Adaptation and Implementation of Peer Support to Optimize Engagement and Outcomes for People With Serious Mental Illness in Campinas, Brazil

What this Trial Is About

Mental disorders are a major cause of disability worldwide, including in Brazil where many people with serious mental illness (SMI) do not successfully connect to community-based care despite free public mental health services. This research aims to adapt an evidence-based peer support model to Brazilian culture to improve engagement, continuity of care, quality of life, and wellbeing for people with SMI. The study also seeks to establish the feasibility, acceptability, safety, and tolerability of this culturally responsive intervention. The study uses a participatory approach involving stakeholders such as people with SMI, family members, clinicians, and community staff. It focuses on culturally adapting peer support to enhance connections and engagement in post-acute mental and physical healthcare. The project will assess multiple levels of outcomes and the potential for broader implementation through a pilot clinical trial and collaboration between Yale University and the University of Campinas. Participants will be monitored over time to measure changes in engagement in care at baseline and at 6, 9, and 12 months follow-up. The study will evaluate the intervention’s feasibility and acceptability while tracking safety and tolerability. This research is expected to inform future trials and may provide a model for adapting mental health interventions in other low- and middle-income countries.

Adaptation and Implementation of Peer Support in Brazil