specific study criteria.

Adults aged 18 years and over who are living in England and have a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or a psychosis-related disorder may be eligible to take part. Participants must currently be accessing secondary mental health care services or have previously opted in to hear about future research while receiving treatment from secondary care services. Participants must also be able to provide informed consent.

People currently in prison or in the custody of His Majesty’s Prison Services are not eligible to take part.

Participants will be reimbursed for their time and involvement in study activities.

Study status

Open for recruitment.

If you would like to find out more about the SHC study, or have any questions, please contact:

Newcastle site study team

• Rasoul Sabaei, Research Assistant – rasoul.sabaei@cntw.nhs.uk
• Rebecca Robson, Research Nurse – rebecca.robson1@cntw.nhs.uk
• Rebecca Woodhouse, Clinical Studies Officer – Rebecca.Woodhouse@cntw.nhs.uk

Newcastle site Principal Investigator

Dr. Furo Cookey – ibifuro.cookey@cntw.nhs.uk

There is further information about this study on the Social Health Hub Website.